Saturday night, August 9th in Saratoga Springs brought a strange sight to Universal Preservation Hall: a tour bus parked in front of a church.
UPH, a beautifully restored house of worship turned concert venue, still feels every bit like its former self. The stained glass windows bathe the room in jewel tones, velvet-lined pews cling to life in the balcony, and the general admission floor below sits where the congregation once stood.
Seeing fans in faded Everclear tees shuffle in under a steeple was surreal. Instead of a sermon, it would be 90’s alt-rock staples delivering the message.
Even frontman Art Alexakis admitted mid-set that it was the weirdest venue they’d ever played, a comment that felt less like a joke and more like an existential aside. You could almost see them sizing up the stained glass saints and wondering if their setlist needed divine approval.
Everclear can still play, but the years have not been subtle. They’ve aged out, firmly planted in “dad rock” territory. The jagged edges of their heyday have been sanded smooth, the urgency replaced with familiarity. Art’s voice, once sharp and defiant, now carries a softer, weathered crack, occasionally giving way entirely on higher notes.
Even with the power and will of God in God’s house, they couldn’t sell the place out on name alone. That’s not entirely their fault. Nostalgia has limits, but it’s a long way from the days when they packed bigger rooms without trying.
The set was a straight shot through the greatest hits, including “Father of Mine,” “Heroin Girl,” and “AM Radio.” There were no deep cuts, no risks—except for a grinning detour into their cover of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” which drew one of the night’s louder singalongs.
Midway through, the band opened the floor for requests. Predictably, someone yelled “Freebird,” because that’s almost law and it sets the bar for requests at a show. Then someone else shouted “Ozzy!”, a timely and heartfelt nod, as the Prince of Darkness had just recently passed at 76, leaving an indelible mark on music and musicians alike.
Everclear teased the opening riff to “Crazy Train” before Art stopped, leaned into the mic, and laughed, “Fuck that, nobody wants to fuckin’ hear that.” In a time when so many artists have been paying their respects on stage, the flippant dismissal felt off-key. Ignoring the request entirely would’ve been better than addressing it like that.
And then came the “encore.” Or rather, the fake encore. They didn’t leave the stage, just drifted into a dark corner, still in full view and waiting to see if the applause met the threshold. When it did, they stepped back into the light to play “Santa Monica.” A fitting closer, if a little self-referential.
For the faithful who showed up to Universal Preservation Hall, it was still a warm, nostalgic night. But for anyone hoping for fire and edge, this was a reminder: time changes every band, and some alt-rock saints are now preaching to smaller choirs.
Everclear setlist: So Much For The Afterglow, Everything To Everyone, Heroin Girl, Father Of Mine, Hearts Park Dollarsign, Fire Maple Song, Chemical Smile, The Twistinside, Wonderful, AM Radio, local God, Strawberry, I Will Buy You A New Life, Like A California King, Brown Eyed Girl, Santa Monica
Comments are closed.