90s alt rock band celebrated 30th anniversary of Last Splash

It’s hard to imagine one could forget the first time they ever heard “Cannonball,” The Breeders’ best-known single. I can’t remember exactly when I first heard it–it feels like it happened in some cosmic vacuum–but every time I listen to it, I can remember the sensation of that first, captivating listen. The song opens with guitar feedback and ex-Pixies bassist Kim Deal’s distorted “Check check, one two,” followed by Jim Macpherson tapping the rhythm on the edge of his snare, and soon after Josephine Wigg’s iconic bassline kicks in. The opening bass riff was initially a mistake–the first few notes are a half-step lower than what they are for the rest of the track–but became one of the most memorable happy accidents in alt rock history. Whether you discovered the song in 1993 when it came out or in 2023, it is undeniably timeless.

In celebration of Last Splash (the album which “Cannonball” appears on) reaching its 30th birthday this year, The Breeders came together once more to tour and perform it in its entirety. For one sold-out night at the Wiltern, they brought together an intergenerational crowd of Los Angeles fans to experience the quintessential record in the flesh.

The magic in the historic venue was palpable as Kim Deal, Kelley Deal (Kim’s twin), Macpherson, and Wigg walked onstage, lighting up the vast room with their mere presence–a benign united front. Kicking off the night with the electrifying “New Year,” they played Last Splash in order from front to back. Not only do The Breeders sound as amazing as ever, but they maintain the fiery, fun-loving spirit imbued in the record 30 years ago as if it was brand new. Kim and Kelley Deal were everything little me hoped they would be–mischievous and playful, naturally warm and funny, and of course absolute shredders. In the words of Michelle Zauner as she writes about Karen O in Crying in H Mart, “they are my perfect heroes.”

Although she isn’t queer herself, Kim Deal has been so important to me as a bisexual person–there’s something about her and about The Breeders that just feels so bisexual to me, and it makes me feel seen like few other people or bands do. I’d also like to take a moment to express that Kelley Deal does not get enough credit for her skills as a guitarist, singer and songwriter–her talents and infectious sense of humor took center stage on “I Just Wanna Get Along,” the record’s halfway point which she penned herself.

Once they made their way through Last Splash, The Breeders kept the show going with an encore full of fan favorites and underrated gems from records like All Nerve and Pod (I was pleased to hear and see “Doe” and “When I Was A Painter” live). They treated us to a rendition of “Gigantic,” one of the Pixies songs that Kim Deal wrote and performs lead vocals on. Like many of us, the Pixies also changed my life–mostly Kim changed my life. She’s the reason I started teaching myself to play bass in high school, and has been one of my favorite singers and songwriters ever since. That being said, experiencing her live performance and this song specifically was a full-circle moment. The Breeders are and always will be a band for the ages. Check out the setlist here!