90's Turn Back the Clock as EVERCLEAR, SPONGE and LOCAL H Take Over Toad’s Place in​New Haven, CT

Written by: Joe Perusse 
Photography by: Holly Roy Photography 

Toad’s Place turned the clock back to the ’90s Thursday night as Everclear rolled through New Haven on their Sparkle and Fade 30th Anniversary Tour, joined by Local H and Sponge. The place was packed and buzzing before the first chord hit.

Sponge kicked things off to an already shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Guitarist Andy Patalan hit the stage with a red solo cup in hand, toasting the front row before ripping into the opening solo of “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina).” Touring bassist Jeff Hayes locked in deep grooves while frontman Vinnie Dombroski grinned ear to ear, saying it felt good to be back on Toad’s tiny stage — their first time there since 1995. The crowd belted out “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)” and cracked up when Dombroski admitted, “I’m not that smart — ‘Glue’ is just about glue.” Patalan streamed part of the set live, joking that anyone having a “Coldplay moment” should turn around. “Got to Be a Bore” brought out a talk box and maracas combo, and “Treat Me Wrong” kept the
room moving. They closed with “Plowed,” the whole place shouting every word — a killer way to start the night. Kyle Neely guitar and Dave Coughlin (drums) rounded out the lineup.

Then came Local H, and the energy only went up. Scott Lucas (vocals/guitar) and touring drummer Pete Beeman kicked off with “All-Right (Oh Yeah),” and you could feel that wave of nostalgia hit the room. Fans roared for “Cha! Said the Kitty” and “Fritz’s Corner.” Lucas teased the crowd about who’d seen them before, turning up the volume on their responses before crashing into “Hands on the Bible.” The floor literally shook during “Bound for the Floor,” and the night’s lone crowd surfer rode the wave during “John the Baptist Blues.” Lucas capped the set with “High-Fiving MF,” dedicating it to a few rowdy fans up front and ending in a haze of feedback and grins.

When Everclear finally hit the stage, Toad’s exploded. Old-school radio clips blasted through the PA before Art Alexakis and the band charged into “Electra Made Me Blind.” Alexakis looked fired up, shouting out guitarist Dave French before launching “Heroin Girl.” He joked with the crowd about counting to three for “You Make Me Feel Like a Whore,” then paused to shout out Sponge and Local H — and to reminisce that one of Everclear’s first big breaks was opening for Sponge right there at Toad’s 30 years ago. Halfway through the set, Alexakis tossed his Everclear baseball cap into the crowd — “Bad luck to wear your own merch on stage” — and swapped it for a fedora before “Father of Mine.” Between songs, he opened up about being broke in the early days, 36
years sober, and living with multiple sclerosis, getting the crowd to cheer for anyone fighting their own battles. “Strawberry” turned into a massive singalong that filled every corner of the club.  Bassist Freddy Herrera worked the crowd between songs, joking about whether bassists, guitarists, or drummers talk too much — only for Alexakis to cut in, “We should all just shut up and play music.” The band tore through “Heartspark Dollarsign” and “Everything to Everyone.” A quick tease of “Rock You Like a Hurricane” somehow turned into a  Zeppelin riff, with Scott Lucas jumping back on stage to guest on vocals — “We never tell him what song we’re doing,” Alexakis laughed. The back half of the set was a deep cut dream for longtime fans — “The Twistinside,” “Her Brand New Skin,” with a drum intro from Brian Nolan, “Nehalem,” and “Queen of the Air.” “Wonderful” was dedicated to the younger fans, followed by “Pale Green Stars” and “Chemical Smile” from Sparkle and Fade. Before wrapping the main set, Alexakis thanked the crowd for selling out Toad’s and said, “We almost never play this one live,” before breaking into “My Sexual Life.” The encore hit all the feels — “So Much for the Afterglow,” “I Will Buy You a New Life” (“about love, not money,” Alexakis said), and then a full-circle finale: Vinnie Dombroski back on stage for a high-energy “Santa Monica.”

Every person in the room sang like it was 1995 all over again. It was one of those nights that felt both nostalgic and alive — three bands, three decades of memories, and a sold-out crowd singing the soundtrack of their lives right where it all started.

LOCAL H

SPONGE

EVERCLEAR