Concert Review - Everclear, Auckland New Zealand, 2017

Everclear

1st October 2017
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.

This was a concert that had been underlined at least once in red pen on my calendar and during the week leading up to it had also developed a large red heart around it. Yep, it was THAT concert, everyone has one in their lives – you know what I am talking about – when your all-time favourite band is coming to town and nothing else really matters. The weather had been shite all day. Not just your typical Auckland four seasons in one day kinda weather, but torrential sleet rain, howling winds and an icy bite to the air. And as the faithfully devoted lined up early outside of the doors of the Powerstation, only those with the golden elixir (better known as whiskey) running through their veins were not feeling her cold touch tonight.

Formed by lead vocalist and founding member Art Alexakis’s in his home town of Portland, Oregon in 1991, Everclear were a goliath in the 1990’s with albums such as Sparkle and Fade and So Much For the Afterglow providing the anthems for many who were struggling with their own issues during their tumultuous teenage years. With the disintegration of the original three piece band (both Eklund and Montoya leaving in 2003), Alexakis struck out on his own for a while before realizing that his strength came from the Everclear name and so began – for a period of time – the somewhat ever revolving doors of band members.

Everclear tonight features a couple of familiar faces who have admittedly been with the band for a while now and seem to be well and truly embedded; on bass the ever engaging Freddy Herrera (formerly of The Exies) and guitarist Davey French who has been with Everclear since 2003.Since their last two tours here in New Zealand they have changed drummers again though, Sean Winchester being replaced by the impressively coordinated Jake Margolis. This tour marks the 20th Anniversary of one of the bands most pivotal albums, So Much for the Afterglow, with Alexakis promising to play the album in full with a few other tidbits thrown in for good measure.

Unfortunately nothing is running to time this evening so it is already well past 9:30pm by the time support band Hangar 18 (local band Fuser beginning the night’s proceedings) are packing up and hauling off the last of their equipment from the stage. This prompted much checking of watches by some of the older members of the crowd by this point as being a Sunday night many had the dreaded sounds of an alarm clock to face the following morning. Restlessness was starting to seep in when the lights finally dimmed; the crowd erupting into chorus of voices and the expected shoving from behind as the more fervent fans made a last ditch attempt to dislodge the fans clinging like limpets to the barrier.

Dressed in matching black suits and ties, crisp white linen shirts gleaming under the stage lights, the foursome made an impressive sight as they walked onto stage; nods and smiles were gifted before the opening bars of So Much for the Afterglow (both the title and opening track of the album) began to serenade us from the speakers. It was in those split seconds that you could almost feel the entire front section of the audience coil their bodies up tightly like a spring, waiting, waiting; waiting for that moment that Alexakis would utter that first line “This is a song about Susan” and the guitars would in unison spring into life. And when it dropped down upon us it was indeed glorious, it felt like a relief as we all yelled the lines of the first verse with gusto, pogoing on the spot as if there was a trampoline beneath our feet.

But for all his pretence, it is also quite obvious that Alexakis is not his usual self. He looks visibly tired and his eyes do not contain that usual wild man look to them; that look that so many of us know so well and came to love over the years as he would spit out lines about missing fathers and the perils of drugs. According to the band their flight from Australia had been delayed and they were all rather sleep deprived; that depravation obviously hitting Alexakis (now fifty-five) the hardest. But these guys are professionals and they genuinely love their fans; and while their tiredness may have been a little more noticeable to those in the front rows, and Alexakis’s voice may not have been at its usual standard, they were still giving it their all.

Following the original track listing, the band played ‘Everything to Everyone’ before Alexakis addressed the crowd “Hello everyone in Auckland, New Zealand – thank you for coming out tonight” the crowd screaming their approval of his sentiments “so who bought a copy of this record when it came out?” several hands shooting into the air followed by collective ‘yeahs’. “Excellent that means you rule, just like me” that wry smile of Alexakis that many of us have come to know and love over the years playing across his face. As Everclear made their way through side one it was like a trip down memory lane for many of us there, songs such as ‘I Will Buy a New Life’ and the deeply emotional ‘Father of Mine’ holding different connotations for many; looking around there were fans who stood in silence, eyes misted over; others, arms outstretched were almost screaming the lines back to the band as they wrestled with their own personal demons. This is the gift that Alexakis has bestowed upon his fans time and time again; that of honesty. His songs predominantly anecdotal a window into his own soul, yet they simultaneously strike a chord of familiarity with events in many fans lives.

Rather than follow the usual pattern of playing the album in full and then doing a greatest hits tacked onto the end; Everclear threw in a couple of older tracks off Sparkle and Fade in the middle of the set; Alexakis introducing ‘Heroin Girl’ arguably one of their best in your face punk songs, the crowd audibly excited at the prospect of hearing it. However things don’t always go according to plan and halfway through the first verse, Alexakis knocked his mic to the floor; the band continuing to play before he – rather visibly pissed – yelled at them to stop. “Not my classiest move in recent times” he told us all, before once again taking the song from the top.

Everclear even threw in a rare gem in their set tonight in the form of ‘Nervous and Weird’ from their first album World of Noise released in 1993, the old school fans singing along with glee; while the instrumental ‘El Distorto de Melodica’ saw Alexakis really come to life as he went full rock god on the strings; French and Herrera making the most of the stage and often perching on the corner of the drum riser. There was no pretense of encores, Alexakis telling the audience that they would be back in a sec, and true to his word they were; he himself returning to the stage solo to perform an acoustic rendition of ‘Strawberry’, “I don’t play this very much now days but it was requested” – the song almost bittersweet as he sang the line “don’t fall down now, you will never get up” due to his obvious exhaustion.

Finishing on the iconic track ‘Santa Monica’ (was there any doubt they wouldn’t?) the entire band bid the crowd a heartfelt goodnight, only to return in true Everclear fashion at a pop-up table by the merch stand, where they stayed until every last fan had been greeted and gifted with hugs, photos and signatures. They may not have been on the best of forms tonight, but it mattered none as the music spoke for itself. As it will til the end of time.

Everclear performing live in Auckland, New Zealand, 2017. Image by Doug Peters.

Were you there at the Powerstation for this magnificent alternative rock gig? Or have you seen Everclear perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!