They Can See Clearly Now That Another CD’s Out

Everclear, performing as Thee Everkleers, rocked the Viper Room on Friday night so hard that even the usually stoic MTV journalist Kurt Loder was seen bopping his head in sync with the music. Playing to a sold-out house, Everclear was celebrating the release of its latest album, “So Much for the Afterglow,” while the Sunset Strip club was celebrating the fact it continues to get the hottest shows first. . . .

Speaking of hot, the sizzling Chocolate Bar (see story on Page 38) is planning a big, big party at downtown’s Mayan Theatre in November. . . . A recent visit to Bar Deluxe proved the red-hot Hollywood club is nearing its mission to become a full-blown rendering of what the soul of Hollywood would look like if it had a soul (ha-ha). With owner Janis DeSoto continually adding exotic art elements, the club’s come to resemble a waiting room in purgatory, not a bad metaphor for Tinseltown. . . .

There was breathing-room-only at Human Waste Project’s record release party and performance at the Dragonfly in Hollywood Friday. . . . L.A.’s poetic godfathers of rap and wisdom, the Watt’s Prophets, have returned to the West Adams club, Fais-do-do, where the group had a successful residency in ’92. The trio performs tonight, Oct. 16, 23 and 30. Call (213) 954-8080.

On hand for Tenacious D’s Billboard Live showcase Monday were “Friend” David Schwimmer, industrial-strength idol Trent Reznor and members of Matchbox 20 and Redd Kross (whom we hear are breaking up after two decades--weep, weep), along with a zillion other fans of the comedic Tenacious duo. In a fab, “Spinal Tap-ian” moment, the performance ended with the club’s sound man encouraging everyone to offer a round of applause for “Notorious D.” Hello, Cleveland, indeed.