Hollywood once used the phrase, “You’ve read the book, now see the movie” to promote their latest offerings. But given the acceleration of time, music vendors can now use the phrase, “You’ve just heard the concert, now just hear the concert again,” and make that statement approximately 10 minutes after the show is over.
At least that’s the case with the performances of the Pixies, starting November 23 in New York. The firm Abbey Road Live is recording the shows and then burning CDs of the performances. The Pixies, as seems to be the case with some vintage bands that are still striding the boards (e.g., Steely Dan) are doing the complete version of “Doolittle” from 1989 (although unlike S.D., this isn’t a matter of the fans voting for it, they’re getting it each night of the tour).
Abbey Road Live is apparently recording damn near everything on the tour, including all of the stops on the U.S. tour, which started November 8 in Oakland, CA, and will end on December 1 in Washington, DC. So for those who were unable to make the shows, limited-edition CDs will be produced—mixed and mastered—and made available for $25. Only 1,000 for each night’s show will be produced.
There is also “commemorative USB wristbands” being made available that contain tunes and videos.
In addition to which, a Pixies iPhone app is being produced.
Presumably this is a means by which the money that otherwise might have been garnered from straight-up discs sales can be recouped.
Pixies: iTunes, Amazon, Insound, wiki
They are just following the lead of the jam band scene. Which, of course, proves just how prescient the Grateful Dead really were in inventing the music business model for the 21st century 25 years early.