The nineties revival hit Brisbane yet again on Thursday night with the long awaited return of Everclear.
Back with their fourth lineup of band members, Everclear reached back through their eight album catalogue to give Brisbane fans the hits and also a taste of their latest offering, Invisible Stars.
Kicking the night off though was Brisbane up-and-comers Smoking Martha. Taking the stage just after 8pm the band launched into their 30 minute set filled with plenty of distortion and a very grunge sound.
The band have a strong beat coming from their heavily tattooed and bearded drummer who looks like he’s come straight from a metal band, whilst the raw guitar work from a guitarist who’s face you don’t see due to being completely covered by hair the entire time, reverberates around the room.
However the main highlight here comes from the bands lead frontwoman Tasha D, whose huge powerful voice (think Evanescence’s Amy Lee) holds its own against the screaming guitars to fill every corner of the room.
Next to the stage is Perth outfit Emperors whose soft rock riffs and melodic hooks fit in perfectly with the rest of the night. With songs about people who wear Ramones shirts, but never listen to them, they waste no time in getting their music out to the crowd for their fifty minute set which includes a bunch off their latest record. Playing songs such as “Rebecca” and the set-finishing “Ready When I Say Go”, the band have the crowd dancing and singing along with one punter describing the band as sounding like The Pixies.
As 10.30pm rolls around the lights go out and loud cheers and shrieks greet the darkness. The curtains are drawn back, the lights hit the crowd and the place is packed as the band, led by Art Alexakis, take to the stage.
Even though the guys are looking a bit older these days they still get off to a rocking and energetic start. Moving straight from their opening number into “You Make Me Feel Like A Whore”, the sound is absolutely crystal clear from the thumping drum beats to the guitar solos screaming down your ears.
The first interaction with the crowd comes from Alexakis who informs the good people that this is the first time they have been here in 14 years before launching into “Father Of Mine”.
The awesome guitar riffs continue with one for the old school fans in “Heroin Girl” followed straight up by “Amphetamine”. With a relatively smooth set, bar one song that involves a couple of restarts due to feedback issues, the band plays some classics such as “Strawberry” before ending the short fifty minute set on the crowd favourite “Santa Monica”, sending the punters into a frenzy.
Luckily the stage remains set for an encore and the band return for “Sparkle And Fade” and “I Will Buy You A New Life”, the latter going out to Alexakis’ wife.
The band finishes big and assures the crowd that the next time won’t be fourteen years away.
