Auckland recently received a flood of visitors from around the country for the triple threat concerts by the Pixies, the Backstreet Boys and Lady Gaga. Here Russell Dear from Wellington shares his Pixirific experience.
A pastry-topped beef pot pie from Galbraiths on Mt Eden Road was an unexpectedly good start to the night. After that and a glass of wine we crossed the road to the Powerstation to wait with the 100-or-so other slighty-aging fans for the doors to open.
After a brief rush to the stage to secure spots, drinks were sourced (the cash bar at the Powerstation is unusual, but great for those that thought far enough in advance to bring folding stuff) and the wait began. After ominous introductory music, the Pixies took the stage at 9pm on the dot.
Being the 20th anniversary tour of their Doolittle album, most of the set list was pre-determined: b-sides from singles off the album, then the full album itself, followed by two more b-sides, then finally a run through of (mainly Surfer Rosa/Come On Pilgrim) hits for an encore.
The erstwhile Black Francis has lost none of the power in his scream, and while his face said ‘sleepy and a bit bored’, his voice screeched biblical Spanish alien sex. Joey Santiago looked nervous the entire night, though he needn’t have – he’s a man well in control of his instrument, so to speak. David Lovering was everyone’s dodgy old uncle, and Kim Deal offered the occasional comment in advance of the songs, as well as smiling through the whole shebang. Watching 1000 people trying to whistle along with La La Love You, and yodel along with Caribou, I reckon I’d have cracked a smile or two as well.
Our spot – second row from the front, stage-right, in front of Joey – was even closer than I let myself hope for. It was a privilege and a thrill to be that close to a band that formed a significant part of the soundtrack to my teens and 20s – let it not be said that I (and most of the crowd, by the looks) didn’t appreciate every minute of it. Speaking of the crowd – they were well-behaved, and the (fairly sparse) security team didn’t have a lot to do all night.
After a joint bow, each member of the band went along the stagefront to slap hands and wave to each section of the audience – a nice touch that further endeared them to an already happy crowd. We were out by 11pm, and then it was back home for an early night before round #2.
The next day we were pleasantly surprised by Bellota, on Federal St under SkyCity. I was expecting a sterile, hotel-restaurant style environment, but I got an intimate little tapas bar with excellent pork belly and a range of tasty pintxos. Not cheap, but not exorbitant.
A taxi to Vector Arena, and we were amongst the heaving masses. Purchasing alcohol at the Arena is fine if you get there early; by about halfway through the support band (Collapsing Cities), queues were about half-an-hour long and gettng worse. Drink early!
Sound at the Arena was fine (for a large arena-style show) – having been to a couple of previous concerts I wasn’t overly worried, and that was justified. Visuals were interesting and adding something from what we’d seen the previous night. The ominous opening music was revealed as a soundtrack to an excerpt of the Luis Buñuel/Salvador Dalí film Un Chien Andalou, which is referenced in the opening track (Debaser) on the album.
Set list was obviously very similar to the night before, with a few of the encore songs swapped in, out or around. Then, after giving their goodbyes with another round of waving and bowing, they were gone.
The Corner Bar under Hotel DeBretts on Shortland St provided drinks afterwards – though with only two barmen dealing to a large (if quite polite) crowd, and no drinking at the outside tables after 11pm, I think I’ll head further afield after future Vector gigs.
I look forward to the 40th anniversary concerts in 20 years’ time.
Setlist
Dancing the Manta Ray
Weird At My School
Bailey’s Walk
Manta Ray
Debaser
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Dead
Monkey Gone To Heaven
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
Number 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf Mix)
Into the White
Encore (Powerstation):
Isla De Encanta
Nimrod’s Son
U-Mass
Bone Machine
Vamos
Caribou
Gigantic
Where Is My Mind?
Encore (Vector Arena):
Where Is My Mind?
Broken Face
Isla De Encanta
The Holiday Song
Nimrod’s Son
U-Mass
Gigantic