On a day when lead singer Art Alexakis turned 41, his post-grunge rock band Everclear also began to show its age.
The juicy hooks and clever lyrics that were so indelible on 1995’s “Sparkle and Fade” now sound tired and repetitive. However, nostalgia is a powerful tool, one that the band wields with great success.
“Sparkle and Fade” and, to a lesser degree, 1997’s “So Much for the Afterglow” were excellent albums, critically applauded for their simplistic sounds and widely embraced by millions of fans.
Still riding that eight-year-old wave of adulation, Everclear took the stage Friday at Promowest Pavilion in front of a packed house. Sound issues hampered the band’s first few songs, effectively ruining two of the best songs in Alexakis’ catalog: “Heroin Girl” and “You Make Me Feel like a Whore.”
However, as the sound problems cleared up, it became apparent that Alexakis’ voice was just as responsible for the poor fidelity as was the equipment. While his rough vocals were suitable on fast, punk-rock songs, they were incongruous on tracts that attempted a gentleness that Everclear occasionally adopts.
Eventually, Everclear compromised by playing every song fast and hard regardless of the original version of it, sullying some previously interesting songs. However, a palpable energy between the band and the reverent crowd did develop. Throughout the show the band used this connection to build energy.
However, fast music and poor sound quality alone do not make punk music, and Everclear’s starchy enthusiasm felt forced.
The set stood in contrast to the more sincere energy of the opener, The Exies. During a fast, no thrills set, the band played loud and hard, with guitar and lyric parts sounding like they came directly from the Stone Temple Pilots’ playbook.
At their best, The Exies played racing STP guitars over a primordial percussion part, with drum and bass channeling Queens of the Stone Age. From this generally happy conglomeration came seven quality songs and three clunkers – a decent percentage for an up-and-coming act like The Exies.
More importantly, the band connected with its audience on a basic level and did not need to ride on its past successes, like the headliner.
The Exies are younger and more handsome than Everclear, but the band’s youthful enthusiasm is not its only successful element. The band seems to truly enjoy playing and was honestly excited coming on stage.
A generation gap in the audience created an interesting dichotomy, as the older mingled with the young. Anxious teens left following The Exies’ set, sneering at the pop sensibilities of Everclear. Younger kids brought their parents, who sat stiffly, sipping their drinks, while the bands attempted to squeeze out more enthusiasm from the audience.
As odd as it seems, this range of ages is principal to Everclear’s success. The band’s recent pop-oriented records sell briskly, especially to the middle-school types, while its earlier albums are still listened to by aging members of Generation X.
Overall, the show was a strange one, as imprecise musicianship was compounded by rock star personalities. No one song stood above the rest for either band; The Exies’ youth was as detrimental to its music as was Everclear’s experience. It is in Everclear’s past – and The Exies’ future – that the truly good music lies.
