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Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Day 388- Straight No Chaser – A cappella, Their Song and Instrumental Sound is Magic (Pittsburgh 2022)

 


 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.


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

https://sncmusic.com/music