It’s a Friday night in Cardiff and one of the biggest bands are spending the whole day in Wales’ capital promoting the release of their seventh album “Beneath The Eyrie”. Following an intimate signing in “Spillers” the world’s oldest record store, they now look to play the Motorpoint Arena to over 5,000 people.
The Big Moon understand that that it is a unique experience to be supporting a band as iconic and influential as Pixies and they clearly couldn’t be happier to be here. Luckily this translates well to everyone else as their charm and really catchy tunes are infectious on everyone else. With a Mercury nomination already under their belt for their debut album and their upcoming second release “Walking Like We Do” due out early next year, it certainly feels as though the deserve to be here.
New tracks like “Don’t Think” and “Your Light” gives us an exciting indication of where things are going to go forward. Their more well known songs like “Sucker” and “Cupid” also go down really well with a very welcoming audience. They are having a lot of fun on stage; clearly enjoying every moment of it and it feels like the perfect way to lead into the main event.
They are a band who certainly do not mess about. This is evident right from the off by opening with the iconic “Where Is My Mind?” which puts most of the crowd into shock not expecting something like this to be played so early on. The song itself is still incredibly haunting to this day and the dim backlighting, mixed with several thousand people singing is bewitching. From this they take a big gear change into “Here Comes Your Man” which instead of people swaying from side to side, sees them bopping along instead.
They are here to play songs to entertain the audience and that they certainly do. Throughout the epic 34 song set, not a word is spoken to the crowd by any of the band members. It’s a welcome change from the sight of bands filling up the time in between songs with a “well-rehearsed skit”. It plays out in a way which makes you think that they know what is best for the fans and they are certainly right.
Technically this is an album launch show today, but all new songs are treated like the old ones with no introduction and the same appreciation. Ten tracks are showcased in the setlist tonight and the already released “On Graveyard Hill” and “Catfish Kate” so down really well along with new cuts such as “Los Surfers Muertos”.
“Gouge Away”, the closing track off of the seminal “Doolittle” is one of the highlights this evening. The opening bass line is extended on, as it feels as though Black Francis is finally released from the shackles; switching from an acoustic to the electric guitar for the first time after 15 songs. There’s nothing quite as cathartic as hearing him scream the words out with such passion after all of these years. What follows is a run of seriously heavy tunes which rattle along including “Isla de Encanta” and “U-Mass”, all of which sound particularly huge.
“Debaser” is arguably one of the greatest songs ever recorded and being played live certainly showcases this. It’s an incredibly euphoric moment which unites everyone in the arena together. It wouldn’t be surprisingly if they took their bows and left after this, however as they are walking off, Francis waves everyone back on stage to do one more song. “HEEEEEEEEEEEY” he shouts down the microphone. Everyone knows what’s going to go down here and they try to soak up every last second of it.
Over three decades as a band, they have constantly been at the top of their game. There are fans here young and old applauding long after they’ve finished their final song. There really feels like there is still a need for this band to be here and part of people’s lives. And long may it continue.
