I try to make it to at least a couple of concerts every year. This year, I got in four big ones: Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard in Chautauqua, NY, and Dennis DeYoung, Celtic Thunder
and Straight No Chaser in Erie, PA. Although I just saw Straight No
Chaser this week, I knew about that concert and had tickets for it long
before the others. I've been a fan of that Indiana University-based a
cappella group since I first heard its rendition of The 12 Days of Christmas two years ago, and my parents and I couldn't pass up the chance to see them live.
The
group, in the form that we saw it, includes half of the original
members from when it first formed in the late 1990s. The others were in
the group in later years and came in as replacements for early members.
The guys we saw include original members Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling,
Jerome Collins, David Roberts and Walter Chase and newer members Michael
Luginbill, Ryan Ahlwardt, Seggie Isho, Don Nottingham and Tyler Trepp.
We bought our tickets back in June and managed seats in the seventh row,
so we had a great view of the show, and the sound quality in the Warner
Theatre was excellent as always.
At the beginning of the
concert, there were the usual announcements, and I assumed that a dire
warning against photography would ensue. Instead, however, the
loudspeaker informed us that the Warner had waived its no-photography
policy at SNC's request. We were not only allowed, we were encouraged to
take pictures and even videos, and members of the group itself brought
it up a couple more times throughout the show. I'm very glad I brought
my camera. Wish I'd thought to change the batteries, but they managed to
last me just long enough.
What I love about their stance on
this is that Straight No Chaser became a phenomenon because their video
went viral, and they are staying true to their roots. They understand
and appreciate better than most how powerful word of mouth and social
media can be. They want us to spread their pictures all over Facebook
and pepper YouTube with video clips. Oh, and they totally cracked me up
halfway through the show by actually bringing up the house lights and
taking a few pictures of the audience. Which is actually a really neat
idea, but I've certainly never seen it done before. The next day, they
posted those photos, and I tagged myself and my parents, or at least the
general area where I knew we were. Very cool.
The concert
included a solid mix of Christmas music and regular pop. Most of the
songs they performed were on one of their three albums, but there were
several others I'd never heard them do before, so those were a treat. In
between songs, there was a fair bit of talking as the guys shared
anecdotes and background and introduced themselves to us. I still need
to work on figuring out exactly who's who and wish they'd sold programs,
which could have aided me in that endeavor, but every one of these guys
is a great singer.
I loved the humor they brought to all of
their interactions and so many of their performances. While a lot of the
talking was rehearsed, there was a definite feeling of spontaneity to
it. I got a chuckle out of the moment when all of the guys shouted out
what they had majored in during college, and one of them said, “Women!”
And then another one said, “He flunked out!” And when one of them asked,
“How many of you out there like 'Nsync?” Then, after an enthusiastic
response, he went on, “Yeah, we're not gonna do one of their songs, I
just wanted to see how many of you I could get to admit that in public.”
Hee! Seriously, though, I was never too into those guys, but they did
have some great harmony.
The Christmas songs of the night were all drawn from their albums. The hyper, hilarious Christmas Can-Can closed the first act, while they saved The 12 Days of Christmas
for the encore. That came as no surprise whatsoever to me, since for
much of the audience, that was probably the only performance of theirs
they'd ever heard before. It is Straight No Chaser's American Pie.
If they're still together in some form a decade from now or even two,
they'll still be saving that song for last, I'd wager. What did take me
by surprise was the second encore, during which they performed their
doo-woppy rendition of O Holy Night without any microphones. It was a wonderfully reverent moment. So was the mash-up of Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Angels We Have Heard on High, which included some truly celestial-looking blue lighting.
The lighting also made an impression during You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,
when it was green and ominous as the basses of the group detailed the
Grinch's many despicable qualities. More on the madcap end of things was
the super-fast Jingle Bells and Donde Esta Santa Claus, which featured some very eyebrow-raising attempts at Latin-style dancing. Hey, Santa!
was a lot of fun too, especially when some of the members jumped in to
form a vocal brass section. They really are adept at imitating trumpets!
While I confess myself a bit disappointed not to hear the gorgeous SNC
originals Christmas Wish or Indiana Christmas, I loved all of their selections.
The range of music featured in the rest of the show was pretty diverse. From With a Twist, we got the exuberant cover of Three Dog Night's Joy to the World and the infectious mash-up of I'm Yours and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, as well as the melancholy Under the Bridge. LOST super-fan that I am, I would have loved to hear Wonderwall too, and The Living Years
is probably my favorite track on that album. But most of their songs
veered more toward the upbeat, allowing them to easily insert some
visual humor. We got a taste of Marvin Gaye, the BeeGees and Lady Gaga,
and Collins had everybody in stitches with his Michael Jackson moves
during the mash-up of Billy Jean and Poison.
I was surprised that Don't Stop Believin' didn't get a bigger reaction, especially with its resurgence as the unofficial theme song for GLEE,
though I did hear a rather delayed super-whoop from the upper reaches
of the theater about 15 seconds into the song. I was rather taken aback
at how pretty I found Madonna's Like a Prayer. Carole King's Hi De Ho
was one I don't recall having heard before, but it was quite fun.
Probably the number that got the biggest laugh out of this '80s child
was the Saturday Morning Cartoon medley. Granted, The Simpsons and Family Guy
were a little out of place there, but it was mostly theme songs to
shows I grew up watching during that magical time of the week designed
just for kids reprieved from school. I also loved the introductory
remarks that included references to such '80s kid staples as the E-Z
Bake Oven and Lite Brite (and having to physically get up and change the
channel on the TV since none of us had remotes). A great nostalgia trip
for me.
Going into the concert, I would have said that Jerome
Collins was my favorite member of the group, as I love his soulful voice
and, frankly, as the only African-American member, he's also the most
distinct. After the concert, I'm doubly sure that he's my favorite,
since barely a song went by in which he didn't steal the show at some
point. That guy has loads of personality, and he's a flat-out amazing
singer. I read that when the group reunited, he was playing Simba in a
Hong Kong production of The Lion King, and I can just imagine how
awesome a job he did. But every member of the group is extremely
talented, and it's the way they all work together that makes Straight No
Chaser so magical. You never miss the instruments, and you often could
swear that they're there. They are vocalists and band all in one. I do
have to credit whoever was running the lights, though, because that
aspect of the show was phenomenally done and really did add to the whole
experience considerably.
Well before the end of the concert,
they made a point of inviting us to join them in the lobby about 15
minutes after the show: “We want to meet all 2,222 of you!” I was a
little surprised that so few in the sold-out audience took them up on
this offer. We made our way to the lobby and watched as all but a few
dozen folks filed out. There was a line set up, but it was too crowded
at first for me to figure out where we were supposed to stand. By the
time I did, even though we were among the first out of the theater, we
wound up practically at the end of the line. But the last shall be
first, and I'm very glad that we were bringing up the rear.
We
snatched up one of the small promotional posters and chatted a bit with
the guys behind the long table, and each of them signed the poster for
me, and just out of curiosity, we stuck around for a few minutes while
the others in line behind us had their turn. At that point, there were
barely more than a dozen people left, and the ten members of the group
arranged themselves on the Warner's elegant staircase so anyone who
wanted a picture with them could get one. Obviously, I wasn't about to
pass that up! My dad snapped two photos, both of which turned out great,
particularly the first, which was absolutely perfect aside from the two
guys in the back losing a couple inches off their heads. It's hard to
get all those people in one shot. But there are 11 expansive smiles, and
I stick out in my bright blue coat against the backdrop of all those
snazzy black suits. They all seem like really nice, down-to-earth guys,
and I thought it was classy of them to insist on staying to take
pictures despite rumbling stomachs and concerns that, as the clock
ticked toward 11:00, they might not be able to find a nearby place still
serving food. I hope they did; they certainly earned their dinner that
night.
If you have the opportunity to see Straight No Chaser in
concert, definitely consider snatching up tickets. This was one of the
most vivacious and vocally impressive concerts I've ever attended.
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