Doolittle goodness

Me, the Pixies stage (before they came on)...
Look closely and you can see the trademark "P" on the drum kit.
Last night Dan and I went to see the Pixies at the Hordern Pavilion. We bought the tickets last September or thereabouts and I have been looking forward to it all this time. Booked my mother in for baby-sitting way back then and had to keep reminding her, even up to yesterday afternoon! (That's the thing when you see them every day...)

The concert was, in a nutshell, awesome. I wasn't HUGELY into the Pixies when they first started but they are such an incredible band, still together (back together) after all these years, an influence on so many bands ever since, that I couldn't not go. Plus, this was the Doolittle tour. Their greatest album, played through from beginning to end (with a few b-sides added in before and after).

Even though the band members are all getting on a little (I mean, that's life, right?) they put on an amazing show. Some bands can be disappointing when you've listened to their album over and over and see them live years later (I'm looking at you, Violent Femmes) but the Pixies rocked. Their playing was flawless, Frank Black and Kim Deal's singing spot on.

And I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or if it's the crowd at a concert like this, but it seemed to me a much more pleasant and polite audience. Of course there were a few over-the-top folk who just wanted to jump and bash into people but most of the crowd was better than that. Enthusiastic, happy, and excited. And polite! A tall guy briefly stood in front of me early on and I said "I hope you're not going to stay there all night - there's a bevy of short people around you" and he was very nice about it. Another guy moved in later on but I noticed he did try to duck down and made sure I could get a view. And then another chick pushed her way in next to me near the end. But I didn't mind. There was room! She saw me look at her (actually, I was looking past her to our friends) and started apologising... "Kim Deal is my hero!" she exclaimed and also kept making sure that I had room and a view. All the time happy as punch. I loved looking around at all the people around me and seeing the joy on their faces and in their dancing.

It's such a different experience to the days when you'd go and be surrounded by 6'+ tall guys who couldn't care less and who'd squeeze you out or squash you if you tried to hold your ground. It would often nearly ruin my night. Last night was so much more pleasant, it amazes me. Also I have to say that the smoking ban in venues made things MUCH nicer. Gawd, I am turning into an old fogey aren't I?

I do wish I'd brought my camera (the above photo was taken with my friend's iphone) - heaps of people were taking photos, some of which looked pretty good from what I could see. But this morning I found this slide show - if you're interested!

I'm so glad I went. A night out, kid-free (although we did see a family group! Parents and their two teenage kids, obviously underage, sitting in the stands. How great! What cool parents!) It was well worth the wait and the money (tickets aren't cheap for big international acts, unfortunately). Yay!