One local band is doing their part to help residents of New Orleans get back on their feet in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
For The Terms, the devastation caused by the storm hit too close to home.
Most of the band members have family and friends who were affected.
Before the hurricane hit, the band was writing a song called “Heart Storm Rescue.” After they saw the devastation of Katrina, the band said the feeling of the song felt different.
“During the whole thing, you just couldn’t keep your eyes off the news. Blackhawk [helicopters] were circling [Baton Rouge]. It was all so surreal,” said drummer Scott Lasseigne. “After the hurricane, the song took on a whole new meaning.” Blake Oliver, percussionist, said he is trying to be optimistic, in spite of how he and his family have been affected. Oliver’s brother, who recently moved to uptown New Orleans from Texas, evacuated to Baton Rouge for about two weeks.
“I’m just glad he’s OK,” Oliver said of his brother. “I’m looking at the positive side, rather than the bad.”
Oliver said his brother does not know the extent of damage to his belongings. Oliver said he and his brother plan to go back to New Orleans together to survey the
 
damage and decide what to do next.
“He just moved in and was getting settled down,” Oliver said. “I mean it’s not a good situation to be in, but you just have to stay positive about it.” 
Part of staying positive for The Terms includes giving something back. The band and their record label, Maple Jam Records, will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales of their CD, Small Town Computer Crash, at all the shows on their upcoming fall tour to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s Hurricane Katrina Displaced Residents Fund.
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation is a non-profit organization that facilitates donations to people in need.
In a news release on their Web site, the foundation stated that in response to the need created by Hurricane Katrina, it has joined forces with the Greater New Orleans Foundation to create FoundationsforRecovery.org.
Two funds were created in response to the natural disaster, the Hurricane Katrina Displaced Residents Fund and the Hurricane Katrina New Orleans Recovery Fund.
The Displaced Residents Fund will support local programs designed to meet the needs of the arrival of New Orleans residents to Baton Rouge.
David Bruno, owner and operator of Mellow Mushroom, said the band will play Saturday night in a tent just outside the restaurant, so that more people can see the concert.
“They’ve played the Mellow Mushroom for years, back when they were The Sidewalks,” Bruno said. “I know they’ve been doing well as The Terms and I was interested in giving them the opportunity.”
The band members said they are excited to go back to Mellow Mushroom.
“We started out there [playing] at open mic night about three years ago,” said lead vocalist and guitarist Ben Labat.
More importantly, though, the band is ready to help those in need.
“We were all affected by this, one way or another,” said Oliver. “We’re ready to do our part to give to those who need it.”
The Terms will also play on the Parade Ground on Sept. 29 for KLSU.
Contact Meghan Legaux at [email protected]