"That doesn't sound promising, I think I'll pass. Who is the band?"
"Better Than Ezra."
"Oh really?..Oh why not. I guess"
Yeah, that really happened. Better Than Ezra played at a monthly moving Summerfest in a suburb shopping shopping district in Albuquerque. Is there anything more un-rock n' roll than the lot behind the Walmart, in front of Perfect Teeth dentists, and next to AT&T Wireless? I am sure there is something more uncool, but I would really have to think about it. None of that really matters, though, because Better Than Ezra owned it and certainly made it a lot more out of it than expected.
Let us analyze what I just said: "Better Than Ezra owned it," a band while I was in high school who were really only for teeny-bopper girls. There were really no boy bands in that era of music – BTE was about as close as we got – and they were borderline adult contemporary. If any boy liked them, they had to keep it pretty quiet. They are a group that had a few minor rock hits scattered throughout the mid- to late-nineties. They had at least four that even people who weren't paying attention will probably remember. And yes, I learned how to play the song "Good" on the guitar if for no other reason than to garner attention from the cute girls. So I guess you could say I owe them one.
The concert setting was as bad as I described. It had a beer garden about 100ft from the stage off to the left, where a great chunk of their original fan base resided. There were a few food trucks where you could buy some fair food, a few booths from local vendors, and a modest bounce house. Aside from the potential for some professional rock n' roll, it was possibly the lamest festival you have ever seen.
The opening group was an ensemble of pop/bluegrass style female quartet. They were certainly talented but probably not a good lead in for the band. As we endured the rain in Albuquerque, waiting to see what BTE looks like now, it was very difficult to imagine they would have a crowd at 9pm, even for a free show. The place was filled with 5 years olds, which I imagine most BTE fans have about now. Things looked bleak for the former MTV golden boys. Then the show started and the skies cleared for some fine rock n' roll.
At first, they are exactly who we remember – no more, no less. With the exception of about 10 pounds and 2 crow's feet, they look exactly the same as when they first broke out. In the most understated era for rock since the 50's, Better Than Ezra was probably the most understated of them all. They were the antithesis of Van Halen, Guns n' Roses – hell, they didn't even really have the grunge thing going that Nirvana did. They were clean cut and tattoo free. BTE was certainly not a band whose lifestyle you really envied behind closed doors. They looked more like the guys you stayed up with cramming for that Western Civilization final exam in college than a bunch of rock stars. There were no wanking guitar solos, controversial lyrics, or complicated music structure to speak of. Maybe that was their secret – they were very safe, very accessible, and very separated from the image of the day. Or maybe having no image or excess was their image. We can relate to them.
As much as my adolescent self wanted to deny them any credibility as a rock band, there was something disarming and hard not to like about singer Kevin Griffin's unique voice. Much like some of their contemporary light alternative rockers, Gin Blossoms, Soul Asylum, and Counting Crows, it was a voice that you listened to that made you feel better on a bad day, a voice that almost seems to take a photo of warm sentimental moments of being young. Music that just sounded good in the morning after a great party with your best friends.
This was the realization that occurred to me only while finally watching them live. Much like their music and image suggests, they are not a wild stage show, they are not a particularly funny group of guys like Blink 182, and they are certainly not the dangerous type. Still, they are fun and you would be hard pressed not to smile even if you don't catch yourself hand-banging. They made plenty of 90's-esque self-deprecating jokes, particularly about playing across from a Best Buy and Chi-fil-a. They like to toss their picks in the crowd and walk to the edge of the stage and smile. Better Than Ezra for me proved that if you honestly have a great time earning your check the fun way, it can be infectious to those around you, in their case the crowd. We were truly entertained.
The crowd did fill right up as the show began. It wasn't a hostile or crazy-girl crowd, but one that preferred standing. I would guess around 400 people showed up to enjoy the show with sincere enthusiasm. The stage, although collapsable, was large with professional lighting and sound.Other than its odd placement, there was nothing to suggest the band has fallen from relevancy. Clearly they maintained marquee value, even if it was a community event. And for what it was, it was spectacular. My hat's off to who ever booked Better Than Ezra – it looked to have been a huge success and a memorable concert. Safe enough for the family, fun enough for the teenagers.
I can't tell you after watching them that I would drive two hours to see them again or even buy their newest record. I was never able to listen to their records front to back in first place. Sincerely do I doubt I will ever be faced with voting for BTE on the ballot for the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. Despite all that, I will say, I cannot listen to a 90's compilation and feel it to be complete without some peppering of Better Than Ezra. After seeing them live, I still don't envy their lives back stage, because it is probably exactly like mine, but I certainly envy their lives while on stage. "Keep spreading the good cheer Better Than Ezra, and rock on."
No comments:
Post a Comment