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ARTICLE BY ADAM STORM
PHOTOS BY AMELIA TABULLO

NOV. 17 | LOS ANGELES—The Breeders took the stage at the Wiltern tonight to an expectant crowd, as a lot can be said about the significance of this band and their influence on modern music. In fact, a lot has been said, but it is sufficient enough to say any self-respecting, self-proclaimed indie rocker probably picked up a Squire Stratocaster circa 1993 in part due to the sheer velocity of the guitar turn heard on Last Splash’s “No Aloha.” Led by the imagination and refined sensibilities of Kim and Kelley Deal, The Breeders are true innovators, and their music has assumed the role of ’90s alternative rock dogma. They have influenced countless individuals in the 15 years since Last Splash was released. And then of course there is that whole Pixies connection….

But the Breeders performance tonight was hardly a cardboard-cutout ’90s revival show. The crowd, no doubt filled with all those thoughts and fond memories of 1993, certainly got what it came for. “No Aloha” was played—and that turn from airy slide guitar to driving distorted crunch sounded as good tonight as it did when first heard all those years ago. The set featured several other Last Splash staples, which were delivered with the same sensory impact, including “New Year,” “Cannonball,” “Divine Hammer” and “I Just Want to Get Along.”

As satisfying as those performances were, the rest of the show highlighted the band’s new material, which proved to be equally intriguing and exciting. In addition to a steady Last Splash execution, the band proved to be a creative force that remains as relevant and genuine today as in the alterna-rock heyday. Casual, calm and confident, the sisters Deal wove through material from later release Title TK and the more recent Mountain Battles. The wall-of-sound in “Overglazed,” the tragic inspiration of “Here No More” and the gentile harmonies of “We’re Going to Rise” showcased the Breeders growing creativity and song-writing abilities.

The night culminated for me personally in a clever and trademark Deal rendition of The Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun.” As I watched the band slice away on the cover, with the rest of the set still ringing in my ears and the band’s substantial history rolling in my mind, it occurred to me that there truly is a consistent quality to the Breeders. At times dark, violent, playful, sarcastic, passionate, angst ridden—1993’s Last Splash or Mountain Battles in 2008—the music of the Breeders is continually optimistic. In all their songs, there is never an admission of defeat, but instead a feeling of some movement and something to enjoy. In that moment, I came to appreciate the Breeders even more, seeing them beyond the legacy of Last Splash and understanding them more as a band with a distinct, living artistic viewpoint. It might be a stretch, but perhaps there is a little happiness in the reggae dance of “Cannonball,” the sex of “Divine Hammer,” the shotgun wedding of “Driving on 9,” the simple realization of being alive in “Overglazed,” and maybe happiness really can be a warm gun. And with that, the Breeders performance was refreshingly unpretentious, interesting and positive—a rare combination and something to behold.