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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Music Everclear (Finally) Being Sent to Guantanamo Bay

Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Wed, May 14 at 9:33 AM

clear.jpg

After years of mistakes, the War on Terror has finally done something right—they are shipping off Everclear to Guantanamo Bay. Art, if you think your dad was bad, wait until you get waterboarded while being yelled at about the whereabouts of Bin Laden. Ouch, that was mean.

Oh, wait, it’s just a concert? For the 6,000 troops on the base? You sure it’s not one of those things were they blast loud music to torture people? Christ, I hope my tax dollars aren’t paying for this.

Everclear is touring on The Vegas Years, an all-covers record which is actually worse than 9/11. I’m kidding. I think.
Full release after the jump.

End Hits: So when are Cherry Poppin’ Daddies playing Abu Ghraib?

VERCLEAR have added two special dates to their Spring/Summer tour: a May 26 Memorial Day concert at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and a July 6 performance at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay, Oahu.

“These two are important to the band,” says singer and guitarist ART ALEXAKIS of the multi-platinum EVERCLEAR. “There are folks in uniform all over the world, and at home, looking out for us--and to play for them is an honor. Not a bad way to spend the holiday weekends, not at all.”

For the Cuba show, ALEXAKIS and his bandmates--drummer BRETT SNYDER, guitarist DAVE FRENCH, bassist SAM HUDSON and keyboardist JOSH CRAWLEY--will be performing for a capacity crowd estimated at 6,000 people stationed at the U. S. Naval Station with their families, representing all five of the armed forces--Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard--plus Department of Defense and other national law enforcement agencies. Everclear will also receive tours and briefings on the very historic Naval Station, the Joint Task Force Guantanamo detainee operation, fence line operations from the US Marine Corps Security Force and water borne operations from the US Coast Guard Port Security Unit.

EVERCLEAR’s itinerary also includes festival dates (Philadelphia’s WMMR radio festival on May 18; Stars & Stripes Festival in Michigan June 28), as well as a Lahaina, Hawaii show. The band’s set list will include an array of their classics from their seven studio albums--such as “Santa Monica,” “Everything To Everyone,” “I Will Buy You A New Life,” “Father Of Mine” and “Wonderful”--with material from their new and ninth release overall, The Vegas Years (out April 15 on Capitol/EMI). Produced by ALEXAKIS, it’s a collection of 14 covers they recorded between 1994 and this year.

Writing in the Cleveland Free Press (4/16/08) about The Vegas Years, Brian Baker said, “Just as Alexakis tips his hat to the seminal bands that steered his development, he also takes every opportunity to inject his unique punk inflections into his covers, from the chugging fist-pump of Thin Lizzy's ‘The Boys are Back in Town’ to the rousing rock anthemics of Cheap Trick's ‘Southern Girls.’” Elsewhere, in San Diego City Beat (4/15/08), Will Shilling pointed out: “The twin surprises here are a perky Elastica-meets-Joe Jackson channeling of ‘Bad Connection’ (originally done by brilliant ’80s synth-poppers Yaz) and an appropriately serrated and sleazy tear-through of Tommy Tutone’s commode-poetry classic, ‘867-5309 (Jenny).’”

Comments

When I was in Guam, Mos Def played at the Naval Base. It's very common for many major musicians go around the world playing for the military... however, few choose to publicize it as Everclear does.

art duuuude, thats so fresh u rep portland in a big way duude, say hi to all them folks down there dude make sure u dont just wave to the ones in hoods they cant see u, bro but thats maybe better cause they've been through enough torture at least they wont have to see ur raaaad tatts duuude.

finally, Everclear returns to its roots by playing a bunch of sports bar grade cover songs. how very punk rock! hey, did you hear the singer was a drug addict? but he's all better now, and it makes him so very authentic.

Is anyone else appalled by this? Playing yards away from people illegally imprisoned and tortured by the US?

Why is there a picture of the Goo Goo Dolls with Dingo Dismal of the clown house? Oh, THAT'S Everclear? yikes...

tuck?

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tuck?

no tuck.

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Neil Diamond

After canceling his September performance in Portland, Neil Diamond is back and ready to blow us out of our seats! Fine, maybe he won’t “blow us,” but I bet he’ll come to the stage locked and loaded with hits such as “Cherry, Cherry,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “I’m a Believer.” And does anybody remember “Heartlight”? I do! WSH

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