Bradley’s Almanac

Live MP3s: PIXIES do Doolittle in Boston

Posted on June 30, 2010 at 11:25 am | No Comments

When the Pixies decided to jump on the “full album live” train last year to perform their seminal “Doolittle” LP for the masses, I was fully on board. The trend that seems to have started with ATP’s original “Don’t Look Back” shows is still going strong, and while it’s easy to be cynical in the face of such obvious cash-raking nostalgia, it becomes impossible to resist when one of those albums is among your favorites of all time. I’ve long held that the best four-song start to any record ever is the “Debaser” / “Tame” / “Wave Of Mutilation” / “I Bleed” quatro-punch that starts “Doolittle” (go ahead, argue with me), and some of the most vivid memories of my entire life involve laying on the rocks of the off-limits Williston (Vermont) quarry, eyes closed after an illegal swim, drying off in the sun as the cassette played loudly from a nearby boom-box. From the intro bass line of “Debaser“, I’m taken right back there.

So when the first run of these “Doolittle” gigs was announced last year, free will played no part in my decision to attend. In fact, the word ‘decision’ played no part. Tickets to the second of two late-November Boston stops were purchased on auto-pilot, and fate smiled upon Amie and I with some amazing seats. I’d seen the foursome in smaller venues, and larger (including the ill-fated, band-crushing opening slot tour with U2), but never, ever so ridiculously close. I didn’t give a good goddamn which phase of their career they were in – I’d be in the f’in third row. So close that I wouldn’t even complain if I wasn’t on Kim’s side of the stage (ok, maybe just a little).

Speaking of trends, here’s one I look forward to seeing more of: Near-instant gratification from bands who record their own live shows and offer them up to fans as a keepsake. Yeah, it’s been going on for years in certain circles, but with technology, the turnaround time has been shrinking dramatically, and spreading to non-hippy bands (i.e. ones I actually like). When I saw the Trashcan Sinatras last year, all you had to do was hang around after the show for about 15 minutes and you could buy a custom USB stick that contained a huge, unedited MP3 of the entire set, recorded via laptop from the board by one of the guitarists. How ’bout that? (sidenote: The Trashcans just finished up a tour in support of their excellent new album, which has now been released in the US. You can still buy recordings from the previous tour here.)

And so the Pixies, enabled by the folks at Abbey Road Live (composed of the same core crew behind Live Here Now and DiscLive), decided to document the entirety of their “Doolittle” retrospective tour. Not only could fans pre-order better-than-soundboard recordings of their shows and pick them up soon after the band left the stage, but even those who couldn’t make it were able to snag the full sets over at DoolittleLive. It was a boon for fanatics and collectors, as they discussed the best performances and best quality recordings over at the band’s (currently down) official message board. And it was, of course, a boon for the band as well, funneling even more nostalgia-fueled income their way. Simple economics.

Well, it was simple until the tour hit Boston, of course. As the band, and Abbey Road Live, tried to set up to record those two nights, they hit a snag: namely the local union crew working the Wang/Citi Center. I know some details, not enough to explain it clearly, but the end result was pretty straightforward: No live documentation of the band’s long-awaited visit to what many consider their hometown, performing an album they wrote and recorded near that very venue. A damn shame for those looking forward to either reliving it or experiencing it from a distance.

Well, with this post, I try to ease that sting a little. You can thank a fellow taper who goes by the name emorency/BennyBlanco, and the fact that he was paying close attention when the Abbey Road crew announced, after the first show, that they weren’t permitted to record either show. Unlike me, he brought his gear to night number two, knowing it would be lost to the ages if he didn’t, and came up with the goods.

So with his permission, and with the “unofficial” permission of Abbey Road and the band (meaning this won’t be up for long, and could disappear more quickly if ‘the man’ comes around), here is the Pixies’ triumphant performance of “Doolittle” in Boston on Saturday night, November 28th, 2009. Yes, they closed with “UMass“, and it was glorious. Don’t settle for this recording, though… be sure you visit DoolittleLive and look around for other notable shows from the band’s long retrospective tour. Support this whole official live-recording business model by throwing more tall dollars their way.

My commentary on the show, such as it is, follows below. Enjoy…

PIXIES

Live at the Wang Theatre / Citi Center
in Boston, Massachusetts
on Saturday, November 28th, 2009

Audience recording by BennyBlanco/ScreamingSlave

Technical details:
Mics = DPA 4061 > Custom BB > R09HR @ 24/96
Mastering & EQ in SF 9 > Downsample to 24/48 > MP3 @ 320/44
Location = Front Row Mezzanine

download the entire set as a 208 MB .zip file

01. Intro
02. Dance The Manta Ray
03. Weird At My School
04. Bailey’s Walk
05. Manta Ray
06. Debaser
07. Tame
08. Wave Of Mutilation
09. I Bleed
10. Pixies Speak
11. Here Comes Your Man
12. Dead
13. Kim Speaks
14. Monkey Gone To Heaven
15. Kim Speaks
16. Mr. Grieves
17. Crackity Jones
18. Kim Speaks
19. La La Love You
20. Kim Speaks
21. No. 13 Baby
22. Kim Speaks
23. There Goes My Gun
24. Kim Speaks
25. Hey
26. Kim Speaks
27. Silver
28. Gouge Away
29. Crowd
30. Kim Speaks
31. Wave Of Mutilation [UK Surf]
32. Into The White
33. Crowd
34. Kim Speaks
35. Isla De Encanta
36. Holiday Song
37. Nimrod’s Son
38. Where Is My Mind?
39. UMASS

Some personal highlights, from my spot in the 3rd row…

  • Totally dug the rhythm section solidarity, as Kim Deal spent much of the show hanging back near David Lovering’s drum riser.
  • Yes, we got both versions of “Wave of Mutilation“, and I can’t imagine anyone complained about redundancy.
  • Speaking of that song, I spent much of the show wondering when Lovering would finally use the triangle hanging off his kit, and should have realized that moment would come only once, during its “UK Surf” version.
  • As practiced as the band must be after so many reunion shows, I’ll admit it was kind of endearing when they had to abort and restart “Weird At My School“. That’s what you get for tackling the b-sides, I guess. Glad they decided not to skip it after they bailed.
  • One of the best parts of being so close to the stage? Watching Joey Santiago’s serious string bending during “I Bleed“. Amazing.
  • Think the band is on auto-pilot? Think they’re not feeling it? Well, you shoulda seen Frank Black during “Hey“, as he stepped back from the microphone and mouthed along to every note of Santiago’s glorious mid-song guitar lick.
  • After the band finished “Hey“, and the crowd readied themselves for the seldom-heard (and Kim Deal-fronted) “Silver”, she self-deprecatingly said “Yes, we’re playing all of them”. I’ve never been a big fan of the song, but after seeing it live, I am now.
  • After “Isla De Encanta“, Santiago leaned over to the front few rows and asked us “Are you deaf yet? Oh, wait, you probably can’t hear me…”.
  • A sweaty David Lovering, whose momentum built through the show and resulted in absolutely brutal cymbal crashes during “Gouge Away“, lost a stick during “Holiday Song” but flawlessly recovered. Not an easy song to do that on.
  • That final bow. How can you not love that? Looked like four old friends who just had a hell of a good time in their musical hometown.
  • The band recently announced another string of U.S. “Doolittle” tourdates, hitting some spots they missed the first time around. Here’s the itinerary, all in September…

    Sept. 7th @ Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
    10th @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
    13th @ Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
    17th @ Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
    18th @ Brady Theatre, Tulsa, OK
    19th @ Verizon Theatre, Dallas, TX
    20th @ Verizon Wireless Theatre, Houston, TX
    22nd @ Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX
    24th @ Mesa Amphitheatre, Mesa, AZ
    25th @ The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
    26th @ RIMAC Arena, San Diego, CA

    Keep an eye on DoolittleLive.com as the tour progresses for new recordings. Abbey Road Live recently documented the band’s entire New Zealand/Australia tour as well.

    The band’s official website is in the process of being relaunched, so you should get over there right now, just in case that relaunch doesn’t include the free live “Doolittle” EP they have available for download.

    Last year, 4AD released the massive (and massively priced) Pixies MINOTAUR boxset. If I didn’t already own all of its contents (and had just won the lottery), I would have been all over it. Beautifully designed (of course) by 4AD art director Vaughan Oliver, it uses both original and new work from photographer Simon Larbalestier, whose images have helped aesthetically define the band since their first release. Here’s a video ‘trailer’ for the boxset, which is really more of a mini-documentary (clocking in at 30 minutes). It was filmed at the one-night London release event showcasing that new-and-old artwork, and features chats with Oliver and Larbalestier, along with Kim, Frank, and David, and most importantly, a surprise live set from the band. Check out full performances of “Hey“, “No. 13“, “Monkey Gone To Heaven“, “Debaser“, “Planet Of Sound“, “Dig Fire“, “Bone Machine“, and “Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf)”…

    In between their seemingly never-ending reunion jaunts, each Pixie keeps their individual musical juices moving on their own ongoing projects…

  • Frontman Frank Black / Black Francis is very busy with the solo thang, and Slicing Up Eyeballs has the latest on an upcoming b-sides compilation, a rock opera being put together based on his 2007 record “Bluefinger”, and a list of upcoming solo dates, including some overseas festivals dates in August, and a whole lot of U.S. gigs well into September.
  • Bassist/vocalist Kim Deal continues on with her sister Kelley in The Breeders, who also have a few U.S. shows set up for September (including the Jim Jarmusch-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties 2010 in Monticello, NY).
  • Guitarist Joey Santiago and drummer David Lovering teamed up to form instrumental band The Everybody last year, and quickly released their downloadable debut “Avatar”. Head to their site for a variety of download options (including song stems that you can remix, or play along with, to your hearts content). They’ve also got a track up for use on Rock Band, if you’re into that. Check their Facebook page for the latest news.
  • As ever, listen to any and all ‘Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.

    the fine print… If anyone has an issue with these MP3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the ‘nac faq). Files are made available for a limited time, and are generally not reposted once removed.

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    Farewell Tour
    with Jake Wesley Rogers
    @ Xfinity Center

    Thursday & Friday
    July 17th & 18th
    The Lumineers
    Young the Giant (on the 17th)
    St. Vincent (on the 18th)
    Hippo Campus
    @ Fenway Park

    Friday, July 18th
    Samantha Crain
    @ Warehouse XI

    Friday, July 18th
    Dinosaur Jr.
    Snail Mail
    Easy Action
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday & Saturday
    July 18th & 19th
    PIXIES
    performing "Bossanova"
    & "Trompe Le Monde" (18th)
    and a set of classics (19th)
    with Kurt Vile & the Violators
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, July 19th
    Bad Moves (farewell tour)
    Theo Grizol (of Nana Grizol)
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, July 19th &
    Friday, September 5th
    Men I Trust
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, July 21st
    Ghost
    @ TD Garden

    Saturday, July 26th
    Toto
    Christopher Cross
    Men At Work
    @ Leader Bank Pavilion

    Saturday, July 26th
    Rod Stewart
    Cheap Trick
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Tuesday, July 29th
    Goo Goo Dolls
    Dashboard Confessional
    @ the Pavilion

    Wednesday, July 30th
    The "Happy Together" Tour
    featuring The Turtles,
    Jay & the Americans,
    Little Anthony, Mark Lindsay
    (of Paul Revere & the Raiders),
    The Vogues, & the Cowsills
    @ Lynn Auditorium

    Wednesday, July 30th
    The Offspring
    Jimmy Eat World
    New Found Glory
    @ Xfinity Center

    Friday, August 1st
    LOST 80's LIVE
    with A Flock of Seagulls,
    Big Country, General Public,
    The Vapors, Belouis Some,
    The Icicle Works, China Crisis,
    Josie Cotton, Polecats,
    and more
    @ the Wang

    Friday, August 1st The Church @ the Somerville Theatre
    Saturday, August 2nd
    Pantera
    Amon Amarth
    @ Great Woods

    Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
    August 7th, 8th, & 9th
    Somergloom V festival
    in Somerville

    Tuesday, August 12th
    John Moreland
    Jared Hart
    @ the Sinclair

    Wednesday, August 13th
    Clipping.
    @ The Sinclair

    Friday, August 15th
    The Doobie Brothers
    The Coral Reefer Band
    @ Xfinity Center

    Saturday, August 16th
    The Black Keys
    Gary Clark Jr.
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, August 16th
    Architects
    Erra
    Holy Water
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday, August 16th
    Toad the Wet Sprocket
    KT Tunstall
    Six Pence None the Richer
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Saturday, August 23rd
    Tugboat Annie
    Vic Firecracker
    Forevers
    @ the Burren Back Room

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    August 26th & 27th
    James Taylor
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, August 29th
    Nine Inch Nails
    @ the Garden

    Saturday, August 30th
    Coheed & Cambria
    Taking Back Sunday
    Foxing
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday & Sunday
    September 6th & 7th
    "Seisiún: a two-day Irish
    music & cultural gathering"
    6th: Dropkick Murphys,
    the Hold Steady, Stiff Little Fingers,
    The Scratch, The Rumjacks,
    Holy Locuts, & more
    7th: The Pogues, The Waterboys,
    Cardinals, Just Mustard,
    Lisa O'Neill, Mairead,
    John Francis Flynn, & more
    @ the Stage at Suffolk Downs

    Sunday, September 7th
    The Outlaw Music Festival
    10th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Sunday, September 7th
    Rilo Kiley
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, September 7th
    My Chemical Romance
    Idles
    @ Fenway Park

    Thursday, September 11th
    Bruce Dickinson
    (Iron Maiden)
    @ the House of Blues

    Friday, September 12th
    Superchunk
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, September 12th
    The Brian's Jonestown Massacre
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, September 12th
    Ethel Cain
    9million
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, September 12th
    Supergrass
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, September 12th
    Saturday, September 13th
    Black Moth Super Rainbow
    Ricky Eat Acid
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, Sept 14th
    Alabama Shakes
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Monday, September 15th
    PUP
    Jeff Rosenstock
    Ekko Astral
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, September 15th
    Steve Winwood
    @ The Cabot

    Wednesday, September 17th
    Alison Krauss & Union Station
    Willie Watson
    @ the Pavilion

    Thursday, September 18th
    Garbage
    Starcrawler
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, September 21st
    Shonen Knife
    @ Sonia

    Tuesday, September 23rd
    The Minus 5
    The Baseball Project
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Tuesday, September 23rd
    Viagra Boys
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, September 26th
    Stereolab
    The Memorials
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, September 27th
    Car Seat Headrest
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Thursday, October 2nd
    Elbow
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday & Sunday
    October 4th & 5th
    An Inconceivable Evening
    with Cary Elwes
    & a screening of
    The Princess Bride
    @ the Wilbur

    Monday, October 6th
    Swans
    @ the Paradise

    Wednesday, October 8th
    Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
    'Howl' 20th Anniversary Tour
    with Humanist
    @ House of Blues

    Wednesday, October 8th
    The Murder Capital
    @ Sonia

    Friday, October 10th
    Destroyer
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, October 11th
    Kneecap
    @ the House of Blues

    Sunday, October 12th
    The Miki Berenyi Trio
    (that's Miki from Lush)
    Gina Birch
    The Unreasonables
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, October 13th
    My Morning Jacket
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, October 21st
    Everclear
    Local H
    Sponge
    @ Big Night Live

    Thursday, October 23rd
    Belly
    "King" 30th Anniversary Tour!
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, October 25th
    Minus The Bear
    @ the House of Blues

    Monday, October 27th
    Autechre
    Mark Broom
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Wednesday, October 29th
    The Beta Band
    @ the Royale

    Friday & Saturday
    November 7th & 8th
    Steve Martin & Martin Short
    three shows @ the Wang

    Thursday, November 13th
    Janeane Garofalo
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Monday, November 24th
    Patti Smith
    Horses 50th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Orpheum