The second night of Pixies’ Manchester residency at Aviva Studios found the band digging deeper into their vast catalogue as their 40th anniversary tour rolled on through the UK. Before that, though, support came from Black Country three-piece GANS, whose energetic blend of post-punk, art rock and experimental noise proved a perfect curtain-raiser. Combining guitar and keys, saxophone, flute, electronics and drums, they delivered a set packed with wiry grooves and off-kilter hooks, winning over the crowd with an arty, punky attitude that felt refreshingly unpolished and entirely their own.
For those attending both Manchester dates, the biggest surprise was how much the setlist shifted. Rather than simply repeat the previous evening, Pixies reshuffled the deck, throwing different songs into the opening stretch and giving the night its own character. From the first few numbers it was clear the band were enjoying themselves. Black Francis, never renowned for lengthy stage banter, seemed in particularly good spirits, engaging more with the audience than usual while still letting the songs do most of the talking.
What followed was a reminder of just how strange and brilliant the Pixies songbook remains. Crackity Jones arrived with its usual sense of barely controlled chaos, while Hang Wire and Bone Machine showcased the band’s ability to sound both razor-sharp and on the verge of collapse at exactly the same time. Newer material such as King of the Prairie and Jane (The Night the Zombies Came) sat comfortably alongside older favourites, evidence that Pixies remain more interested in moving forwards than simply trading on nostalgia. The band sounded tight throughout, save for a brief restart after Francis dropped his pick, but even that felt fitting somehow — a tiny crack in a performance that thrives on imperfection.
The middle section of the set was particularly strong. Debaser detonated like a greatest-hits moment without ever feeling routine, while Head On, Monkey Gone to Heaven and Here Comes Your Man drew huge reactions from a crowd hanging on every word. Emma Richardson brought a haunting atmosphere to In Heaven, before Joey Santiago steered the band into wonderfully weird territory during an extended and gloriously unpredictable Vamos. Throughout it all, the familiar loud-quiet dynamics remained intact, but what continues to make Pixies fascinating is their refusal to leave songs untouched. Tempos shifted, textures evolved and familiar arrangements were subtly twisted, leaving even long-time fans guessing where things might head next.
A beautifully understated Wave of Mutilation provided a moment of reflection before Motorway to Roswell and the inevitable Where Is My Mind? brought another surge of emotion from the packed hall. Closing with Into the White, the band left the stage to deafening applause, their songs lingering long after the lights came up. Forty years into their career, Pixies still occupy a space entirely of their own — equal parts melody and mayhem, precision and unpredictability. At Aviva Studios, they once again proved that some bands don’t simply survive the passing decades; they continue to find new ways to challenge both themselves and their audience
