LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: PIXIES AT THE O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON, LONDON 17/05/25
Photo gallery for Pixies here
Photo gallery for Big Special here
During a second sold-out show in London last week, legendary alt-rock pioneers Pixies delivered a sharp, unapologetic set at the O2 Academy Brixton, reminding fans and newcomers alike why their legacy remains firmly intact almost four decades after their debut.
Opening up the night was Birmingham-based duo Big Special, who delivered a compelling performance full of raw energy and emotional intensity. The punk band, comprising vocalist Joe Hicklin and drummer Cal Moloney, took the stage to a pretty filled-up room, jokingly exclaiming ‘‘Welcome to the Eurovision Song Contest” (taking place the same evening) before launching into ‘BLACK COUNTRY GOTHIC’ from their debut album POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES, released last year and showcased in full force tonight. Their music, including spoken word-style lyrics delivered with rhythmic speech rather than traditional singing, created a raw, authentic distinctive atmosphere that seemed to resonate with the audience - a very suitable warm-up for a crowd of alt-rock enthusiasts.
With a packed house and palpable anticipation, Pixies arrived on stage with no introduction, no dramatic lighting cue, and certainly no small talk - but from the first distorted note, they commanded the crowd with an urgency that was anything but nostalgic. Opening with the newer tracks ‘Ernest Evans’ and ‘You’re So Impatient’, the Pixies immediately set the tone: this was going to be loud and fiercely uncompromising. What followed was an almost 2-hour long set that moved like a freight train: fast, focused, and just unpredictable enough to keep you off balance (the setlist also changing every night of the tour so far).
Frontman Black Francis’s voice is still a force of nature - raw and wild, veering from whispers to blood-curdling screams within seconds (‘Tame’), as if propelled by the same frenetic energy that powered their early albums. Guitarist Joey Santiago’s effortless work was hypnotic, particularly on ‘Hey’ and ‘All Over The World’. David Lovering’s drumming was tight and steady throughout - the backbone of a set that never lost momentum. Bassist Emma Richardson brought her own flair to the band’s iconic sound, offering a steady presence, beautiful backup vocals (‘Mercy Me’, ‘Kings of the Prairie’) and melodic bass lines to the performance (‘Gouge Away’). The synergy between longtime members and newer additions truly felt effortless, resulting in a cohesive sound that bridged eras, between old and new.
With over 30 songs poured out in quick succession, with barely a pause between them, the setlist was a perfect balance of classic hits and new releases, a carefully curated journey through the band’s career. The Pixies played what they wanted, how they wanted, and with the same raw energy that made them legendary in the first place. Songs from Trompe Le Monde (1991) were well received (‘Planet of Sound’, ‘Motorway to Roswell’ ‘Subbacultcha’). During ‘In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)’, Francis took a step back and gave Richardson the opportunity to fully show off her beautiful vocals. Newer tracks from The Night the Zombies Came (2024) - such as ‘Primrose’, ‘Chicken’, ‘Mercy Me’ or ‘Motoroller’ to name a few - were slipped in alongside fan favourites, and while they didn’t garner the same immediate recognition, they fit the set’s overall intensity - a reminder that this band still has creative fuel to burn.
Not a word was said during the set, yet there was a real connection between the band and the audience. Fans sang along and swayed, some jumping at times (‘Hey’), the night had a feeling of nostalgia but also pure, utter joy. And unsurprisingly, the crowd erupted for the favourites ‘Here Comes Your Man’, ‘Debaser’ and ‘Monkey Gone to Heaven,’ from 1989’s Doolittle, prompting massive cheers and lyrics belted out from every corner of the room.
There was no encore. No dramatic ending. Just one last burst of noise with the highly anticipated ‘Where Is My Mind?’ which ignited the crowd into an unsurprising frenzy, followed by ‘Into the White’, lead by Richardson on vocals, a wave and a bow from the band members, and the lights up - the kind of exit only a band with nothing left to prove can pull off.
For a band often credited with paving the way for ‘90s alternative rock, their performance felt timeless, with what could be described as a celebration of the band’s legacy. Thirty years in, the Pixies’ edge hasn’t dulled - it’s just been sharpened by time.
Words and photos by Florelle Servageon.
Full setlist below:
Ernest Evans
You’re So Impatient
Oyster Beds
Planet of Sound
Cactus
Here Comes Your Man
Blown Away
Ed is Dead
Motorway to Roswell
Chicken
Jane (The Night The Zombies Came)
Mercy Me
The Vegas Suite
Motoroller
Gouge Away
Debaser
Subbacultcha
Distance Equals Rate Time Time
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
Monkey Gone To Heaven
Down to the Well
All Over the World
Velouria
The Happening
Kings of the Prairie
Primrose
Snakes
Hey
In Heaven (Lady of the Radiator Song)
Death Horizon
Where Is My Mind?
Into the White
