Rock it A Cappella

Today's post was written by Justin McCarthy, Wolf Trap's copywriting intern. We will sorely miss his blogging talents!

Somewhere along the line in the last decade, American pop culture became a cappella-saturated to the point of lunacy. Until relatively recently, even at the turn of this new millennium, a cappella fit somewhere in the realm of stage magic and coin collecting in our collective consciousness of “cool”; if not the absolute nerdiest thing you can do with your time, than pretty close. Flash forward to the post-post-post ironic 2010’s, the era of “adorkable” and Michael Cera, where singing groups are not only relevant but in high demand. 

What happened? Glee happened. The Sing Off  happened. The Georgetown Chimes happened. Okay, so maybe not the last one so much. The Chimes, you see, is my all-male singing group. For the last few years, we’ve been reaping the benefits of this Golden Age of Harmony; it’s been great for our concert attendance, CD sales, and heck, some of us even have girlfriends now. We’re happy that the a cappella train is going full steam on the pop culture tracks, but sometimes we’re worried that the brakes have been cut. We’re a traditional group: we value musical quality above all else, and we don’t go in for the flashy bells, whistles, and gimmicks. The a cappella that’s represented in the mainstream these days prioritizes style over substance.  Would we rather listen to a pitch-perfect, well-blended, super-duper old-timey barbershop quartet than a cadre of scantily-clad autotuned youngsters shaking their hips and belting Top 40 hits?  You bet your bottom dollar, we would, my boy. But we’re not sure how many people (if anyone) feel the same way.

And that’s what’s so great about Straight No Chaser: they pair consummate musicianship with modern pop sensibilities, bringing the genre into the future without sacrificing the fundamentals of harmony and vocal blend. At a Straight No Chaser concert, you might here contemporary hits like Coldplay’s “Fix You” and The Plain White T’s’ “Rhythm of Love.” However, what you’ll be hearing is merely the organic sound of 10 beautifully balanced voices interpreting those songs; no digital processing, no voice correction, no overbearing background instrumental tracks. Are they fun to watch onstage? Absolutely – they just don’t need pyrotechnics or backup dancers to distract you from the music.  They can handle the show on their own. An SNC show will be just as compelling, impressive and inspiring to a dorky college a cappella group like mine as it will be to the coolest girl in her middle school. What’s great about SNC is that they’re the ultimate in inclusive pop: they make it about the music, which appeals to everyone. 

Guys, if you’re out there, you have the endorsement of the Georgetown Chimes: we support you as our candidate for the official a cappella group of the future. While in the area for your Wolf Trap gig this Sunday at 8pm, please come over and sing with us. But we’re not introducing you to our new girlfriends.