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Pixies: 40th anniversary tour heads for York Barbican next spring

PIXIES will play York for the first time in their 40-year career on their Pixies 40 tour next spring.

Celebrating four decades since their formation in Boston, Massachusetts, the American alt.rock band will open the British and European leg of their travels at York Barbican on May 20, the only Yorkshire venue on a 13-date June and July itinerary also taking in Ireland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Tickets go on sale today at 10am at https://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/pixies/ and https://bnds.us/ziwfqx.

Founding members Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering will be joined by bassist Emma Richardson on a tour that fittingly will kick off on British soil, where they were first embraced by the music press before storming the globe.

More than 35 years since their groundbreaking platinum-certified album Doolittle album catapulted Pixies into the UK top ten, and more than 20 years since their re-formation at the Coachella festival, Francis and co are deep into their second creative act.

Pixies: Emma Richardson, Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering

From their first chaotic club shows, Pixies redefined what a live concert could be. No glamour, no stage banter, only a relentless, explosive surge of sound. A glimpse into a new way rock music could be performed.

1987’s Come On Pilgrim introduced Pixies’ surreal, fragmented songwriting. 1988’s Surfer Rosa proved they were unlike anything else and 1989’s Doolittle broke wider, twisting pop hooks into dark shapes and dragging swelling crowds into their jagged rhythm.

1990’s Bossanova and 1991’s Trompe le Monde ensued as relentless tours across the United States and Europe cemented Pixies as the essential alt-rock ticket before their 1993 split. Their 2004 reunion was seismic: instant sell-outs, Coachella triumph and bigger audiences than ever.

Sharper, fiercer, and now spanning generations, Pixies became living proof of their own influence with five albums since 2014: Indie Cindy; Head Carrier (2016); Beneath The Eyrie (2019); Doggerel (2022) and The Night The Zombies Came (2024).

Pixies’ poster for their Pixies 40 travels, opening at York Barbican on May 20 2026. Royal Albert Hall, London, debut awaits on May 28.

*York Music Forum Youth Jazz Ensemble: Royal Albert Hall here they come*

YORK Music Forum Youth Jazz Ensemble will perform at the Music For Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on November 16.

The York musicians have been selected for this prestigious event after performances at this year’s Music For Youth regional and national festivals.

“Their journey began at the Music For Youth regional festivals, which took place at venues around the country with thousands of young musicians taking part,” says director Ian Chalk. “A small proportion of these were then invited to participate at the two-day national festival in Birmingham in July and a handful of those ensembles have been invited to perform at the Music For Youth Proms in November 2022.

“The Music For Youth Proms are a two-day musical extravaganza. Two special evening concerts will bring young musicians together from across the country for a spectacular concert like no other: full-scale symphony orchestras are showcased, alongside some of the best young jazz bands, chamber groups, pop bands and singer-songwriters from across the UK, and a unique specially produced Massed Ensemble of more than 400 musicians.”

The ten-strong York Music Forum Youth Jazz Ensemble is made up of some of the best young musicians in York, ranging in age from 13 to 19.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for these amazing young musicians and excellent reward for their hard work and great performances at the Music For Youth regional and national festivals,” says Ian. “We’re really proud of what the Youth Jazz Ensemble has achieved, and we’re delighted to be flying the flag for York at such an iconic venue.”

Did you know?

YORK Music Forum provides developing musicians with high quality and valuable musical experiences in “commercial” musical genres such as jazz, funk and pop.

The forum offers educational ensembles for both young musicians and adults, supported by a range of online resources.

The forum’s jazz education programme was a finalist in the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence in 2019 (Best Musical Initiative).

Tag: Royal Albert Hall

After 40 years, Pixies to make long-overdue York debut with May 20 Barbican show

York Music Forum Youth Jazz Ensemble picked to play at Music For Youth Proms