Dream Setlist: Everclear Edition

If there’s one band in which I’m ecstatic to see live for a second time, it’s Everclear — it always felt like I had some sort of bad luck whenever the alt-rock legends would go on tour, whether it was due to the band not coming to my area when they’d hit the road or having something else get in the way in the event that they did make a visit. However, that bad luck streak ended when the band played my hometown of Jacksonville, NC on their “30th Anniversary” Tour on July 2, 2022. The anticipation is once again through the roof, as I’ll be traveling to their show in Virginia Beach this weekend as they celebrate 25 years of their Songs from an American Movie albums.

Before big shows like this, it’s always fun to think about what songs the band will play. For an album anniversary tour, it’s safe to assume there will be plenty of deep cuts from that era, alongside the usual classics. In the case of a band like Everclear, who’s had more hit songs that some bands have albums in their discography, it may be difficult to decide what songs to add and which ones to leave out. However challenging it may be sometimes, I always love coming up with a dream setlist in anticipation of seeing one of my favorite bands live, whether it makes sense for the tour they’re on or not, and this show is no exception.

Everclear may be known for hits like “Santa Monica” and “Father of Mine,” but I’ve always been adamant about the notion that they’re so much more than their hits. Just off the top of my head, I can name a plethora of songs that deserve the same amount of attention, if not more, than their most popular songs. While not all of them can be in the spotlight in this hypothetical setlist of mine, I certainly tried to showcase as many as possible while still making room for the obvious must-play songs. Sticking with the 17-song no-encore rule, here’s what I managed to conjure up for my dream Everclear setlist.

1. “So Much for the Afterglow” (So Much for the Afterglow, 1997)

There’s something about the title track to Everclear’s third studio album that’s just too perfect — not only is it a great album opener, but it almost feels like a robbery to not have this be the show-starter for all their live performances. Having the acapella intro playing as the band walks onto the stage and then have them blast right into the song makes for the best way to kick off a concert. Adding to the fact that it’s a relatively popular song of theirs, there’s no better choice for the first track.

2. “Falling in a Good Way” (Invisible Stars, 2012)

Full disclosure, Invisible Stars is one of my favorite Everclear albums, so it would be very easy for me to just fill this hypothetical setlist with songs from that album. If there's only space for one, however, the choice would be a no-brainer. “Falling in a Good Way” is easily in the top 5 of my favorite Everclear songs, and its fast pace and upbeat energy makes it fitting to have at the beginning of the set.

3. “Everything to Everyone” (So Much for the Afterglow, 1997)

As one of the band’s biggest hits, this is a song that will have a good majority of the crowd cheering and singing along. Between the catchy bassline and memorable lyrics, this is a great song that will have the audience engaged early.

4. “Learning How to Smile” (Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile, 2000)

In preparation for this show in Virginia Beach on Saturday, I’ve revisited the Songs from an American Movie albums for the first time in a long time, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I did not appreciate these two albums enough when I first heard them as a teenager. With the tour focusing on the two albums, it would be a cool touch to have the first song in the set to represent that era be the title track of the first volume of the duology. It also makes sense sonically to have it between “Everything to Everyone” and the following song, because it has a similar tempo and overall feel to the songs that surround it.

5. “Father of Mine” (So Much for the Afterglow, 1997)

Whether you know it or not, chances are you’ve heard this song at least once in your life — instantly recognizable from the opening lines, this is one of those songs that would have the crowd in a riot if the band didn’t end up playing it live. Not only does the fanbase hold this song close for obvious lyrical reasons, but even the most casual listeners who may have never heard of the band still have some sort of relationship with this song, to the point where it’s become bigger than the band themselves, so it would be a good choice to have it played somewhere in the beginning half of their set.

6. “Nervous and Weird” (World of Noise, 1993)

Bringing the energy up from the previous two tracks, this cut from the band’s first studio album, World of Noise, is a song that one can expect from a band’s debut — having a raw, gritty, and catchy sound, it makes for a great live staple and an even better nod to the band’s early days.

7. “I Want To Die A Beautiful Death” (Slow Motion Daydream, 2003)

Everclear’s 2003 album Slow Motion Daydream is one of those underrated releases of theirs, with songs like “Blackjack” and “White Noise” wonderfully capturing that classic Everclear energy while still feeling fresh and new. The single “Volvo Driving Soccer Mom” has served as this album’s main representation in their live shows for a while, but “I Want To Die A Beautiful Death” is one that begs to be played more often. The subdued verses build up to the energetic chorus, but the same energy is felt from beginning to end.

8. “Normal Like You” (So Much for the Afterglow, 1997)

At this point, So Much for the Afterglow might as well just be a greatest hits album, because so many stellar tracks appear on it. While it wasn’t a single, “Normal Like You” has become a bit of a cult classic and one that resonates with many fans, and it’s always a fun surprise whenever it’s included on the setlist.

9. “Rock Star” (Songs from an American Movie Vol. Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude, 2000)

It’s hard not to love this song — as far as I can remember, this may have been the first Everclear song I’d ever heard, and it’s still just as catchy and fun now as it was when I first heard it. I’m not sure how often it’s been played live or when the last full-band performance of it took place, but in the spirit of the Songs from an American Movie saga, it would be awesome to see this track have its time in the spotlight during this tour.

10. “The Swing” (Scream 2 Soundtrack, 1997)

As both a die-hard Everclear fan and an equally devout fan of the Scream series, it’s never been a secret how much I love this song — this is what turned me into a hardcore fan of the band, I’ve written about how much I love this song before I saw the band play in Jacksonville, and the highlight of that show was getting to hear the band play it live in response to what I wrote about it. To this day, that’s still one of my favorite moments at a concert, and I have such fond memories of that performance and that night in general. Whether I’m in the audience or not, I will always advocate for this song’s placement on Everclear’s setlist.

11. “This Is Your Death Song” (Black Is the New Black, 2015)

Everclear’s last studio album, 2015’s Black is the New Black, is up there with Invisible Stars as my favorite record from the band, and it never ceases to amaze me how many of these songs never got their time on the stage. “This Is Your Death Song” is likely the fastest-paced song on the album, and there’s something about it that I feel would thrive in a live setting. Additionally, it’s an amusing thought to envision Art Alexakis screaming the lines “everything is gonna be okay/but right now, everything sucks” — given the state of the world today, I feel like that moment alone would be perfectly fitting, arguably more appropriate than when the song was first released.

12. “The Drama King” (Welcome to the Drama Club, 2006)

Welcome to the Drama Club is likely Everclear’s most underappreciated album, which is unfortunate because of how great some of its songs are. Coming to the tail end of the set, I think “The Drama King” would be a great transitional track, because while it’s a softer song, it doesn’t bring the set to a screeching halt. It’s in the same vein as a song like “Santa Ana Wind,” in the sense that it progressively builds up in sound while staying within the same tempo and overall dynamic.

13. “Out of My Depth” (Songs from an American Movie Vol. Two, 2000)

While revisiting the Songs from an American Movie albums, I discovered that this cut may be my favorite track between both albums — there’s something about the strumming pattern and layering of the acoustic and electric guitars that instantly catches the attention of my ears, not to mention the lyrics that almost anyone can easily relate to. For fans that have either never heard this song before or haven’t listened to it in a long time, they’d be in for a treat if this is on the setlist.

14. “I Will Buy You a New Life” (So Much for the Afterglow, 1997)

As the set get closer and closer to the end, it’s only hits from this point forward. This track would sonically be a great transition from the previous song, while also having a status that makes it instantly recognizable. This is another track that everyone’s heard at some point in their life, making for a fun singalong moment between the band and the crowd.

15. “Wonderful” (Songs from an American Movie Vol. One, 2000)

As popular as this song is, it’s another one that took a while for me to really appreciate. However, seeing how much this song in particular resonated with people in the audience at the Jacksonville show was one of the things I remember most about that show — I’d argue that some people had a bigger and more emotional reaction to this song than “Father of Mine,” which is saying a lot. One of my favorite things about live music is the communal experience of getting to hear these songs from these artists that have meant so much to so many people on an emotional level, and this song brings out that collective energy like no other.

16. “AM Radio” (Songs from an American Movie Vol. One, 2000)

With a bit of a higher energy than some of the band’s other hits, I’d argue that this song is better live than in the studio. There’s a bit of a call-and-response during the chorus that seems to hit harder live than in the recording, making for an even more fun listening experience, as well as another fun moment between the audience and the artist.

17. “Santa Monica” (Sparkle and Fade, 1995)

We all knew that this would be the closer, right? We’re all on the same page here? Honestly, it wouldn’t feel right to hear this song at the beginning of the set — given the status of this song, it’s almost impossible to put it anywhere but the end. It’s a lot like Alice Cooper closing with “School’s Out” or Black Veil Brides closing with “In the End,” some bands just have that perfect closer that stays in that spot for the rest of their careers, and “Santa Monica” just happens to be that song for Everclear.

These dream setlists never get easier to make, but they’re still extremely enjoyable. It would’ve been easy to add more songs that I felt deserve more appreciation, but it also felt strange to omit some songs like “Heroin Girl” that have been live staples for years. However, regardless of what will actually be played live during the show, it’ll undoubtedly still be a great time. I’m excited to see Everclear live again and to celebrate two great albums. It’s going to be fun to hear songs that weren’t on the setlist last time around, along with hearing some familiar favorites. See you in Virginia Beach.

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