Battling a gimpy ankle and the rainy Portland skies, yours truly headed out last night to the Wonder Ballroom, a historic concert hall located here in Portland. The evening’s entertainment, you ask? None other than Dayton’s finest, 90’s buzz-bin superstars, The Breeders.

Touring in support of 2008’s well-received Mountain Battles (the band’s first full length record since 2002), the reformed quintet blasted through a 70-minute set that mixed Last Splash classics (”Cannonball,” “Hag,” “No Aloha,” “Divine Hammer”) with other, equally catchy material from all points in the band’s discography. The breezy, surf-n-turf pop hooks that made The Breeders underground sensations were still locked firmly in place, evoking memories of the outfit’s salad days.

When the show came to a conclusion, my party and I retreated to the Wonder’s basement bar for a frosty beverage (PBR, natch). By a stroke of premeditated luck, thirty-minutes later, I found myself backstage, face-to-face with a healthy, smiling and extremely modest Kelley Deal, thanks entirely to my friend Dan*$*#%X, who is quite skilled at finding his way into restricted areas…

Naturally, I couldn’t let a golden opportunity like this slip through my hands. After she graciously autographed some of my vinyl records, I gifted Kelley with a pair of FIC t-shirts, one for her and another for her twin sister, Kim.

Lo and behold:

(more…)