Pixies: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

The windowsills were lined with people standing, as every nook between every office desk filled to capacity with NPR employees and their assorted guests. Pixies, after getting misplaced for a time in our parking garage during a moment worthy of This Is Spinal Tap, showed up in time to encounter the largest crowd we've ever assembled for a Tiny Desk Concert. (Our new office space allows for more guests than the old one did, but it's still a mark of this band's significance for so many youthful grownups.)

Black Francis played an acoustic guitar for this set, while drummer David Lovering set up a simple snare and a cymbal, tapping a tambourine with his foot where a bass drum might be. With his electric guitar, Joey Santiago was the only plugged-in member of the group. The newest member of the Pixies is Paz Lenchantin, a musician of many talents who played violin at the Tiny Desk, though she handles bass duties at larger concerts. You may miss Kim Deal on bass for all the good reasons one might miss Kim Deal, but Lenchantin rhythmically fits in well, and was a treat to hear (albeit quietly) on violin.

Prior to the rolling of cameras, the band warmed up the crowd with "Where Is My Mind," but this three-song set features a 2014 tune called "Greens and Blues," a song yet to make it onto a Pixies release called "Silver Snail," and 1989's "Monkey Gone to Heaven," which melted hearts and seared minds with a new memory from a time long past. --BOB BOILEN

Set List
"Greens And Blues"
"Silver Snail"
"Monkey Gone To Heaven"

Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Gabriella Garcia-Pardo, Olivia Merrion; photo by John Poole/NPR

[laughingatbirds]

The older I get, the more I think The Pixies might be the greatest band of all time.

[GuyLeRauch]

The "lady on the violin" is the ever awesome Paz Lenchantin.  She was the bassist and arranged strings for A Perfect Circle, played bass and backup vocals for Zwan, played bass for the Entrance Band.  This chick is awesome, and a pure musician.  Great addition to the already kick ass Pixies!

[davidvschoor]

One of the best guitarists out there... Underrated for being able to evoke emotion out of a chunk of wood, some strings and a pick up. Thanks Mr Santiago!

[apothecary]

Good god the Pixies are fantastic.

As is the entire tinydesk series.

[WesleyGospel]

I love how the Pixies are just normal people. They are not pretentious rock stars. They are just cool normal people that make cool sounding songs.

[ungabunga]

I went to see pixies and weezer in Austin and they were off the stage before the sun even went down. Best concert I’ve been to in my life

[alandlt]

Happy to see Hank is actually alive and now playing guitar and singing.

[vincentv.]

Pixies are The Velvet Undergound of late 80's- early 90s. Never sold tons of records (relatively to other bands) but all the people who bought these records wanted to create their own band.

[raddudeman]

Black Francis lookin like he's about to call in a expert on some pawn deal

[rootbeer]

I love the little moment with Joey at 9:07 just a very charming reaction of him messing up and looking at the camera

[bingebinge]

I was lucky enough to watch a live when Kim was in, but Paz is a great musician in her own right, bring a whole new dimension to the band.

[evanrobinson]

My favorite band of all time. I took a road trip with my dad the summer of 1998 in which we traveled across the united states twice over the course of 3 months. It was an incredible trip. My dad played Doolittle the entire trip and it became mine and my siblings anthem. My sister and I had an argument about whether the line was "Monkey gone to heaven" or "Monkey going to heaven." Whenever I listen them, I am taken back to the summer of '98: the homerun race, South Park, Torn by Natalie Imbruglia, Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls, and my dad. I never saw him again after the trip.

[artofsoul]

I remember exactly when I first heard The Pixies. I was at a Cactus music store in Houston looking for new music. Then a song from Doolittle came on. I rushed up front to ask who was playing. They said they couldn't leave front until help arrived. I waited over an hour to finally find out when clerk checked playlist. One of those bands that leave an eternal impression.

[Kento_nanami_the_nd]

"Why're you whispering?"

"We're whispering because. . .we're Shy." Best shy person response ever.

[yosethemighty]

Paz has the most intoxicating smile... (makes my head spin...) 

[jamesrawson]

The first song is brilliant . One of the best Pixies song's .

[link]

0:00 Greens And Blues
5:00 Silven Snail
8:55 Monkey gone to heaven

[bryans]

Man. I love the Pixies so much. I was at the first reunion show in Minneapolis at the fine line. We got up front next to the stage and it was so awesome. Kim and Frank were shocked at the crowd response. They kept giving looks at each other and the band in disbelief. I don't think they thought at the time just how many people fell in love with them over the time when they had broken up.

[nixtblack]

I LOVE the harmony between Frank and Paz - though Kim was awesome obviously!

[mariai]

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the brilliance of Joey's guitar playing? I mean seriously. C'mon!

and Dave's drumming
and Paz's vocals
and CT's lyrics
etc..etc...