Pixies, W.E.R.S. Studios, Emerson College 1.18.1987

Before their seemingly never-ending and good-spirited reunion tour, the legend of the Pixies had had more than a decade to grow and expand into a myth befitting, perhaps, a Pixies song. Only five albums, but still name-dropped by anyone and everyone that wanted to offer up that "River Euphrates"/"Gouge Away" referential chestnut that made Nirvana look human and buffered the cred of a thousand insufferable hipsters. But while a large chunk of that cultural cachet has eroded (especially with word of a possibly forthcoming new album), there's still much to appreciate about them, especially when listening to this show, recorded early in 1987 two months before the British release of Come on Pilgrim and probably a year or so subsequent to the (probably apocryphal) classified ad looking for a band member into "Husker Du and Peter, Paul & Mary". The interview at the end is great---after the initial technical difficulties, we get to hear Kim mention that NPR's been playing their crudely recorded first tape "a lot", Frank (or Charles, here) plug an upcoming show with the Volcano Suns, and David, with his thick-ass Bahstun accent, mention that he grew up with "Nancy Sinatra and Mohtz-aht". There are also a bunch of songs, too---and they're delivered with a crudeness and verve attributable, probably to a band that knew they were on the verge of something.

Update (3/19): Bandwidth issues, arising from the popularity of this particular show, have forced me to take it down, in order to continue my virtual existence at this location.

The Holiday Song
I'm Amazed
Rock-a-My Soul
Isla de Encanta
Caribou
I've Been Tired
Build High
Break My Body
Ed Is Dead
Nimrod's Son
Down to the Well
Subbacultcha
Boom Chicka Boom
Vamos
In Heaven
Interview