Everclear
w/ The Koffin Rockers
Freo.Social
Wednesday, December 10 2025
From one West Coast to another, across the oceans Pacific to Indian, Portland’s other greatest export, Everclear, came to Fremantle touring the thirtieth anniversary of their breakout and highest-selling album, Sparkle and Fade. Somehow already their third tour to Australia this decade and their fourth time hosted by Freo.Social, it very quickly became apparent how much the band loves coming Down Under and how that feeling is reciprocated, with interest, from their fans.
The evening started with an unannounced, surprise support band—The Koffin Rockers from Townsville. An energetic three-piece rockabilly outfit on their first visit across the Nullarbor in their fifteen-year career, the boys exuded hot, sweaty fun, with swagger, grit, and tongues firmly in cheek – easily the kind of act you could find at a trucker’s bar halfway to hell.
With the ability to switch between rock and blues on a dime, as if they were born on the muddy banks of Mother Mississippi herself, The Koffin Rockers were an absolute delight with their original works and equally as strong with their covers. The screamingly obvious half-wink to The Living End became a fully acknowledged nod and tribute when the opening lines of Prisoner of Society were inserted within one of their own songs, before the band provided a rollicking version of Paul Kelly’s Dumb Things to further enliven the audience.
Tonight, likely connected with a crowd that was newer to the genre than their regulars at Brisbane’s Greazefest, The Koffin Rockers were an interesting, perhaps inspired, contrast to the headline act. If Western Australia writes more letters to any parole officers involved, hopefully the band will return sooner rather than later.
Further marinated in top-tier nineties rock tracks, from Stone Temple Pilots, via Live, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and, ahem, Hootie, the audience patiently awaited the main event. A diverse cast of characters inhabited the venue, from skaters, punks, hipsters, and goths—band tees ranged from Tool through Smashing Pumpkins to Pantera, while a new waver in full Siouxsie garb pined away in the corner.
The selection of music and fan attire was a reminder that Everclear was always more alt-rock than anything else, as grunge as any others further north along I-5. The only people missing from this surf-rock collective seemed to be surfers themselves, though, this being Fremantle, a marine environmental care shirt would cover in a pinch.
Out Everclear came, the platinum blonde of their heyday now turned grey, but with enough energy to immediately pogo as they launched into Electra Made Me Blind, as if the last thirty years had been merely a dream. Lead vocalist and band icon Art Alexakis stated it was great to be back in Fremantle before he switched up to Heroin Girl. The lyric “I heard the policeman say, just another overdose,” spat with as much venom as when originally released.
Unlike other album anniversary tours recently, Sparkle and Fade was not played in full from start to finish, Alexakis and the band splitting the track list with several of their other hits interspersed between. This also allowed Everclear to tease the big one, Santa Monica, with a singular chorus within the main set, to save the full song for later.
Alexakis and bassist Freddy Herrera divided the crowd banter between themselves and were exceedingly appreciative and grateful for their fans giving up their Wednesday nights, while also giving constant shout-outs to the venue, each other, and their fellow bandmates, Dave French and Brian Nolan. Positive reinforcement and politeness at a rock gig? Surely not, but either way it was utterly delightful to observe.
Another wonderful addition to the evening were Alexakis’ reminiscences on the songs themselves, as if it were an old-style DVD commentary or the even older-style album liner notes. He gave insights into the creative process, or just where his head was at thirty years ago. This really assisted the more casual attendees to connect with the material, those who had not kept up with every twist and turn of Everclear since perhaps the turn of the century.
For instance, there was Alexakis’ MS diagnosis, which he revealed in 2019—yet he’s still putting in the hard yards on a busy international tour. His shout-out to Everclear’s wheelchair warriors suddenly chimed with a whole new level of bell-ringing authenticity. The care the entire band felt for their fans had already been crystal clear, but this took it to another level.
You Make Me Feel Like A Whore, Heartspark Dollarsign and Nehalem were superb played live, whilst Strawberry, not even halfway through the album nor tonight’s set, had all the explosive energy of a finale, as Alexakis wrung himself out completely for the audience’s entertainment.
Then to a song that was only a hit in Australia, surprisingly, because it seemed to perfectly encapsulate the big grinding guitars of that faraway decade—Local God. From Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet soundtrack, the repeated refrain “Stupid, happy, and numb” remained iconic and was a definite favourite among the crowd tonight.
Some more blazing honesty from Alexakis came as he stated My Sexual Life was written by a stupid man, himself, on the topics of his first two very broken marriages. On the surface most of Everclear’s songs seemed glossy, peppy and accessible, yet when the stories behind them were heard, drugs, sex, or the other vices had usually combined to create a whole convoluted mess.
And finally, to the pinnacle of the night and the end of the encore: Santa Monica played in full. A Generation X take on 1966’s California Dreaming: was there anything more cutting-edge modernist than to watch the current timeline burn to the ground? Preferably on a surfboard off the Los Angeles coast? The crowd dissolved into a sea of happy endorphins as the evening reached its crescendo and then began to ebb, as the literal tide from the song flowed out.
As the band departed the stage, Herrera announced that their next tour was already in the works for 2027. While joking that he was perhaps the most talkative bass player ever, Herrera advised that he reads every comment from the fans on the band’s socials, so whether the setlist for the next trip will be the straight anniversary play for the next album, So Much for the Afterglow, or perhaps the complete opposite, all feedback and suggestions will readily be taken on board.
In another timeline, several of Everclear’s albums would have sparked much wider interest, and it would be Alexakis and his colleagues as headliners for the bigger festivals in 2025 rather than some of their peers. But it was not to be, and the band seem to be perfectly content with that.
Sixteen gigs in just over three weeks across Australia showcased both Everclear’s relentless work ethos and the fierce, passionate connection the band had with their fanbase in this country—that latter point likely assisted by the intimate, more suburban venues the band keeps returning to.
Roll on the next Everclear FIFO-style swing in 2027.