Pixies '88

One of my first gigs outside of Glasgow was when I headed down on the overnight coach from Buchanan Street to meet Martin, my pen friend I had been writing to for a couple of years, to go see Pixies at The Mean Fiddler in '88. I survived the endless bus trip and found myself in The Big Smoke with a few hours to spare until I would see the band that was my latest obsession. Suffice to say they did not disappoint with a setlist made up from Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa, the latter still one of my all-time favourite albums. I'm pretty sure I booked the trip through a local travel agent, that's kinda what you done in those days. Can't recall the name of the hotel I stayed in but it certainly wasn't The Ritz.

I had been to London previously but that trip made me see it in a totally different light and was the catalyst for making me want to go back again and again over the years. After wandering around Camden I met Martin and we headed to The Mean Fiddler in plenty of time to see Pixies, who were the support act. Much as I love Throwing Muses I have a feeling they were like how the hell do we follow these guys!! I'm pretty sure Kristin Hersh jokingly said something along the lines of "What about those Pixies – motherfuckers, huh?" when they came on stage. 

Surfer Rosa wasn't long out and I had almost worn my copy out, along with my copy of Come On Pilgrim. But seeing them live and hearing those songs live was something else altogether. I'm fairly certain they came on with The Holiday Song and literally took the roof off the venue. Another dozen or so songs later they were off, leaving me, Martin and the rest of the crowd wanting more. I saw them many times in the next few years but that night in London will always hold a special significance. The dynamic between the four of them on stage was electrifying.