“This is a song about…”
Those are the opening lines that Art Alexakis sings on “Live At The Whisky-A-Go-Go,” just as they were when I saw them in the autumn of last year, with “So Much For The Afterglow” kicking off the set.
In his case, it was a song about Susan. In mine, it was about Sara. Always Sara. But the point is, Alexakis has a gift. He sings songs that mean everything to him and everything to us. They just don’t have to mean the same thing.
A quick history lesson: Everclear was a massive deal in the US (this show is introduced by former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield), selling millions. Over here, they never quite had the same impact, but that doesn’t matter. In 1994, I heard a song called “Heartspark Dollarsign” that dealt with racial prejudice. They perform it on stage here, and it’s glorious. Still described as punk’s grungey cousin, its line “trade a love so pure for a hate so blind” is disappointingly still just as relevant today as it was 29 years ago.
That single was from the album “Sparkle And Fade” (a lot of the set here is from it), and this show (and the one I saw last year) were to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the group.
There, we’re all caught up.
In 1997, they released the follow-up, and “Everything To Everyone” proves that it was nearly as good. But this collection shines a light on the fact that Everclear was a band of the people, and together with their fans, they were unstoppable.
“Heroin Girl” is a genuine classic, if only for the intensity that Alexakis delivers the line “just another overdose” (he’s a former addict himself), and in that moment, you understand that this is catharsis.
“Father Of Mine” comes from a place of pain, and they dip back to the debut – which I bought after the first two albums – for “Nervous And Weird” and “Fire Maple Song.”
Perhaps because of the history in the setlist, there’s nothing after 2000 here, but it doesn’t matter because “Wonderful,” “Strawberry,” and the incredible sing-along of “A.M Radio” are – with all due respect to what came after – perfect for this.
“Local God” from the Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack is perhaps the most “grunge” track here (and as I’m not the world’s biggest Nirvana fan, I am duty-bound to say it’s better than anything Cobain did…).
“I Will Buy You A New Life” is the ballad-like, but it’s a ballad Everclear-style, about leaving White Trash Hell behind.
It almost ends with their big hit, “Santa Monica,” and the sentiment, “swim out past the breakers and watch the world die,” seems to have just as much resonance as ever.
They actually conclude with “Molly’s Lips” (the Nirvana song), and the digital version adds two new songs: “Year Of The Tiger” and “Sing Away.” Both are insights into Everclear in 2023. The same raw lyrics, and a touch of maturity in the words. The contrast with the youthful abandon in the sound of the older songs that preceded it is clear.
A disclaimer: at work on Friday, I was wearing an Everclear t-shirt, so any notion of journalistic impartiality is over, I guess. But this is one of my favorite bands, and these songs mean as much to me as anyone in Hollywood that night.
It is more than a document of a night; it’s a testament to 30 years. So, what is this song about? Try everything.
Rating: 9.5/10
