LIVE REVIEW: THE BREEDERS – ALBERT HALL (06/26/24): Silent Radio

It’s the hottest night of the year so far, and as the evening sunlight shines through the beautiful ornate windows of the Albert Hall, the place is packed. It’s been over thirty-three years since The Breeders burst onto the early 90s indie scene with the stunning debut album ‘Pod’, and with the 30th anniversary of their sophomore album ‘Last Splash’ taking place last year, it’s encouraging to see that their music seems to have captivated younger generations of music fans, as well as those old enough to be there at the beginning. The crowd is an eclectic mix of teenagers to seniors, with many early fans now bringing their adult children along to enjoy The Breeders’ twisted, shimmering guitar pop.

Opening act Big Joanie, who play the first track, will be bringing their feminist post-punk grooves to the Albert Hall. The London-based band may be known for their socially conscious lyrics and brilliant wordplay, but it’s also their infectious guitar work that cuts through the dark Manchester sunset that filters through the venue. Playing a selection of tracks from their two albums released so far, guitarist/vocalist Stephanie Phillips and bassist/vocalist Estella Adeyeri, along with a drummer and second guitarist/keyboardist, definitely manage to capture the hearts and ears of the assembled, and now very sweaty, crowd. Big Joanie create guitar-fuelled tracks, many of which have a clever message at their core, always fuelled by intriguing melodic lines that weave through. Their short and sweet set is the perfect opener before tonight’s headliners. They close with the exuberant single “In My Arms”, I’m glad we made the effort to arrive early in time to witness their vibrant tracks.

It’s been just over five years since The Breeders last came to Manchester, and when they took to the stage to cheers, whoops and applause, it was clear that the city’s love affair with these alt-rock legends hadn’t diminished one bit. Launching into Last Splash’s ‘Saints’, Kim Deal’s lush, unmistakable vocals in harmony with her sister Kelley Deal were pure bliss. ‘Wait In The Car’ from 2018’s stunning ‘All Nerve’ album proved that they’d lost none of their songwriting genius, the choppy, sawtooth guitar rhythms breaking free in a gloriously melodic chorus. From brilliant debut ‘Pod’ we have the fiery, bittersweet ‘Doe’ and the groove-laden rhythms of ‘When I Was A Painter’. A perennial favorite from start to finish, “Safari” is reissued from the EP of the same name, as is the beautiful and serene “Do You Love Me Now” later in the set.

The Breeders aren’t the type of band to rest on their past glories, and while it’s possible that the bulk of tonight’s set will be drawn from ‘Pod’ and ‘Last Splash’, their genius lies in 2008’s ‘Mountain Battles’ and 2002’s ‘Title TK’, which respectively deliver the soothing, soft tones of ‘Night Of Joy’ and the pop-punk perfection of ‘Huffer’. There’s also ‘Metagoth’ from ‘Mountain Battles’ which adds another element of cool songcraft haze over the assembled masses, with bassist Josephine Wiggs’s laid-back delivery fitting the mood perfectly.

The whole band really seems to be having the time of their lives on stage! I have never seen a band so happy and at the same time so humble, enjoying the enthusiasm of the audience after each song, Kim and Kelley Deal laughing and joking throughout the concert.

A brilliant version of Kim Deal’s Pixies-era ‘Gigantic’ gets the mosh pit even louder, before an encore of the darkly enchanting ‘Walking With A Killer’ from the ‘All Nerve’ album and the guitar-pop perfection of ‘Divine Hammer’ raise the temperature even further, sending the mosh pit into a bouncing frenzy.

In front of a sold-out Albert Hall, The Breeders proved, once again, why their harmonious guitar melodies still captivate ears and hearts, a band still loved by those who have followed them since the early days, and now gathering a whole new audience of younger fans. An absolutely mesmerizing concert from one of the best bands you will ever see.

From my early days creating handmade zines, DIY style with paper and glue, interviewing local bands and then pestering Piccadilly Records to sell them, to writing for various independent magazines such as Chimp and Ablaze, writing about the music I love has always been a huge passion of mine. Having tested the waters of the music industry in London working for various labels, back in my home city, writing about the vibrant music scene there is more exciting than ever. Some of my all-time favourite bands include Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, although anything from electro to folk, blues and psychedelic rock will do just as well. A good album is simply a good album, no matter what musical cage you put it in.