Everclear

Everclear is perhaps one of the better renowned bands in the alternative rock movement in the 1990’s, and their live performances still stand strong to this day.
Lead singer, Art Alexakis, has a strong passion for performing music, and you can see his intense dedication of giving his greatest effort in his performances. Some of the best music that has been written is often inspired by intense pain and turmoil, and Art Alexakis has sure experienced his fair share of tragedy. When he was young he experienced the deaths of several people who were very close to him, including his brother who overdosed on drugs. These circumstances would later impact the lyrical style and intense emotional mood of most of Everclear’s songs.
Everclear presents an energetic performance when they are in concert. Art Alexakis plays heavy, distorted chord progressions in an often fast tempo and sings enthusiastically into the microphone. Although Everclear’s songs often tackle intense subject matters such as drug addiction, they are often presented in a pop-punk format consisting of catchy hooks. The crowd is always enthusiastic to see Everclear. They jump up and down to the hard rock performance of “So Much for the Afterglow” and they sing every word to the heart-touching song “Wonderfull”.
Everclear tours every year with the Summerland tour, which is a tour founded by Art Alexakis. During this tour you can expect to catch the performances of many well regarded 90’s alternative rock bands that open up for Everclear including, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, and Lit.

Another potential entry for the one hit wonder category here, in the form of Deep Blue Something; back in 1995, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ became one of the biggest radio hits not only of the years, but of the decade, and endures in popularity today, but the Texans never did quite manage to match its success again, despite the fact that Home, the album from which it was lifted, sold enough copies to go gold. Instead, label troubles led to the delay of their second album, Byzantium, which received a limited release in select countries in 1998, but ultimately wouldn’t hit the domestic market until 2001, under a different name. The upheaval forced the dissolution of the band shortly afterwards; at the time of their split, they remained a popular live act in their home country - running through sets that leant heavily on their then-unreleased self-titled album - but, frankly, their sound has dated badly since, meaning they likely bowed out at the right time. Singer Todd Pipes continues to record solo albums, whilst drummer John Kirtland now runs an independent record label - Kirtland Reccords - out of Dallas, Texas. More esoterically, former member Clay Bergus now manages a seafood restaurant in the same city - I wonder how many diners there know that the manager was behind one of the biggest hits of the nineties?

Rough around the edges yet so loveable at the same time, Marcy Playground have been wowing audiences since the late 20th century with their catchy lyrics and rock & roll riffs. Since their most major single release in 1997 entitled 'Sex And Candy', a song supposedly about lead singer John Wozniak's girlfriend cheating on him, Marcy Playground have established a strong discography of six albums to date, the most recent being released two years ago. The American trio consistently produce easy-listening music with memorable riffs and hooks whilst still keeping alive the essence of the 90's, an ethos that has never been proved truer than with their set at the sold out Summerland Tour in 2012. Performing in an exquisite venue, Marcy Playground were not concerned with the glitz and glamour that more modern musicians fuss over: Dylan Keefe plays the riffs accompanied by Shlomi Lavie on drums whilst John Wozniak sings his heart out as they all impress on stage wearing t-shirts and jeans. The music compliments their fashion choices - simple yet so effective. The initial release from the 2012 album 'Lunch, Recess & Detention' called 'Mr Fisher' has seen the band show their versatility by implementing reggae influences via the steel drums and beat patterns, showing that an old dog can indeed learn new tricks. It will be interesting to see how Marcy Playground develop their style to maybe suit other genres of music in the future.