Pixies

London, Alexandra Palace

Claaaang! Here comes your band…

“Can you hear me? Can you hear my guitar?” Black Francis asks the frothing Ally Pally crowd – and, widely accepted as a latter-era classic to rival their seminal early output, and with bassist Paz Lenchantin firmly ensconced in Kim Deal’s iconic loafers, the Boston alt. rock beasts have built a canon both fresh and rich enough to work wonders in whatever order, for as long as they like. As a gritty gives way to a rabid run through , and , Francis seems to be inventing the setlist on the hoof, muttering the next song into a centre-stage microphone for his bandmates to crank up instantly.