live: the breeders

Some things never seem to date: Clarks Wallabees, playing frisbee in the park on sunny afternoons, white t-shirts, home-cooked roast dinners. You know the things. Same could be said, in music terms, about The Breeders - they've been kicking around now for 20 years or so, and yet, I don't think they will ever be uncool.

The Breeders played in Brisbane on Monday night. Last time they came, back in early 2003, they played at the god-awful Arena - I was 18 and probably the youngest person in the crowd. This time around, the venue was marginally better (The Zoo), and I still felt like the youngest person in the crowd. Goes to show what the kids these days know. I don't know what it is, but Kim Deal still ranks as one of the coolest people around. Forget all these dolled-up girls with their kohl eyes pretending to be the next big rock and roll star - the Deal sisters know where it's at without having to dress like model types.

So, the show sold out weeks ago, and everybody was quite excited. I haven't listened to "Mountain Battles" so I didn't know any of the songs off the album, but that certainly didn't matter. Like it ever matters. Their songs might be short, but they say it all - perfect sister harmonies, perfect noisy melodies, and a casualness that just radiates. Who else could play Guided By Voices and Beatles covers, then slip in old Amps classics and sisterly cackling laughs in between? I think I asked my friend Fergus what the song was when they played "Pacer", because it was such a great pop song. I'm going to have to listen to some Amps now. Of course, some of their other pop gems - "Cannonball" and, my favourite, "Divine Hammer" - made their obligatory appearance and sent everyone into a spin.

This time around there weren't any Pixies covers thrown in, something which didn't disappoint me because I've never been a huge Pixies fan anyway, but they did pull two encores and I left feeling pretty damn delighted.