Strange though it may seem, the jury is still out on the Pixies‘ live show. For every fan out there who insists that the band’s live sets are life-changing, you’ll find another who asserts that the Pixies are shoddy performers and always were. Part of the problem is that at this point, the band’s considerable legacy weighs heavily in any discussion of its merits, inviting revision from those who witnessed the Pixies in their heyday.

Regardless, this year’s reunion tour, on which the band played its 1989 classic Doolittle from start to finish, has reignited the debate regarding the Pixies’ live prowess (or lack thereof). Chicago Sun-Times critic Jim DeRogatis slagged one of the band’s Chicago dates, dismissing the Pixies as “a cynical corporation cashing in on blatant nostalgia.” The Washington Post’s David Malitz, meanwhile, described the band’s Monday night D.C. set as the musical equivalent of a “slam dunk contest,” a performance that could win over “even a cynic.” So which is it: are the Pixies an incredible or terrible live act? As it turns out, they’re a little bit of both.