This past Thursday December 8th, I went to see the Friars’ Annual Fall Study Break Concert, and it was simply amazing!! It was held in Rackham Auditorium, and there was a great turn out. Outrage Dance Team was their opening act, who despite some minor technical difficulties, performed a modern upbeat dance number that got the crowd in a wide awake and vigilant mood. After the performance, one of the dancers introduced the Friars onto the stage with the classic line, “And now due to unfortunate circumstances, I introduce to you the Friars…”
I must say, I absolutely love how spontaneous and energetic the Friars are. Each one of them is a natural in the spotlight and effortlessly entertaining, though some more than others. It seemed as if their entire performance, other than their songs of course, was unrehearsed and a result of their quick wit and go with the flow attitude. They also have a fantastic ability to draw inspiration from their audience as inspiration and take feedback from the audience and turn it into a joke. I saw the first glimpse of their impeccable sense of humor when I opened up the concert program, and it was filled with baby pictures and expressions (the theme of the night was The Friars as Babies).
Some highlights: The Friars turned the song Mrs. Robinson into a clever anthem praising Denard Robinson and singing in perfect harmony and unity. One of their classic lines: “Here’s to you Denard Robinson, Wolverines fans turn their eyes to you, Go Go Blue.” One of my other favorites was when they sang God Bless the U of M, a beautiful and soft tribute to the university, while also taking several stabs at Ohio State and Notre Dame. (Some lyrics include, “And I’m proud to go to Michigan, where we hate the Ohio State, let them think they’re cool for now, til they realize our jobs pay” and then “And I’m proud to go to Michigan where we hate the white and green, and I won’t forget my ACT scores that gave that right to me” both of which had the crowd laughing hysterically.)
However, my most memorable moment of the night had to be when Midnight Blue, the university’s Women’s Glee Club, joined the Friars on stage and sang Some Nights by Fun. I love this song, for its upbeat and energetic nature, but it felt like the two choral ensembles brought the song to life. The sweet sound filled the auditorium and invigorated the crowd, leaving us feeling impassioned and inspired and alive.
