PERFORMERS
BETTER THAN EZRA
The best songs, records, and bands transport you back to the first moment you heard them each and every time they play.
Whether you caught a house party gig after Better Than Ezra formed in 1988 at Louisiana State University, heard “Good” on the radio once it hit #1 during 1995, became a fan following Taylor Swift’s famous cover of “Breathless” in 2010, or saw them headlining sheds in 2018, you most likely never forgot that initial introduction to the New Orleans quartet founded by Kevin Griffin [lead vocals, guitar, piano] and Tom Drummond [bass, backing vocals].
Those hummable melodies, unshakable guitar riffs, and confessional lyrics quietly cemented the group as an enduring force in rock music.
They occupy rarified air with spots on Billboard’s “100 Greatest Alternative Songs of All Time” and “100 Greatest Alternative Artists of All Time” as of 2018. Additionally, 2018 also marked 25 years since the arrival of the breakthrough album Deluxe. Maintaining a steady pace forward, the new single “GRATEFUL” garnered acclaim from Billboard who praised its “highly commercial, anthemic sheen that certainly pairs nicely with the approach of Deluxe.”
Along the way, they launched the Better Than Ezra Foundation (www.BTEFoundation.org) in order to support their hometown. Chaired by Drummond, its charity endeavors span coastal restoration projects, after school programs for underprivileged kids, and more. Since 2008, it has raised over $1.7 million for causes throughout greater New Orleans.
CAPITAL CITIES
The band’s start happened in 2008 when Sebu and Ryan were fledgling musicians looking for a break in the industry. They found an opportunity to write a jingle for a cola ad, but the ad agency opted to go in a different direction. The duo decided to turn the demo into an original record and called it “Safe And Sound”. Part of the Capitol Records enterprise, they formed a band called Capital Cities and released the single in 2011. It became a global pop smash and earned a Grammy nomination for its' music video for "Safe and Sound." Sure enough, the cola brand that once rejected the song came back around to license it for a different ad campaign starring Zendaya.
The band's song "Safe and Sound" charted at #1 on the US Alternative Songs chart. The band was featured on the Pop Up #1 compilation selected by Perez Hilton that was released on August 7, 2012, and their song "Center Stage" was featured on ESPN's First Take.
Impressively, Capital Cities joined Katy Perry on the North American leg of her Prismatic World Tour, in the summer of 2017 with their fourth EP, Swimming Pool Summer, which featured rapper Rick Ross on "Girl Friday."
PATRIOTIC FAVORITES
PERFORMED BY LAURENS' OWN BRASS BAND,
DAVIDSON BRASS
TESTIMONIALS
“I can’t remember a night where I had this much fun. STS knows exactly how to supply a stellar performance for a party. I have family that is still talking about how great the band was almost a month after the event. This group is full of professionals who have mastered the craft of getting everyone to dance."
KELLY
CHARLESTON, SC
Al Ernst
"COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR"
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES