Local favorite releases first live album
Better Than Ezra fan club lines up for release party
By Erin Hardy
Published: Friday, October 1, 2004

Fans of pop rock will be thrilled to know that New Orleans band Better Than Ezra has released a live DVD from Sanctuary Records of its performance at the House of Blues in August 2003. The 129-minute video accompanies the band's release of a live CD.

Better Than Ezra is still thriving on a career that has lasted 16 years. And it seems that fans are just as enthusiastic as they were at the start. The performance on the DVD was a sold-out show, with people screaming from the balcony and long-time fans energetically cheering on a band known for their lively songs that have college girls and guys singing along with the lyrics.

The DVD and CD's set list includes hits such as "Good" and "Rosealia," from the band's first album, "Deluxe," and "Extra Ordinary" from the most recent album "Closer."

The DVD also contains two unreleased tracks and exclusive bonus material with a documentary "Close, But Not Touching" from the Closer tour, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of the band, crew and fans before and after the show shot by the fans themselves. The DVD and CD will be sold at most popular record stores. Or, if you order copies from the Better Than Ezra Web site - $14 for the CD, $20 for the DVD or $32.50 for both - the first 200 copies sold will be autographed by the band.

Better Than Ezra is comprised of lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Kevin Griffin, Tom Drummond on bass and vocals, and Travis Aaron McNabb on drums and vocals. Loyola saxophone Professor Anthony Degradi steps in on horns on some of the new album's songs. Griffin and Drummond, original members of the band, began their music career in 1988 as students at LSU. McNabb later joined the band in San Francisco. Starting out at local college bars and fraternity parties, Better Than Ezra quickly gained popularity and set out to cut its first record in 1993, "Deluxe," which went platinum. "Friction Baby," in 1998, achieved gold status. "One More Murder," a track from "How Does Your Garden Grow" (1998), made it onto "X-Files: The Soundtrack: Fight the Future." The band's most recent albums are "Artifact" and "Closer." Griffin, Drummond and McNabb all reside in Uptown New Orleans and are glad to be home, where their fan base is ever-faithful.

At the DVD release party at the House of Blues Foundation Room Monday night, people lined the sidewalks and carried proof of their official fan club status, which was required for admittance. Despite crowds of friends and fans ambushing the band for a quick acknowledgement or autographs, the members were available for a few questions.

"It was a comedy of errors," Griffin said of the DVD's production, since editing took place in Chicago and Boston and had to be Fed-Exed between the two cities nearly every day. But the band said they learned a lot, and that they're happy with the finished product.

"Performing live, you only have that moment. And the fact that it's documented is awesome," McNabb said. "When we're 80, we're going to want our grandkids to know what we're doing."

Drummond emphasized that this is their first live CD, and that fans have been encouraging the band for years to make a DVD.

This week Better Than Ezra will embark on a two-month tour of the Midwest and Northeast. Around Christmas, Warner Brothers plans to release a greatest hits album, which will include one new track and a few surprises. The band will record a new album in the spring, which will be released soon after.