By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – As the echoes of their seminal influence continue to reverberate through the halls of alternative rock history, the Pixies have officially expanded their 40th-anniversary itinerary, announcing a new string of headlining dates across the United States. This late-summer and autumn excursion serves as a victory lap for a band that has not only survived four decades of industry upheaval but has remained remarkably prolific in its second act. The newly revealed seven-date run is scheduled to commence in September, weaving through a selection of mid-sized markets and prestigious venues, ensuring that the band’s milestone year is celebrated with the same grit and intensity that defined their late-80s debut.
The upcoming trek is set to kick off on September 15 at the Peace Center Concert Hall in Greenville, South Carolina. From there, the band will traverse the Eastern Seaboard and the American South, making stops at the Wilson Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville, Kentucky. The itinerary also highlights a stop at Rose Park in Columbia, Missouri, before the band heads into the high desert for a performance at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing in New Mexico. The North American leg is slated to reach its crescendo on September 26 at the historic Rialto Theatre in Tucson, Arizona. This focused run of shows allows the band to bring their storied catalog to fans in cities that often sit outside the standard major-metropolis touring circuit, offering a more intimate glimpse into the Pixies’ current live evolution.
In addition to these headlining performances, the Pixies are set to anchor two major East Coast music festivals. On September 19, the group will appear at the Borderland Music Festival in East Aurora, New York, bringing their signature blend of surrealist lyrics and jagged guitar work to the scenic outskirts of Buffalo. The following day, September 20, they will head to the Jersey Shore for the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park. These festival appearances place the Pixies alongside contemporary acts, bridging the gap between the alternative pioneers and the modern artists who continue to draw inspiration from the "loud-quiet-loud" dynamic the Pixies famously pioneered in the late 1980s.
This domestic expansion follows an extensive international schedule that sees the band traversing the United Kingdom and Europe throughout the spring and summer. Beginning in May, the band will embark on a series of high-profile dates, including multi-night residencies at the York Barbican and Manchester’s Aviva Studios. Perhaps most notable among the European dates are two nights at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall on May 28 and 29. The international leg also includes appearances at prestigious venues such as King John’s Castle in Ireland and various festival grounds in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. By the time the Pixies arrive in South Carolina this September, they will have spent months honing their setlist across some of the most storied stages in the world.
The 40th-anniversary celebrations coincide with a significant new chapter in the band’s discography. In October 2025, the Pixies released their tenth studio album, The Night the Zombies Came. The record serves as a testament to the enduring creative partnership between founding members Black Francis (vocals/guitar), Joey Santiago (guitar), and David Lovering (drums). Recorded during a period of renewed experimental vigor, the album explores themes of folklore, druidism, and the macabre, all filtered through the band’s unique brand of avant-garde pop. Critics have noted that the album maintains the band’s penchant for short, punchy compositions while introducing a more cinematic, atmospheric layer that reflects their maturity as songwriters.
Crucially, The Night the Zombies Came marks the studio debut of the band’s newest member, bassist Emma Richardson. Known for her work with the British rock duo Band of Skulls, Richardson joined the Pixies in 2024, stepping into a role that has seen several high-profile transitions over the years. Her arrival followed the departure of Paz Lenchantin, who had served as the band’s bassist for over a decade. Lenchantin’s exit marked the end of a stable era for the group, but Richardson’s seamless integration into the lineup has been met with enthusiasm from both the band and their fanbase. Richardson brings a gritty, melodic sensibility to the rhythm section that complements Lovering’s powerhouse drumming, ensuring that the foundational "Pixies sound" remains intact while evolving for a new era.
The history of the Pixies is one of the most storied narratives in alternative music. Formed in Boston in 1986, the band initially burned bright and fast, releasing a string of albums—Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova, and Trompe le Monde—that would go on to redefine the landscape of independent rock. Their influence was famously cited by Kurt Cobain, who admitted that Nirvana’s "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was an attempt to write a Pixies song. Despite their massive critical acclaim and growing cult following, internal tensions led to a fractured breakup in 1993. When the band reunited in 2004, it was initially viewed as a nostalgia-driven victory lap. However, the Pixies defied expectations by returning to the studio, beginning with 2014’s Indie Cindy, and have since maintained a consistent release schedule that rivals their original run.
Reaching a 40th anniversary is a rare feat for any rock band, particularly one that has never compromised its unconventional aesthetic. The Pixies’ ability to remain relevant in a shifting musical landscape is often attributed to their refusal to lean solely on their legacy. While their live sets are undoubtedly peppered with classics like "Where Is My Mind?", "Debaser," and "Monkey Gone to Heaven," the band has always insisted on integrating new material, challenging their audience to engage with their current creative output. This commitment to forward motion is what makes the 2025 tour more than just a retrospective; it is a celebration of a living, breathing entity that continues to find new ways to disturb the peace.
As the band prepares for the grueling months of travel ahead, the logistical scale of the tour reflects the global demand for their presence. The itinerary spans from the historic theatres of the UK to the sprawling festival grounds of the United States, showcasing the band’s versatility. Fans attending the September dates can expect a masterclass in tension and release, as Joey Santiago’s idiosyncratic lead guitar lines dance around Black Francis’s feral vocal deliveries. With Emma Richardson now firmly established in the lineup, the band’s internal chemistry has found a new equilibrium, promising a series of performances that are as cohesive as they are chaotic.
The full itinerary for the upcoming months is as follows:
05-20 York, United Kingdom – York Barbican
05-21 Dunfermline, United Kingdom – Alhambra Theatre
05-24 Manchester, United Kingdom – Aviva Studios (The Hall)
05-25 Manchester, United Kingdom – Aviva Studios (The Hall)
05-28 London, United Kingdom – Royal Albert Hall
05-29 London, United Kingdom – Royal Albert Hall
05-31 Limerick, Ireland – King John’s Castle
06-01 Limerick, Ireland – King John’s Castle
06-02 Dublin, Ireland – Olympia Theatre
06-26 St Austell, United Kingdom – Eden Project
06-30 Berlin, Germany – Zitadelle Spandau
07-01 Leipzig, Germany – Parkbühne (Clara Zetkin Park)
07-02 Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle
07-04 Berkshire, United Kingdom – Wasing Estate
07-04 Werchter, Belgium – Festivalpark Werchter
07-05 Werchter, Belgium – Festivalpark Werchter
07-18 Enschede, Netherlands – Muziekcentrum
07-19 Heerlen, Netherlands – Theater Heerlen
09-15 Greenville, SC – Peace Center Concert Hall
09-16 Wilmington, NC – Cape Fear Community College – Wilson Center
09-19 East Aurora, NY – Borderland Music Festival
09-20 Asbury Park, NJ – Sea Hear Now Festival
09-22 Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater
09-23 Columbia, MO – Rose Park
09-25 Santa Fe, NM – The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing
09-26 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
For four decades, the Pixies have occupied a unique space in the cultural lexicon—too weird for the mainstream of the 80s, yet too essential to remain in the underground. As they embark on this latest chapter, they do so not as relics of a bygone era, but as architects of a sound that remains as jarring and beautiful today as it was in 1986. Whether performing in the shadow of an Irish castle or under the neon lights of a Tucson theatre, the Pixies continue to prove that there is still plenty of life left in the shadows.