INDIE legends Pixies have announced their debut performance in Limerick with an outdoor show at the historic King John’s Castle on Sunday May 31 2026. The band is celebrating four decades as part of their Pixies 40 worldwide headline tour.
The performance will feature founding members Black Francis, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering, alongside bassist Emma Richardson, delivering a career-spanning set that reflects four decades of groundbreaking music.
From their early chaotic club performances to becoming one of the most influential alternative rock bands of all time, Pixies have maintained their distinctive edge throughout their remarkable career. Their explosive live performances, characterised by raw intensity and an unmistakable sound, have inspired generations of musicians and fans across the globe.
The band’s extensive catalogue showcases their consistent innovation and artistic evolution. From the jagged brilliance of their 1988 release Surfer Rosa and the dark-pop mastery of 1989’s Doolittle, through to their most recent acclaimed album The Night The Zombies Came, Pixies have repeatedly proven themselves as true innovators in the alternative rock genre.
Their influence on modern rock music cannot be overstated, with the band consistently shaping the sound of alternative music whilst remaining faithful to their singular artistic vision.
Four decades in, Pixies remain as vital, relevant, and unstoppable as ever. Their Limerick debut in the historic King John’s Castle will be a landmark night, celebrating one of music’s most pioneering bands in one of Ireland’s most iconic venues.
Speaking at the launch, Mick Dolan said:
“We are delighted to welcome Pixies to King John’s Castle as they celebrate 40 years together. This is the first announcement for our King John’s Castle summer shows, and we couldn’t think of a more iconic band to begin with. It’s going to be a night to remember.”
Tickets go on sale Friday September 26 at 10am www.dolans.ie/www.ticketmaster.ie
Biography
The Pixies emerged from Boston’s underground music scene in 1986 to become one of the most influential alternative rock bands of all time. Formed by guitarist and vocalist Black Francis (Charles Thompson), bassist Kim Deal, guitarist Joey Santiago, and drummer David Lovering, the band pioneered a distinctive sound that would prove transformative for rock music.
Their approach was deceptively simple yet revolutionary: combine pop melodies with aggressive punk energy, creating a template that countless bands would later adopt. The Pixies perfected the quiet-loud dynamic, shifting between whispered verses and explosive choruses within single songs, a technique that became a hallmark of 1990s alternative rock.
The band’s early albums, particularly Surfer Rosa (1988) and Doolittle (1989), showcased their ability to blend seemingly incompatible elements. Black Francis’s cryptic lyrics drew from surrealism, biblical imagery, and pop culture, whilst his vocals ranged from melodic crooning to primal screaming. Kim Deal’s melodic bass lines provided both rhythmic foundation and harmonic counterpoint, whilst Santiago’s guitar work alternated between jangly pop and feedback-drenched noise.
Despite critical acclaim and devoted cult following, commercial success remained elusive during their initial run. The band split acrimoniously in 1993, with tensions between Francis and Deal contributing to their demise. However, their influence continued to grow exponentially. Kurt Cobain famously admitted to trying to write Pixies songs, and bands from Radiohead to Weezer have cited them as crucial influences.
The Pixies reunited in 2004, initially without Deal, who left permanently in 2013. They continue touring and recording, with bassist Paz Lenchantin joining in 2016. Their legacy as architects of alternative rock remains undiminished, having created a blueprint that bridged punk’s raw energy with pop’s accessibility, fundamentally reshaping rock music’s possibilities.
