Penn Staters going home for fall break will still get to party hard on Thursday night as rock band Everclear comes to campus. The band will perform at Rec Hall as part of its fall tour that is hitting up campuses all over the eastern part of the country.
The concert, being put on by the University Concert Committee, is one of many planned for this year by the organization that in past years has helped bring such acts as Phish, Tori Amos, Dave Matthews Band and R.E.M. to campus.
Craig Mandel (senior-real estate), publicity chair for the UCC, is very proud to have the popular trio of rock stars.
"We are excited to have a band as big as Everclear come to campus," Mandel said. "They appeal to a wide array of music listeners and we expect this to be a very popular show."
Everclear, led by Art Alexakis (guitar and vocals), Craig Montoya (bass), and Greg Eklund (drums), has displayed its ability to play a wide range of music with the release of two albums last year, closely tied together yet very different in style. Connected by the title Songs From an American Movie, similarities between the albums end there. However, both perfectly represent the duality of the band.
Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile is an emotional look at America, both good aspects and bad. Every music listener remembers last year's smash hit "Wonderful," a somber yet realistic look at divorce through the child's eyes. Songs such as this reaffirm Everclear's ability to cover real issues that affect real people, as they did with "Father of Mine" off of 1997's So Much for the Afterglow.
Those looking for an all-out rockfest can find their answer in Vol. 2: Good Time for a Bad Attitude, released last November. Loud and angry, this album lets out more than a little pent up energy that the band had stored up from over two years of touring after Afterglow. Everclear's most current single, "Rockstar," can be heard on the radio now and is also found on the soundtrack to the recent movie of the same name.
Students all over campus are getting excited for the show.
"I can't wait to see Alexakis in person. He's such a cool guy and does a lot more than just music," said Aaron Rothman (freshman-division of undergraduate studies).
Alexakis, the band's frontman, has been quite busy when not on the road or working on a new album for the band. He has been active in politics, including testifying before Congress on a bill against deadbeat dads (Alexakis himself grew up in a broken home). He also started his own label, Popularity Records.
Sonja Thorington (senior-film and video) is also glad to see Art, Craig and Greg come out to State College.
"I love Everclear and it's been awhile since a group that I like has come to Penn State. PSU is kind of far out of the way and unless it's at Bryce Jordan, you don't find a huge variety of talent coming here. This is something new and refreshing and I'm definitely looking forward to it."
The Pittsburgh-based Buzz Poets will open the show, which begins at 8 p.m. More information on the bands can be found at www.everclearonline.com and www.buzzpoets.com.
Priced at $17 for students and $19 for non-students, tickets are on sale from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at Eisenhower Auditorium and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the HUB-Robeson Center information desk. Tickets can also be purchased by calling (814) 863-0255 or 1-800-ARTS-TIX.
