House of Music

Everclear

Paramount Theatre

Austin, TX

September 23rd, 2025

Photos and Review by Roy Vergara

There is something about the Paramount Theatre that makes a show feel more special. The century-old venue on Congress Avenue has seen it all, from vaudeville acts and silent films to icons like Miles Davis and Katharine Hepburn. Its ornate ceilings and gilded walls carry the weight of Austin’s cultural history, and on Tuesday night those surroundings made the return of 90s alt-rock staples feel even more electric.

The evening began with Detroit’s Sponge, veterans of the era who rose to fame with hits like “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles).” Led by Vinnie Dombroski, they brought a gritty charge that showed why they have never left the touring circuit. Local H followed at 7:51 pm with their iconic two-piece setup. Scott Lucas wrung both bass and guitar lines from his rig while Ryan Harding drove the songs with relentless percussion. Their stripped-down firepower, anchored by anthems like “Bound for the Floor,” kept the energy raw and immediate until their set closed at 8:35 pm.

By 8:55 pm the lights dropped and a throwback video reel rolled across the screen before Everclear emerged to roars that felt more like a weekend than a Tuesday night. Art Alexakis and his band wasted no time launching into “Electra Made Me Blind” and “Heroin Girl,” pulling the room straight into their world. When “Father of Mine” rang out, the entire theatre sang with the same catharsis it carried nearly three decades ago.

Alexakis balanced humor with reflection throughout the night. He teased the riff from “Crazy Train” before brushing it off with “No one wants to hear that shit, I love Ozzy but Black Sabbath you’re talking about some shit. We grew up in the 70’s.” Later he introduced “My Sexual Life” by joking about being married four times, before softening with a dedication to his sweetheart. The honesty cut both ways. Before “Wonderful,” Alexakis told the crowd to “give it up for the kids for finding the real rock n roll,” a line that struck as sincere as the song itself.

Everclear moved through deeper cuts like “Nehalem,” “Queen of the Air,” and “Chemical Smile” while still delivering the hits fans came for. The main set ended at 10:03 pm but they returned almost instantly. Couples swayed and sang along to “I Will Buy You a New Life” before the band closed with the inevitable. With his gold Les Paul, Alexakis grinned and said, “this is called Santa Monica, can y’all help me sing it.” The chorus rang out so loudly it felt like the building itself was singing back.

By the time the show ended at 10:15 pm the Paramount had once again proven its timelessness, a place where magic has unfolded for more than a hundred years. From Sponge’s Detroit grit to Local H’s stripped-down fury to Everclear’s cathartic singalongs, Austin got a night that stitched past and present into one unforgettable evening.

Check out the photo gallery below to relive the night or see what you missed.

Sponge

Local H

Everclear