Get your weekend started!
An unusual event is happening today, head down to Fountain Square tonight for a free concert from two locally-tied bands; The Breeders and The National.
Sisters Kim and Kelley Deal grew up in Dayton and now head The Breeders. The National, now stationed in New York, started out in Cincinnati in 1999. They'll both play a free show in downtown's Fountain Square Thursday October 16th at 5pm.
The show is part of a Get Out and Vote rally for Obama/Biden called "Vote Early Rock Late". So having just told you about the event's political affiliations, I'll make it clear, again, that there's sure to be some "yes, we can" chanting.
Mayor Mallory and actress Natalie Portman will also briefly take the stage. And if you're keeping track of the local connections, Portman spent a wee bit of her childhood in Cincinnati before moving on to seek the fame found elsewhere, but some of her family remains here. Family ties, and not Wikipedia, let me know these things.
For those unfamiliar, The Breeders formed following the breakup of the Pixies, and are best known for their 1993 single "Cannonball", a pleaser which surely has been getting its loopy bass lines out.
Both bands have been busy with popular U.S. and International tours this year. But they remember their roots: an interview from '96 has Deal stating, "When I start a new band, I don't approach it with that national rock mentality-- I don't think, 'Well, how is someone in Miami, Fl. going to take this?' I think, 'How is someone in Dayton going to take this?"
Even if you don't catch the show be sure to check out the most recent albums from The Breeder's entitled Mountain Battles and The National's Boxer.The event is free, but we're guessing space will be tight. Hardcore fans may want to head downtown soon....
Note: While BuyCincy does not support or endorse any political candidate or party, we are endorsing what looks like a great event from bands with local roots. And we whole-heartedly support free concerts.
Family connection to Portman being: my mom knows her mom from Walnut Hills, and my Great Aunt was friends with her Grandmother, whose mutual friend hit and ran after hitting my sister's car with her Cadillac. My sister followed her to the Regency Apartment building...but have I said too much? Or not enough?