Pixies returned for the second show of their first tour in two years at the House of Blues Anaheim last night. The band was right on time, starting at 9 PM. The performance was great, kicking off with “Gouge Away.” There was no talk during the set, as the band went through their songs at a frenetic pace, something we don’t see enough at concerts these days.
At certain points it was clear frontman Black Francis was having issues with his voice, as at one point he started to kick off “Cactus” and his voice gave out. He laughed it off though, and the band didn’t miss a beat. There were a couple of other points where he went to get a drink to help out with his voice.
After “Caribou” Black Francis left the stage, and bassist Paz Lezchantin told fans the band had to end the show early only an hour in, without playing their biggest hits “Here Comes Your Man,” “Where Is My Mind?” and “Hey.” The performance was great while it lasted, with “Caribou” ironically enough being a highlight of the night despite it being a breaking point for Black Francis. Joey Santiago using his hat to play guitar was another highlight, along with “Debaser.”
Black Francis has to be commended for getting through an hour of the show despite his struggles, but we hope to see the Pixies back in Anaheim again soon to see their biggest hits, and the rest of the set fans were excited to hear with another show.
Pixies have canceled their show in San Diego tonight due to illness. Pixies reps told us these were the band’s first warm-up shows in over 2 years, and Black Francis is a ‘howler,’ putting everything into his shows. This can lead to issues, even for alternative legends like Black Francis. We wish him well in his recovery.
"Mr.Grieves" Pixies at the House of Blues in Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/TP98YCTJVj
— Anthony Cardona (@Anton93_Vibes) March 17, 2022
An important update about tonight's show in San Diego. pic.twitter.com/WGwoSsfhJO
— PIXIES (@PIXIES) March 17, 2022
