Boston's Pixies play a rockin' homecoming

It wasn't quite the Beatles, but it wasn't a bad substitute. Boston's own Pixies, the influential band that broke up 13 years ago but has returned with a roar this year, played a homecoming show at Avalon last night that brought together young and old rock fans in one of the most highly anticipated concerts of the year.

''This show sold out in three minutes," said John Innamorato, who booked the event for Tea Party Concerts. ''That's one of the fastest sellouts ever at Avalon." The Lansdowne Street club holds 2,000 people.

The Pixies reunion tour, which is on its final leg after playing Europe and many dates in the United States this year, has grossed a reported $14 million and played to 415,000 fans -- perhaps none more ecstatic than those at Avalon last night.

''If there's anybody I'd like to see cash in, it's the Pixies," said Toirm Miller, a guitarist with the Space Shots, a Boston band.

''This is possibly the event of a lifetime," said Scott Janovitz, who is in local bands Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men and Garvy J.

''I'm glad they're still keeping on," said Peter Wolf, who has his own band now after singing for years with the J. Geils Band.

Ken Casey of Boston's celebrated punk band the Dropkick Murphys added: ''We've been playing a lot of the same festivals in Europe that the Pixies have been on, so I've probably seen them more than anyone in Boston. But they're taking it in stride and really enjoying it."

Local musicians and industry types were everywhere, but so were just-plain diehard fans who had driven long distances for the show, including brothers Stu and John Flynn, who had come from Cape Cod with their friend John Shanley, who manages the Days Inn in Hyannis.

''We were waiting in line to get in," said Shanley, ''and we heard some kid say about us, 'Hey, look at those middle-aged freaks over there.' . . . This is nostalgic, but it's hip nostalgia."

Newcomers to the Pixies also enjoyed the experience last night. After the band scorched through a roughly 90-minute set, Boston University student Maria DeFelice said: ''I'm really impressed. They surprised me."

But most fans seemed to have deep memories. ''They used to open for [Boston bands] the Zulus and the Five at Green Street Grill in Cambridge. And Joey [Santiago, the Pixies guitarist] and I were in an English class together at UMass-Boston," said Joyce Linehan, now director of media for the city's First Night festivities. ''Then almost overnight, the Pixies became the hippest band in the universe. A lot of it happened for them in Europe first, then they got bigger over here."

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana cited the Pixies as that band's prime inspiration, while Bono of U2 said the Pixies were one of the best bands from America ever.

''I grew up with them. They didn't sell a lot of records, but they were definitely one of the most influential bands when I was a kid," said Jake Zavracky, who sings with local band Cyanide Valentine.

Red Sox pitcher Lenny DiNardo also was in the house last night. ''My older brother got me into them when I was 13," he said. ''I really feel sorry for all the third-generation bands who have to follow them now."

The Pixies rocked Avalon with such fan favorites as ''Monkeys Gone to Heaven" and ''Here Comes Your Man."

Singer Frank Black's screams were at brain-frying level, while Santiago dispensed edgy, nails-scraped-across-a-blackboard-style solos that were the template for a lot of modern rock to follow.

''I remember seeing them at WFNX's fifth anniversary show back at Axis in 1988," said Bill Abbate, a DJ with WBOS-FM. ''But this was worth the wait."