Who gets excited over a band they haven’t heard from since they were in middle school? Well, Loyola students do, and two weeks ago they came out by the busload to see popular 90s groups Everclear and Blind Melon live at the Howlin’ Wolf.
On April 17, the Loyola Student Government Association opened up a time warp to the nostalgic 90’s alternative scene for the revived Loup Garou Concert. Brought back for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, the once-traditional Loyola event has included big acts like Run-DMC and Better than Ezra. SGA went all out this year spending $19,500 for the all-inclusive costs of venue, booking and busing out students to the event.
For those who can’t remember the 90’s – for one reason or another – recall ear-shattering distortion, relentless head-bobbing and singing to lyrics honoring the everyday throes of a life that’s “pretty plain.”
“It brought me straight back to seventh grade,” psychology junior Megan Plagman said. “I never thought I’d get to see Everclear in concert.”
It was well past 1 a.m. before headliner Everclear took the stage, but the majority of the crowd was still on its feet cheering as the band cranked out hits spanning its entire eight-album catalogue. After opening with their first single “Everything to Everyone” the band played classics like “Father of Mine,” “Heroine Girl” and “Wonderful.”
Interspersed throughout their set, the show marked the second performance of new material from “The Vegas Years,” their new album of cover songs.The band ended with a rendition of Tommy Tutone’s “867-5309” – during which lead singer Art Alexakis pulled girls from the crowd to dance and sing on stage with the band.
Behind Alexakis stood a complete line-up change of new players from the Everclear of 2004. Alexakis said that the new members are much tighter on stage and more fun to play with than the original group. He expressed some agitation for having to go on so late – a result of Blind Melon’s two-hour set. But Alexakis, 46, didn’t show it during his lively performance complete with jokes about his three failed marriages.
Although Blind Melon may only be remembered for their single 1993 hit “No Rain,” they played a two-hour set of high-energy originals that kept the audience jumping the entire time. Even if they hadn’t made the two-finger devil horns since throwing out their torn jeans and Doc Martins, the crowd instinctively revived the symbolic gesture of rock ‘n’ roll during their raucous set.
“They were surprisingly good considering I only remembered their one hit (No Rain),” English writing senior James Bertuzzi said. “I had a rockin’ time.”
Long-haired and adorned in the ragged clothes of the grunge era, Travis Warren, the band’s new lead singer since regrouping in 2006, demonstrated the astounding limits of his vocal cords and told old stories about former lead singer Shannon Hoon, who died of a cocaine overdose in 1995 outside New Orleans bar Tipitina’s.
Rebirth Brass Band opened the show playing amongst the crowd as the Howlin’ Wolf slowly filled with over 900 students arriving by bus. Tickets for the event sold for five dollars to all Loyola students with seniors getting in for free.
SGA president Cade Cypriano helped coordinate the event and said it was an overall success. However, he said next time they will put stipulations on the durations of the sets, referring to Blind Melon’s unexpected two-hour performance.
Long live the 90s.
Steve Heath can be reached at [email protected]
