Sunday At The Pool with The Breeders

I was 11 years old when I first heard The Breeders. That was back when MTV played music videos, and "Cannonball" was in heavy rotation. I knew nothing about The Pixies at the time. I just really liked the song "Cannonball." Over time I'd become obsessed with the entire album, "Last Splash," which my cool older brother taped for me. Songs like "Divine Hammer," "Saints" and "Hag" became part of my mid '90s daily appetite.

Well over a decade later, my musical tastes have grown, I've become more than familiar with the greatness of The Pixies, and I've never stopped listening to "Last Splash." It's likely to remain one of those records that simply never grows old.

Having since essentially grown into alternative rock legends, The Breeders packed McCarren Pool on Sunday for 2008's 3rd installment of the free JellyNYC Pool Parties. The innards of the massive concrete summer paradise was flooded with us freeloaders, with yet another mass of people stuck outside unable gain admittance.

On stage, The Breeders were the perfect band for this lovely summer afternoon. They displayed a relaxed attitude that made for a wonderful performance that had no shortage of highlights. As if witnessing Kelley Deal play violin on the beautiful "Driving on 9" wasn't enough, we also got to soak in such Breeders classics as "Divine Hammer," "Cannonball" and Beatles cover "Happiness is a Warm Gun."

The dark abyss of snarky blog commenters will complain of imperfect sound, long beer lines, obnoxious hipsters in ridiculous outfits, sunburn, and whatever else they can come up with, but Sunday at McCarren Pool was a perfect example of what makes summers in NYC so magical. How many other places can you hang out in the sun and see a band as great The Breeders for free, while enjoying a game of dodgeball or a trip down a slip and slide? Not to mention Matt & Kim put on an entertaining show as one of the two openers.

We are a spoiled bunch, and next Sunday the spoiling continues with can't-miss performances by Liars, Fuck Buttons, and Team Robespierre.

Matt & Kim

Photos by [Jonny-Leather]