RANGE caught the first of two shows at Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre. June marked the start of the band’s four-month North American tour in support of their new album, The Night the Zombies Came. The setlists for the two nights were different: night one featured Trompe le Monde and Bossanova played front to back, while night two focused on the new album alongside classics from across their career.

The winged “P” and four towering eyeballs set the stage for Frank Black, Joey Santiago, David Lovering, and new bassist Emma Richardson. Around 9 p.m., the band came on, and after a brief note from Frank, they dove straight in—true to Pixies form. The purely instrumental “Cecilia Ann” warmed up the crowd before the explosive feedback of “Rock Music” ensured no one was left seated.

They played Bossanova, their third studio album released in 1990—35 years ago—almost stoic in their formation, with lights shifting from red to pink to blue, one epic ballad after the next. The air was electric, the crowd fully engaged and collectively celebrating these musical legends who have remained both current and timeless for over three decades.

Without missing a beat, they transitioned into Trompe le Monde, their more punk-leaning album with atypical timing and a thrashier edge. Frank’s voice was unwavering and unchanged, song after song. Emma Richardson shone during “In Heaven” (a David Lynch and Peter Ivers cover)—her first tour with the Pixies.

After finishing both albums, they closed with the crowd-pleasers “Here Comes Your Man” and “Where Is My Mind.” A cloud of white smoke and bright house lights accompanied “Into the White,” leaving everyone feeling like they’d been part of something unforgettable—a moment perfectly encapsulated in time, carried with us into the night.