Everclear released "Sparkle and Fade" in 1995. It was their first album on a major label (Capitol Records), and it launched a period of fame among the alternative rock crowd. The fame lasted through the next few years and subsequent albums.
When the band's popularity faded a few years later, most of the original Everclear members departed. But lead singer and songwriter Art Alexakis reformed the group with new members and the old name.
In 2025, this incarnation of Everclear celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of that landmark album with a tour. The tour concluded Sunday evening at Thalia Hall in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
The show began with two midwestern punk bands, resurrected from the 1990s and early 2000s. Detroit-based Sponge opened with a brief set. Chicago natives Local H followed, playing for nearly an hour. Local H is the first two-piece punk band I remember seeing live. They filled the theater with sound using just drums, guitar, and vocals.
Alexakis did a good job of channeling the difficulties in his personal life into moving and energetic music. For example, he wrote the song "Strawberry" while recovering from alcoholism. He told us this while declaring he was now "36 years clean and sober."
The setlist consisted of every track from "Sparkle and Fade" in the same order as listed on the album. The only exception was "Santa Monica" (the album's biggest single), which they teased with one verse and then reprised as the final encore song.
Everclear mixed in a few hits from other albums, including "Wonderful," "So Much for the Afterglow," and "I Will Buy You a New Life."
The three bands collaborate well. Everclear's bassist joined Local H for a couple of songs, and Everclear invited the lead singers of Sponge and Local H during their set. The latter donned a Robert Plant wig to sing a Led Zeppelin medley.
The three bands filled the show with energy and fun for both the audience and the musicians. My only complaint is that Alexakis overused his catchphrase, "Can I get a 'Fuck Yeah!'" too frequently throughout the show. It was annoying, but it was not enough to spoil the fun.