REVIEW: Alt rock trailblazers Pixies show they have plenty left in the tank at Castlefield Bowl

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

There are not many bands that have had such a profound influence on all the music that has been made since them than Pixies. And to refer to them as 'trailblazers' or 'veterans' of the rock genre is to be putting it extremely lightly.

Any young bands out there could still learn a lot from a breathless 30-song performance from Frank Black and co.. That a now 57-year-old can still scream and shout with just as much impact as they could when they burst onto the scene changing alt rock for good in the late 80s is quite something.

Fans are not given a moments rest as the band race through a set which spans their more than 35-year career playing crowd favourites including Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone to Heaven, and Hey. Ending with Where Is My Mind is a class touch.

READ MORE:Sam Fender at Sounds of the City, Castlefield Bowl - stage times, support, setlist, getting there and venue guide

Long-time fans of the band were treated to the full range from their five pre-reformation albums with Come On Pilgrim's Nimrod's Son and The Holiday Song quickly getting the crowd bouncing around near the front of the stage. Guitarist Joey Santiago's performance of his amp cable and using his flat cap to beat at his strings was great on all levels.

Doolittle's Gouge Away and Debaser with Trompe Le Monde's U-Mass and Planet of Sound emphasised the important impact Pixies had on music, with countless bands to come citing them as a key influence. New song Human Crime and Neil Young cover Winterlong were also very welcome additions to the set-list.

This is music that truly transcends generations. Just as many people who've clearly been with the band since the early days were getting into the thick of it with those who may have been coming