The Pixies – Live At The Paradise In Boston – Review

dvd-pixies-live200The Pixies

Live At The Paradise In Boston (MVD)
by Ewan Wadharmi

The Pixies have three forms of communication with each other: Through the media, through faxed disband notices, and through onstage banter. Frank Black makes it clear that he is the leader, changing the set list, stopping songs, giving instruction like he was Van Morrison. He’s pleasant about it, asking Dave Lovering if he wouldn’t mind singing “La La Love You,” and pausing to kid around with Kim Deal, who’s absolutely beaming to be on the same stage. Lovering pours his heart out onto his skins, then smiles proudly. Guitar icon Joey Santiago stands emotionless with his Secret Service face on. The Pixies burst energetically through favorites like “Debaser” and “Monkey Gone To Heaven” and forgotten tidbits “Isla De Encanta” with equal respect for the songs and their followers. The only obvious omission being “Here Comes Your Man.” The break has served them well, the offerings are as fresh as Summer’s Eve.

It’s a small club setting, just a couple hundred rabid hometown fans, and Black’s informal manner serves to put both band and audience at ease. As for the light show, they’re on and they show the stage and the creatures on it. Unlike many concert vids, the cameramen are actually permitted to pan, zoom, and move. A nice touch along with a thoughtful, non-distracting editing style.

Raw archival footage of a half-sized Black and Lovering sporting a monster bolo tie grace the bonus material. The Halloween show is vintage ’86, bringing back my high school daze.
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