When did a cappella take the U.S. by storm? This is a question I would love to know the answer to. Whether it was with the beginning of the renowned television show Glee, or the widely popular movie Pitch Perfect, a cappella has become a staple in the American music world over the last 5 years. Its popularity snuck up on the country and caused more intense fan followings than many music groups had ever seen before. Don’t get me wrong though. I happily, without embarrassment, find myself in this category, having watched Glee as well as Pitch Perfect and fallen in love with this refreshing and genuine style of music. There seems to be something so unique about a live performance of a cappella. Personally, I like to think it’s the magical, indescribable power a group of people share when they put together their talents to create not just a concert, but an experience for their audience.
I also always find myself amazed by the amount of skill it takes for an a cappella group to perform. They are left, vulnerable, on a stage with nowhere to turn but each other. They are forced to perform without studio alterations, without the forgiving edits of a camera, or the gift of a monophonic piece. They must stand, proud of what they are and how much work they have put into their craft, and perform a moving compilation of songs that not only entertains the audience, but in the case of the ICCA semifinals, also wins over the judges. But as I had expected, I was not let down.
Every group that got up on stage Saturday night killed it. Despite my personal favorites, I enjoyed all 3 hours of a cappella performances from schools across the Great Lakes region and hope to attend many more a cappella concerts in the future. Of course, I must say I was biased in cheering on The G-Men, the University of Michigan’s a cappella group that competed at the semifinals, and was ecstatic when they won. Their set, the finale of the first half of the concert, was an outstanding mixture of energy, choreography, soccer jerseys, beet boxing, breathtaking belting, and heavy harmonies. The few men who had the chance to solo stole the hearts of the audience. But in terms of soloists, The G-Men had some tough competition to reckon with. The first singer to take the stage commanded the crowd with an amazing sense of confidence. A singer from Oakland University’s group Gold Vibrations, she started the night out on an impressive solo full of controlled runs, belts, and all around aca-mazingness. Another female soloist from University of Toronto’s Tunes. Beats. Awesome. sang a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. And of course there were many outstanding male solos, including Gold Vibrations’ performance of John Legend’s “Ordinary People”. Also, Ten40 Acappella from Bowling Green State University had a fascinating rendition of “Scarborough Fair” by Simon and Garfunkel that brought quick goose-bumps. I definitely left the concert that night thinking I will be back for more a cappella, and soon.
One last note I would like to add is on the fantastic ending entertainment by Chris DuPont, a local singer-songwriter and graduate from University of Michigan. Even after 3 hours of a cappella, I was brought to the front of my seat at his emotionally driven songs and skillful guitar playing. Not only was it a pleasant ending to an exciting evening of competition, but I believe I have found a new artist to follow.
A picture of The G-Men on stage after their big win at the ICCA semifinals.
