Oh My Golly! Pixies bring their A-game at the Electric Factory

Pixies | photo by Josh Pelta-Heller for WXPN

Pixies took the Electric Factory stage Tuesday night to an obscure B-side: The Beatles’ “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number).” Formalities dispensed, without introductions or interim chatter they vaulted into a virtual medley of some 30-odd songs, an exhaustive sampler representing each era of a three-decade career.

Singer Black Francis and company shared the majority of their latest record, last year’s Head Carrier, and juxtaposed many of their more prominent singles with some favorite “deep cuts” as well. “Debaser,” “Monkey Gone To Heaven” and “Wave Of Mutilation” were offered side-by-side with Doolittle counterparts “No. 13 Baby,” “Mr. Grieves” and “Hey.” 

Notably absent from the night: 1) “Here Comes Your Man,” 2) “Gigantic,” and 3) Kim Deal. The three original band members — including guitarist Joey Santiago and David Lovering on drums — balance out the lineup these days with Paz Lenchantin, and to her credit she makes a great play at filling the colossal shoes of the beloved bassist and vocalist, who had left the band in 2013.

As quickly as they picked up their instruments and sprinted through a catalog marathon, Pixies pulled out another obscure B-side. Exiting in a thick blanket of smoke-machine fog, they played themselves out with their UK-7”-vinyl-only “Into The White,” the single encore song — but not before Philly had a chance to show their love. During an extended curtain call, Francis and the crew soaked it in, and took a little extra time to stand staring at a Factory floor thick with bodies, evidently truly moved by the outpouring of gratitude from a large venue with a remarkable Tuesday-night turnout.

Setlist
Planet Of Sound
Something Against You
U-Mass
Monkey Gone To Heaven
No. 13 Baby
Bel Espirit
Crackity Jones
Isla de Encanta
Vamos
Cactus
Oh My Golly!
Tenement Song
Snakes
Might As Well Be Gone
Subbacultcha
Wave Of Mutilation
Um Chagga Lagga
Brick Is Red
Gouge Away
Head Carrier
Caribou
Havalina
Mr. Grieves
Blown Away
Winterlong
Velouria
Where Is My Mind?
Nimrod’s Son
Bone Machine
Classic Masher
All The Saints
All I Think About Now
Debaser
Hey

Encore:
Into The White D (B-side)