When the alt-rock legends PIXIES announced their two shows at Kulttuuritalo, we quickly marked the dates on our calendar. On the first of the two nights, Tuesday, August 13th, 2024, we eagerly lined up at the door, ready to see them in action. Hearing good things about the warm-up act, BIG SPECIAL, made the evening even more intriguing.
BIG SPECIAL took the stage as the audience gradually filled Kulttuuritalo’s concert hall. Although the duo took a little time to warm up, they proved to be worth the praise. They quickly established a strong connection with the audience, many of whom were likely unfamiliar with them. Their music featured live drums and vocals, accompanied by backing tracks with basslines, synthesizers, and guitars. The set included a significant amount of spoken word-style lyrics, delivered with rhythmic speech rather than traditional singing. As the performance progressed, some songs even got the crowd dancing, and the audience responded well to the escalating intensity of their show. BIG SPECIAL turned out to be a fitting warm-up for the main event.
PIXIES took the stage with the cool confidence of a band that knows their worth. After opening with a cover of THE SURFTONES’ “Cecilia Ann,” which served as an intro, they launched straight into what the audience was eagerly awaiting. The band delivered 90 minutes of continuous playing with hardly any breaks between songs, kicking off with “Gouge Away.” The setlist took the audience through different eras of the band’s career, including older classics like “I’m Your Man” and “Where Is My Mind?” as well as newer tracks like “Chicken” and “Vegas Suite.” “Chicken,” released this year, is set to be featured on their upcoming album, “The Night Zombies Came,” slated for an October release. “Vegas Suite,” on the other hand, has only been performed live so far.
As is often the case with bands like PIXIES, who have been around for decades, the audience was most eager to hear the classics. However, the band also showcased interesting elements in their new material. The concert served as a retrospective of their career, highlighting the evolution of their music while also showcasing what has remained constant: the essence of PIXIES’ sound, rooted in dynamic loud-soft shifts and a blend of surf and punk elements with surreal lyrics. This recipe has yet to grow stale.
Check our photo gallery of the evening below…
Big Special
Pixies
Photos by Arto Alho
