Saturday Night Breeders

From clubs and theatres, to arenas, stadiums and festivals, The Breeders will make any stage and any audience their own. Their repertoire spanning thirty-six years and counting, exhibits the perfect union of diversity in sound and consistency in quality. With a spotless catalog and reputation for intense and affecting live performance, it is no wonder that The Breeder’s set at Wilco’s biannual Solid Sound Festival was a highlight of the weekend and of the festival’s entire rich history.

                Since reuniting in 2012, The Breeders classic lineup featuring lead vocalist Kim Deal and her twin sister Kelley on guitars, Josephine Wiggs on bass and drummer Jim MacPherson have solidified their status as rock royalty. Acclaimed performances celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their landmark sophomore album Last Splash paved the way for a reunion album, 2018’s All Nerve. Since then, the band has been touring regularly and performing with passion synonymous with their reputation. Their uncompromising artistry combined with a relatable stage presence are a natural fit for Solid Sound’s creatively fertile environment.

                Although they are famously based in Dayton, where the Deal sisters and MacPherson were born (Wiggs hails from England), The Breeders got their start in Massachusetts. Conceived as an additional creative outlet by Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Throwing Muses guitarist Tanya Donnelly, they played their first gig at the famous Rathskeller in Boston’s Kenmore Square. After a few lineup changes including the addition of Kim’s sister Kelley on guitar and Donnelly’s departure to focus on her band Belly, The Breeder’s star rose in 1993. The release of Last Splash and a spot in Lollapalooza’s touring festival the following year helped the group cultivate a diverse and dedicated fanbase. Appearances in New England have always been momentous occasions for the band and fans alike due to their Boston roots. When Wilco announced that The Breeders would be playing on the second night of this year’s Solid Sound, local fans were ecstatic.

                Shortly before The Breeders began their set, they appeared on the main stage with members of Wilco and other Solid Sound participants to lead the world’s largest simultaneous yo-yo gathering. Kim Deal and Jeff Tweedy stood center stage, beaming at the prospect of going down in yo-yo history with fans and collaborators. This moment exemplified the appeal of both bands across generations. No indie rock pretentiousness or ego on display, just laughs, good natured ribbing and exemplary yo-yo skills. What’s more rock n’ roll than having fun with your friends?

                When The Breeders opened their set at 7:30, the festival crowd was attentive in a manner usually witnessed at small venues and theatres. If one had been lucky enough to witness a Breeders performance in the past, this made perfect sense. From the moment Kim Deal strummed the opening chords of “Doe” from the 1990 debut LP Pod, the audience was enraptured by the intensity, dynamics and thrilling songcraft pouring off the stage. When Kelley Deal, who normally handles lead guitar duties, launched into the opening riff of “Saints”, the band followed with precision and firepower that only comes from years of shared musical intuition. Kim’s striking vocal delivery grabbed the audience by the shoulders as Wiggs and drum stick catching MacPherson’s tight rhythms forced bodies to move to the music. Kelley’s guitar pierced through the mix, clear as the shattering of a glass that holds all of one’s reservations about the vitality of rock in 2026. The Breeders harness the power of rock n’ roll and unleash it in all directions as well as any band plugging in around the world today. The pure, unadulterated sense of fun they share with their audience and each other makes their music pleasantly addictive.

                For their current tour, the classic lineup has been augmented by backing vocalist, guitarist and cellist Kate Wakefield, who joined Kim Deal on her acclaimed solo tour last year, and longtime friend and collaborator Kyle Rector on synths and sound effects. Wakefield’s tasteful cello accentuated the pleasantly wistful chorus of “Invisible Man”. “That’s all that’s left behind/ the skies/ and the sweet caress” Deal sang the third chorus as Wakefield’s cello kicked in, underscoring the lush melody. A perfect union of poetry and performance.

                A great band can inspire creativity with the way they use the space in between songs. The Breeder’s dedicated, genuine and joyously irreverent approach to their art was evident in their stage banter. Their natural rapport held the crowd’s attention and elicited laughs and heartfelt applause. “Is anyone from Ohio?” Kim asked the crowd after confirming many attendees as Massachusetts natives. When several concertgoers answered in the affirmative, she replied “No shit, wow!” in a conversational and playful tone that exuded enthusiasm. She then shared a quote by legendary comedian Don Rickles, “Ohio people love to travel!”. Wiggs expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play a rock show and see contemporary art at the same festival. Earlier in the show, she used first measures of “No Aloha” before the bass kicked in to reprise her yo-yo performance. MacPherson stepped down from his drum kit to introduce the band and thanked Wilco for inviting them to the festival. The band’s stage presence and charisma made an already cozy festival feel like an intimate gathering of close friends.

                Solid Sound stands alone among festivals for fostering artistic and personal connection. Kim explained that she has known the Tweedy’s (Jeff and his wife Susie who ran the historic Chicago venue Lounge Ax) from visiting and recording in Chicago. They all shared a friendship with late producer Steve Albini who produced much of The Breeders catalog and his wife Heather.  

                During the hour-long set, listeners remained engaged and invested in the stunning performance. Heads bobbed to the rumbling bass and pulsating tempo of “Hag”. Kim’s expressive vocal performance on “Off You”, the sole track from 2002’s Title TK in the set was an emotional highlight of the entire festival. Her poignant lyrics floated above mournful minor chords as audience members closed their eyes and drifted inward together. Kelly’s melodic solo and Rectors’ synth effect wove a sonic tapestry over Joe’s Field that blanketed those who have felt the introspection portrayed in the song. Multiple concertgoers commented on the tune in complimentary terms to their neighbor.

                The folksy “Drivin’ On 9” originally by Boston’s own Ed’s Redeeming Qualities provided another showcase for Wakefield’s cello. This song from “Last Splash” always conjured up images of teenage Deal sisters armed with acoustic guitars, playing country and folk songs in Ohio bars at the dawn of their musical journey. The one-two punch of “When I was a Painer’ and “Iris” from Pod drove home The Breeder’s genius use of dynamics to convey emotion. Kelley’s lead vocal on “I Just Wanna Get Along” brought more driving, grunge adjacent rock to the set. A cover of The Beatles’ classic deep cut “Happiness is a Warm Gun” showcased seamless dual vocals by the Sisters Deal that would have made Lennon and McCartney proud. The searing guitar tones and throbbing bass balanced reverence for the original with The Breeder’s own alt-rock style. It takes a truly diverse musical palette to execute a cover so flawlessly.

                This ingenuity showed itself again with the juxtaposition of power and vulnerability on “Do You Love Me Now?” and the pure psychedelic glory of “Safari” from the EP of the same name. The band proved that their creativity flows as freely as ever with two new songs “Bite” and “Alien Eyes” which went over extremely well with the crowd. “Bite” has all of the atmospheric shimmer of a classic Breeders track and “Alien Eyes” mixes spacey sound effects, courtesy of Rector, with beautifully overdriven guitars for a dynamic tour de force. After this performance, many audience members who did not arrive at the fest as Breeders die-hards were raving about the show, wanting to know more and explore their illustrious catalog.

                As the sun started to set around 8:30, The Breeders signed off with the opening tracks from Last Splash. The hard rocking “New Year” led into their biggest hit “Cannonball” which had much of the audience bouncing in unison. This cornerstone of nineties alternative rock is still played often today, but The Breeders are not a nostalgia act. Solid Sound attendees saw firsthand that this group is still one of the tightest, most powerful and most genuine in America today. Their ability to share a stage with Nirvana, Guided by Voices, Olivia Rodgro, Foo Fighters and now Wilco is a testament to their expansive artistic vision. Later this year, The Breeders will go into the studio to work on new music. Speaking on behalf of the crowd in North Adams last Saturday, we cannot wait.