Straight No Chaser celebrates 25 years of wowing audiences by using only their voices to produce a rainbow of sounds and song. These nine men are the vocals, orchestra and/or band all rolled up into one. This a cappella group started in 1996 at Indiana University with the purpose, according to one member, “to get girls.” Since then, they have produced 5 albums, the latest "Straight No Chaser: Social Christmasing." They have taken a cappella to another level as master entertainers in using the voice as an instrument. It’s like magic.
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| Pittsburgh Show Benedum Center- Dec 20, 2022 |
Refection
There is something about the way they harmonize, blend
sounds and keep a beat, with Freedom Young, the vocal percussionist, that makes
you hear a band accompaniment in the absence of one. Just
like when watching a magic show, a voice inside your head repeats, “how
are they doing that with no musical instruments.”
Opening with 60’s graphics and The Jackson Five’s “Blame
it on the Boogie,” these guys sure have charisma as they smile and saunter
across the stage. Sometimes they are dancing and other times they have synchronized
arm and feet movements like the Temptations but with an extra kick.
The show has a little of everything by capturing the reggae beat with “One Love” and latter injecting the iconic, “Over the
Rainbow.” They take us back to the 50’s with “L.0.V.E.”and entertain with a Civil
Rights and Motion tribute. The audience clapped along
during “Rolling on the River.”
The first half ends
with a mash up of two powerful songs, "Uptown Funk" and "Thriller." The action and sounds mixed together mesmerized.
The second half added a little Christmas. They gave one of my favorites, “Mary
Did You Know” an interesting blues vibe.
Each member's personality shines throughout the show and the packed audience seemed to be bouncing in their seats or standing when the group got “funky” in the finale. Straight No Chaser must have some type of mystical power to be able to make so much music without one instrument. Still, listening to their harmonies and full instrumental sound sure was magical.
(For more information on the group and/or tour schedule go to sncmusic.com.)
Other Sources
htps://trustarts.org/production/82056/straight-no-chaser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaLUPrLhT1o
https://sncmusic.com/photosvideos