Kim Deal has been in her prime for nearly four decades. From redefining grunge with the Pixies, to delivering rebellious anthems with the Breeders, to the lo-fi brilliance of the Amps, her impact on the alternative rock scene is hard to overstate. Now, we’re lucky enough to witness Deal’s first solo studio album, Nobody Loves You More – a release as intimate and powerful as her legacy – and a world tour to boot. On March 26th, much to my delight, Deal and her big band took the stage at the historic Fillmore in San Francisco.
The line to enter the venue spanned three blocks when I arrived. People chattered with anticipation as they slowly shuffled towards the entrance. I finally made it inside and joined the all-ages crowd bathed in red and blue light.
Right on time, Kim Deal and an impressive ten-piece band (horns, strings, and backup singers, oh my!) filed onto the stage, framed by ornate chandeliers and pink flamingo props. The crowd immediately erupted in cheers. Deal doesn’t have to do anything to elicit raucous praise – she could’ve picked her nose, and I’d clap for ten minutes straight. Deal beamed a wide smile and immediately cued the band into “Nobody Loves You More,” the first and title track of her solo album. Her familiar vocals floated lightly over the ethereal strings, and the orchestral break in the middle of the song, with its rich horns and drums, took my breath away.
Deal and friends played Nobody Loves You More in its entirety, swinging from lush orchestral grandeur to more pulsing, almost discordant tracks like “Crystal Breath” and “Big Ben Beat,” the latter including sharp violin and cello notes and a hypnotic spiral projecting around the room. Many songs featured the heavenly vocals of Lung’s Kate Wakefield and her twin sister Kelley, who harmonized beautifully in a performance of “Bats in the Afternoon Sky.” The final track (my favorite from the album!), “A Good Time Pushed” was the highlight of the show. When performed live, the song had a Breeders-esque quality, with its 90s-style fuzzy guitar riffs and Deal’s simple but self-assured vocals. As the final guitar tone rang out, the crowd whooped and hollered, and Deal and friends began saying their goodbyes before exiting the stage one by one.
But wait, there’s more! Deal returned with cellist Alison Chesley and an acoustic guitar in hand to perform the folksy “Beautiful Moon,” one of nine singles she released in 2014. More band members filed onto the stage, including show opener Morgan Nagler, for performances of “The Root” and “Range on Castle,” which they had recorded together in 2014.
After an electrifying full-band rendition of the Breeders’ “Safari,” with the crowd jumping and singing along, everyone linked arms and bowed before disappearing behind the curtain. But the overhead lights still hadn’t turned on…
And soon enough, they were coming back again! For their third act, Deal and friends played “Off You,” another Breeders track from Title Tk. “Ready, Rob?” asked Deal to guitarist Rob Bochnik before plucking those all-too-familiar chords. I almost started floating – this is one of my favorite songs ever, and I’m hearing it live – with strings and horns! Could it get any better than this? Somehow, yes – the night’s final song was “Do You Love Me Now?,” another Breeders track from Cannonball (and an integral breakup song for me and likely many others in the crowd). The audience was transfixed as Deal matter-of-factly sang about love lost over the lurching riffs.
At last, the song slowed to a halt, and everyone took another bow and beamed widely to the crowd. Kim Deal expressed heartfelt gratitude and bid us farewell before finally exiting the stage, sending us all out with incredible post-concert highs.
Review by Gaby Smith
