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16 HAVE YOU SEEN THE MAP OF EZRA? MISSED THE DEBUT EDITION OF THE SERENADE? CLICK HERE MISSED THE MAY EDITION? |
WELL THERE'S A FEELING IN THE AIR, JUST LIKE
A FRIDAY AFTERNOON… Numbers, Houston, Texas So maybe it wasn’t a Friday, but there definitely was a feeling in the air. A feeling that would seem fleeting to most other people. Better Than Ezra was returning to town after a nine-month hiatus. The excitement brewing may not have been intense as was in the years before, but I could sense a change. I knew that this show would not be the same as the previous ones, but knowing that I would be hearing new music live for the first time made me feel like a true Ezralite. I found myself in Old Navy earlier that day, after telling myself for weeks that I wouldn’t need a new shirt for every show. Us girls know how that goes. Silly as it sounds, I was going to be that "caramel-colored girl in a halter-top." After a few hours of fiddling around, I headed over to Number’s part of the town. My boyfriend Ethan and my former college roommate Stephanie met me at Taco Milagro for dinner and margaritas. The taco and tequila bar was packed with people getting off of work and was filled over the capacity even at the outside patio. There was the usual woman dancing by herself to music in the background, and all I could think about was if we were the only ones who were heading to enjoy the Ezra experience. We didn’t get a chance to meet up with some Ezralites at the bar, but ended up enjoying the best mango margaritas ever.
Come alive, come alive, watch the city go by, turn me up, turn me up… In a little while, you will lose your head… Graham Colton opened the show. His music was exactly the style I was in the mood for; I was ready to be rocked, but needed to save the energy for later. "Save Me" had the lyrics most memorable to me and the opening riffs denote the feeling of reaching out while so low. In the middle of their set, I began to feel the intense pressure of the heat building inside the venue. I remember it being pretty stuffy in there before, but the heat was unbearable that night. I had to sit down towards the end of the set because I was close to losing my head. I felt better in a little bit, but it may have been the excitement for some Ezra that lifted me back on my feet. Someone’s out there listening to the same song, feeling the same way
I do… Kevin walked onto stage and the first thing he mentioned was how hot it was in there. "Recognize" opened up the set, and right then, I knew for sure that this concert would be like no other. In the middle, they settled into some Depeche Mode. The new song "Good" followed "Misunderstood." |
I’ve always enjoyed Jim’s keys, so the summer refresher song, "Rolling," followed by my favorite live song, "Live Again" were points I was happy stayed in the set. Following was the first new song to debut live in Houston, "Daylight." It’s theme carried over from "Live Again," as its lyrics and mood denote the feeling of trying to be found after losing something that’s grown into you. It no doubt will be the ballad of the new album. Some of the little things to which we were accustomed were missing, but that isn’t always a bad thing. "Extra Ordinary’s" internal covers of Madonna and Outkast had escaped the ear, while its combustion still put me into a dance-mood. After the song, Kevin went into further discussion of the lack of air conditioning circulation, as he pointed out the lack of usage of a neon-glowing coat rack and hangers at the back of the venue. As usual Kevin’s jokes and comments made it easy to forget about everything else, such as the heat, and gave room for a healthy laugh.
"Simple Song," another new song, came next and gave us time to chill and cheer to be merry. Could it be the next sing-a-long, camp-fire song? For tonight, it took the place of "This Time of Year." Stephanie was excited to hear "King of New Orleans," as it was the song that first placed BTE in her memory. The band broke it-on-down mid-song, which may be my second most favorite part of a show, right behind Kevin’s hand-to-heart at the beginning of "Live Again." "Rosealia" continued the set, as a new song, "In a Little While," followed. This is one of those songs in which we wonder may have been a spin-off of someone’s story. A very catchy, yet satisfying story. Could it be that we’ve all been in a situation that changes so much in a short amount of time? It may be. "At the Stars" and "A Lifetime" spark even more melodic stories. BTE’s ability to rock hard while singing lyrics of emotional loss and escape makes us face feelings that sometimes we are too eager to hide. "Sincerely, Me" lightened the mood and always keeps me guessing for whom it was written. "Desperately Wanting" shook up the crowd once again, and as it finished, our energies were ready for more. "Special," the last of the new songs heard that night, previewed a new sound that I could surely grow accustomed to. It left us to be patient enough, yet anxious for which new sounds will appear on the new album. Afterwards, the band took a request for "One More Murder." As Kevin mentioned, if he had continued to sing the song, it would have been apparent that it’s been awhile since it’s last occurrence. Our corner of the audience cheered for "Porcelain," and my hopes that it would be the Voodoo version came true. The song ended the show, as its mood came home with me.
You’re a song I can’t get off my mind… Thanks so much for an excellent first review, Hong. We hope there will be many more to come... |
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