Pixies Plus Special Guests Franz Ferdinand & Bully at The Fillmore, New Orleans

Wednesday night, Pixies took over The Fillmore in New Orleans, delighting a packed house with 30+ song setlist, in celebration of their new record Doggerel.

Bully began in 2013, as a rock band in Nashville, Tennessee. Following the departure of the other two band members, singer/guitarist Alicia Bognanno made the decision to continue Bully as a solo project. Although they only played a short 30-minute set, they wasted no time charming the audience with distorted guitars, rhythmic drums, and vocals that alternated between soaring and screaming. They have a modern grunge-inspired sound that is simultaneously new and nostalgic.

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*© Splice Magazine – Kristen Derr. Please do not alter images.*

Next, high-energy Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand took over. Frontman Alex Kapranos captivated the audience with his antics: jumping, dancing, and kicking along to the music. Much to the audience’s delight, they played an hour long set of their trademark catchy jams, including their early 00’s hit Take Me Out. Although Franz Ferdinand have been a band for over 2 decades, tonight was their first time playing New Orleans, and they certainly made an impression! Let’s hope they come back to New Orleans sooner rather than later, as we are enthusiastically waiting their return.

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Boston alternative rockers Pixies opened the set with Gouge Away, the closing track from their 1989 record Doolittle, a song with a melody that is both catchy and haunting. The band then wove through a lengthy setlist spanning their decades long career. They opted not to stop to chat with the audience. Instead, they drifted from song to song with the precision of a band that had been playing together for most of their lives. Even Pixie’s newest member, bassist Paz Lenchantin, who joined frontman Black Francis, guitarist Joey Santiago, and drummer David Lovering in 2016, fit right in as if she had been part of the band since the beginning. Fans of all ages sang along to every word. Even where I stood at the back of the venue, the audience’s enthusiasm for songs like Cactus and Here Comes Your Man was unmistakable. Older fans, enjoying the nostalgia of their old favorites, danced and combined their voices with young fans, many of whom were seeing the band for the first time.

Pixies played 90 minutes of non-stop music, choosing to forgo the encore, a move that delighted some fans and confused others.

Pixies are truly a band that transcends generations. Their timeless music has paved the way for countless artists, and will continue to inspire others for many generations to come.

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The Pixies tour continues on June 23rd in Houston, travels West to Austin, then pauses for a month before continuing across the Northeast with Modest Mouse and Cat Power, and wrapping up in Los Angeles on September 17th.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

June 23 – Bayou Music Center, Houston, TX

June 24 – Southside Ballroom, Dallas, TX

June 25 – Moody Amphitheatre, Austin, TX

August 20 – Stone Pony Summerstage, Asbury Park, NJ

August 21 – The Rooftop at Pier 17, New York, NY

August 22 – The Rooftop at Pier 17, New York, NY

August 24 – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheatre, Bridgeport, CT

August 25 – Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY

August 26 – MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA

August 28 – Artpark Amphitheater, Lewiston, NY

August 29 – TCU Amphitheatre at White River State Park, Indianapolis, IN