The Pixies continued their streak of diminishing returns last night with the national television debut of their Kim Deal-less lineup (no disrespect to replacement bassist Kim Shattuck). To promote their recent underwhelming EP-1 and never-ending quasi-reunion tour, the indie stalwarts dropped by Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. The Boston-reared foursome played one-off single “Bagboy” during the broadcast and trudged through EP-1‘s “Indie Cindy” as a Web exclusive. All of the elements that once made the Pixies a genuinely exciting unit were more or less in place — Frank Black’s speak-sing vocals, Joey Santiago strapped to a six-string, David Lovering keeping time in the background, someone named Kim deadpanning back-up voice-work — but the whole performance felt kind of hollow. Not bad, per se, just… fine.
Hit the play buttons above and below to judge for yourself. Meanwhile, scroll down to scan the Pixies’ lengthy slate of upcoming shows, and revisit the band’s first crack at a reunion with SPIN’s 2004 feature Life to the Pixies.
Pixies tour dates:
September 17 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
September 18 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
September 19 – New York, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
September 20 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom #
September 25 – London, U.K. @ iTunes Festival
September 29 – Paris, France @ Olympia
September 30 – Paris, France @ Olympia
October 2 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
October 3 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
October 5 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
October 6 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
October 8 – Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys
October 9 – Berlin, DE @ Huxleys
October 10 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Lucerna Music Hall
November 1 – Vienna, Austria @ Gasometer
November 2 – Geneva, Switzerland @ Thonex
November 4 – Milan, Italy @ Alcatraz
November 5 – Toulouse, France @ Le Phare
November 7 – Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera
November 8 – Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera
November 9 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Coliseum
November 11 – Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Rockhal
November 13 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Falkoner
November 14 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
November 15 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Munchen Brewery
November 18 – Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia
November 19 – Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia
November 21 – Manchester, U.K. @ Apollo
November 22 – Glasgow, U.K. @ Barrowland
November 24 – London, U.K. @ Hammersmith Apollo
November 25 – London, U.K. @ Hammersmith Apollo
* = with Reignwolf
^ = with Meg Myers
# = with Parquet Courts
