17 November 2025 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – words by Tarynne Ambrosi – pictures by Bec Harbour
There’s a particular kind of electricity that comes from seeing a legendary band on a night when everything just clicks, like the universe nudged them a little closer to their best selves. That was the vibe Monday night at Fortitude Music Hall as the Pixies tore through their second Brisbane show with a confidence and precision that honestly outshone what I remember from previous years. It was one of those “oh damn, they’ve still got it — and then some” nights.
The setlist alone was a generous, chaotic feast, zig-zagging from deep-cut weirdness to stadium-scale sing-alongs. Emma Richardson opened with a haunting, velvety take on ‘In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)’ — a slow-burn invocation that slid the crowd into the Pixies’ universe like a dream turning slightly off-kilter. But the moment ‘Here Comes Your Man’ kicked in, any haze of introspection burst into full-throated joy. Brisbane belted it out like they’d been rehearsing in the mirror and dancing like no one has been watching since the 90’s.
The Pixies – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
The current lineup felt locked-in in a way that was almost unnerving. Black Francis was in powerhouse mode — that trademark bark, the sudden melodic sweetness, the slightly deranged edge that makes Pixies songs feel like they’re teetering on the edge of an existential prank. Joey Santiago was cool and razor-sharp as ever, coaxing out those angular, twitchy riffs that give the Pixies their nervous system. Emma Richardson’s bass brought a thick, steady undercurrent, and her vocals added gorgeous texture whenever she stepped up. And then there’s David Lovering, the quiet assassin, drumming with that deceptively chill precision that keeps the chaos in its little electrified box.
The Pixies – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
The crowd sang the big bangers with absolute gusto. ‘Where Is My Mind?’ turned the whole hall into one big, slightly off-key choir — arms around strangers, beers sloshing everywhere, everyone convinced they were harmonising (reader, they were not). ‘Monkey Gone to Heaven’ hit that perfect cathartic note, and ‘Debaser’ — which they played twice, because the Pixies do what they want — basically triggered a communal serotonin flood.
There were delicious oddities too: a false start on ‘Nimrod’s Son’, a snarling ‘Bone Machine’, a molten ‘Caribou’, and new album delights like ‘Jane (The Night the Zombies Came)’ and ‘The Vegas Suite’. Their cover of ‘Head On’ landed with pure, crunchy swagger. Even the crowd who pretended they were too cool to sing were tapping invisible drums against their thighs.
The Pixies – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
By the time they drifted into ‘Into the White’, the room felt suspended — drenched in fog, literally and figuratively, wrapped in this eerie cocoon that only the Pixies can conjure without feeling theatrical.
In all, this show felt like a band not coasting on legacy, but sharpening it. They sounded better — tighter, bolder, more alive — than I’ve seen them in years. And Brisbane? Brisbane showed up loud.
The Pixies – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Honestly, if this is how they’re playing deep into their career, the rest of the tour might need to catch up. And just a fun fact before I finish this review – Last Pixies gig I went to at the Fortitude Music Hall, my night ended with being power spewed on by a drunk fuckwit. But tonight – No spew. Such a win. Drink responsibly, folks. Ok – I’m out.
