The PIXIES kicked off their warm-up reunion dates last night in Minneapolis – the first concert they’ve played together in nearly 12 years – taking the stage to a full minute-long ovation offered by a packed venue of some 1000 fans – some of whom paid up to $400 a ticket on Ebay.
The Pixies played 27 songs – including a seven-song encore. Today’s review in the city’s major daily newspaper, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, was glowing, remarking that Frank Black and Kim Deal “could still harmonize like best buddies.” MTV reported, “Any notion that the band’s elusive chemistry had eroded in the decade-plus since its last tour was quickly dispelled as the four musicians tore into their post-punk pop ditties with rocking energy and surprisingly excellent timing.” NME called the band’s first concert “a triumphant return.” Minneapolis is the first of thirteen “warm up” dates on this tour.
Just prior to launching the Pixies’ North American dates, the band announced that they would headline a Fall 2004 U.S. Tour. Over the Eastern weekend, tickets for the first two Fall tour dates went on sale – Chicago and Atlanta – and sold out as fast as the transactions could take place. Promoters for the Atlanta date, set for October 14 at the Fox Theatre, immediately rolled over to a second show, October 15, which also sold out. Now that may not surprise you, but hold on, there’s more. In Chicago, tickets for the band’s November 13 show at the Aragon Ballroom sold out within two minutes, and second show (November 14) went on sale and sold out, and a record-breaking third consecutive show (November 15) went on sale and, yes, sold out. Thirteen thousand five hundred Pixies tickets sold out in a 24-hour period – and bear in mind, this was Easter Weekend, these concerts are SEVEN MONTHS away, and are all general admission (not reserved) seats.
So, what’s next? Well, the Pixies will break their own record and have announced a record-setting FOURTH show at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom that will take place Tuesday, November 16. Tickets for that show will go on sale this Saturday, April 17 at 12NOON (CDT).
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Andy Cirzan, with Jam Productions, promoter for the Chicago run. “The White Stripes played the Aragon two nights in a row and then came back a few months later for a third show, but no artist has ever played three consecutive shows at the Aragon, not to mention four.”
Posted by MK Magazine at April 14, 2004 02:31 PM