’90s alt rockers Better Than Ezra will headline Yuengling’s free 190th anniversary concert in Pottsville on July 13
From a press release:
D.G. Yuengling & Son celebrated its first-ever America’s Oldest Brewery Day today at its historic Pottsville brewery. To commemorate the new holiday, which will be observed every April 18, the sixth generation Yuengling family members – Jen, Wendy, Debbie, and Sheryl Yuengling – officially sealed the 190th anniversary time capsule dedicated to future generations.
In addition, they announced alternative rock band Better Than Ezra, best known for their 1993 platinum album “Deluxe” and the 1995 single “Good,” as the headlining act for Yuengling’s free 190th anniversary summer concert on Saturday, July 13 in Pottsville.
Fans near and far joined the family both in-person and via Facebook Live to witness the celebration of the inaugural America’s Oldest Brewery Day. The July summer concert is just one of the many ways America’s oldest brewery is celebrating its 190th anniversary and showing appreciation for Yuengling fans and the local community. The brewery (420 Mahantongo St., Pottsville) will welcome fans to Schuylkill County on July 13 to enjoy free live music as well as food, beer, and fireworks from 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Better Than Ezra will perform at 8 p.m. in downtown Pottsville, with fireworks following immediately after at 9:30 p.m.
“We are so excited to help America’s oldest brewery celebrate 190 years of brewing good times,” Better Than Ezra bassist Tom Drummond said. “Yuengling’s love for family and their fans is something that aligns with our values as a band, and we can’t wait to play in Pottsville in honor of such an amazing milestone.”
As a part of the day’s celebrations, the Yuengling sisters also sealed the 190th anniversary time capsule. Erected by the sixth generation as a gift to future generations, the time capsule contains items unique to Yuengling’s 190-year story, including the 190th commemorative cans that display the rich history of the brewery through iconic eagle imagery and a signed baseball by Phillies’ all-star pitcher and new Yuengling brand ambassador Aaron Nola. The capsule also contains special 190th commemorative notes from visitors to the brewery and employees, solidifying their crucial role in Yuengling’s history.
The sealed time capsule will live in Yuengling’s newly modeled museum for visitors to view during the anniversary celebrations. In the future, America’s Oldest Brewery Day will be recognized every April 18, giving fans an official day to rally together to celebrate their favorite Yuengling products and the brand’s long history.
“As the sixth generation of the Yuengling family, and as a family business first and foremost, my sisters and I see our generations of loyal employees and fans, both past and present, as an extension of our family,” said Wendy Yuengling.
“We are proud to dedicate this time capsule to future generations and future fans on our first America’s Oldest Brewery Day. Going forward, we will use April 18 each year as a day to celebrate and remember our rich history of perseverance and to pay tribute to the hard work of generations of our family and loyal employees.”
Yuengling will continue their 190th anniversary celebrations all year long. Fans can still collect all five limited edition commemorative Traditional Lager cans, released earlier this year, and enter their favorite Yuengling moments via #YuenglingGoodTimes on social media for a chance to win prizes, including Uber gift cards, UberEats, and StubHub. Additionally, fans can stay tuned for more chances to sample small batches of limited Bourbon Barrel Reserve and even have the chance to win their very own at-home Yuengling vending machine by sharing a photo or video showing why they are Yuengling’s biggest super fan using #YuenglingSuperfan.
Last month, the Brewers Association released its annual list of the Top 50 producing craft brewing companies in the United States based on beer sales volume, and Yuengling was named No. 1 once again, beating out other well-known brands like the Boston Beer Company, producer of Samuel Adams.
For more information on the Yuengling 190th Anniversary Summer Concert Celebration, visit the Facebook event page.
To say the past 30+ years have been “Good” for New Orleans-based rock band Better Than Ezra would be an understatement. The band had been selling out venues across the country since forming at Louisiana State University in 1988, where the band started touring on the Southern college circuit.
After self-releasing their first album, “Deluxe,” in 1993, major record labels expressed an interest in the band. But it wasn’t until after two years of touring and creating an intense loyal fan base that dubbed themselves the “Ezralites” that Better Than Ezra signed with Elektra Records. Elektra re-released “Deluxe” and its single “Good,” which reached the No. 1 position on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, driving the album sales to platinum status.
When discussing the “overnight success” of “Deluxe,” lead singer/songwriter and founding member Kevin Griffin said, “The timing of things is always so interesting because it took us seven years to get signed and then seven weeks to get to No. 1 on the charts.”
The band quickly became a staple in the 1990s pop/rock scene, immediately releasing two new albums within three years of being signed. “Friction, Baby,” released in 1996, and “How Does Your Garden Grow?” in 1998 produced the hits “Desperately Wanting,” “King of New Orleans,” and “At the Stars.”
In 2001, Better Than Ezra released the critically acclaimed “Closer,” followed by “Before the Robots” in 2005. The latter featured the hit “Juicy,” licensed by several commercials and brands and also featured in the promotional advertisements for the popular ABC television series “Desperate Housewives.”
The band came to a crossroads in early 2009 when longtime drummer Travis McNabb made the difficult decision to leave Better Than Ezra and become a full-time member of the hit country supergroup Sugarland. “Travis is like family, and this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. We couldn’t be happier for him,” founding member Tom Drummond said of McNabb’s departure.
McNabb was replaced by drummer Michael Jerome as the band announced their seventh studio album, “Paper Empire,” which was released in 2009 and reached the Top 10 albums on iTunes with hits like “Absolutely Still” and “Just One Day.”
While the band has found success nationally, they never forgot their beloved home of New Orleans. Wanting to find a way to leave a lasting impression on the city that first embraced them, the band created the BTE Foundation. With the annual Ezra Open, the foundation is committed to funding renewal efforts to support the structural and cultural heritage of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. Throughout the years, the entertainment community has joined Better Than Ezra in their cause and has raised over $850,000 for various causes in and around New Orleans.
Looking for new and creative ways to connect with their fans, BTE debuted their inaugural Krewe of Rocckus Mardi Gras Extravaganza in 2011, which was hailed by visitors and locals alike as the “the best way” to experience Mardi Gras. Designed as a fan-based vacation event, the band gave patrons the ultimate insider experience to the nation’s biggest party.
Better Than Ezra released their eighth studio album, “All Together Now” – produced by Grammy-nominated producer/mixer Tony Hoffer (Fitz and the Tantrums, M83, Beck, Silversun Pickups) – through The End Records in 2014.
