PIXIES AT FOREST HILLS STADIUM IN QUEENS

On June 16th, Cat Power, Modest Mouse, and Pixies stopped by Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York, to play a show on their 2024 summer tour. Thanks to the wonderful New York City transit, I ended up missing both Cat Power and Modest Mouse. While I was speed walking to the venue, I heard “Float On” in the distance.

I made it just in time and quickly met John Kelly (who gave me a cool little Forest Hills Stadium button) and a handful of super talented and personable photographers. We talked about our excitement about the headlining band and they gave me sympathy about my broken Modest Mouse heart. John escorted us to the photo pit and within seconds, the Pixies were coming out on stage ready to rock. This is their first tour with new bassist Emma Richardson, not that anyone would know. She played alongside founders Black Francis, David Lovering, and Joey Santiago like she had been there since 1986. 

The band has been around for the last 40 years and it’s obvious when they’re performing. Each of the four members exudes confidence that can only come from expertise. There were little, if any, pauses between songs or banter with the audience like other artists do, but that didn’t make the crowd any less engaged. In fact, nearly every single fan I saw was so zoned into the music that it was like nobody else was around–just them and their favorite band.

In the least creepy way possible, I spent a lot of time watching nearby fans. Couples had their arms around each other as they swayed back and forth to slow songs, solo travelers put their hands in the air as they belted along to familiar lyrics, and even a group of little kids were jumping around each other for a while. Nothing but pure joy filled that stadium and the concert was truly more than just a performance. Rather, it was a much needed break from the stresses of everyday life and brought together a community of love; even if just for a little while.