Singing Groups Rock

A sold-out Student Union theatre was the venue for the A Cappella Showcase Concert Friday night where $1 introduced students to what the UConn A Cappella Association has to offer.

The line cut through the Student Union more than a half-hour before the show began and eager students were turned away because the theatre was full before the first note was sung.

"I would say there were 500 people here," said theatre manager Yadiris Romero. "We definitely sold out."

Each group, seven in total, performed their favorite songs, unaccompanied by music and told the audience why their group was unique in hopes of sparking interest in new and returning students.

"It's a welcome back concert, but it's also our main vehicle for recruiting new members for the fall," said Amanda Friedman, 7th-semester secondary education and English major and member of A Minor. "There was no room for us [vocalists], so that's good. I just hope a lot of people come and try out."

The show opened with UConn's oldest all-female a cappella group, the Chordials, celebrating their tenth anniversary. They wowed the audience with their renditions of Michelle Branch's "Are You Happy Now," "We Danced Anyway" and KT Tunstall's "Suddenly I See." After describing their typical performance, practice schedules and "Work hard, play harder" motto, they welcomed Rubyfruit.

Rubyfruit, the other all-female group, had only seven members but a strong sound. Their repertoire consisted of "Fidelity" by Regina Spector, Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek," an obvious crowd favorite, and "Love Will Keep Us Together."

Next, the stage was handed over to the co-ed groups. Extreme Measures started their set with a literal bang, and very loud applause when they opened with the choreographed "Rosie." The group prides themselves on performing a wide range of music, they said, and the crowd enjoyed the song choices as the clapped along to John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane" and cheered for Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats."

Shir Modulation, the newest addition to UCACA, added a disclaimer to their music, explaining they like to steer away from pop music and prefer to perform nostalgic songs, oldies and music from Disney and television, they said. "Seize the Day" from Newsies was their first song choice, followed by "Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride" from Lilo and Stitch and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," with a plea for new singers sandwiched in the middle of choruses.

The last co-ed group to perform was A Minor, a group that originates from the Asian American Cultural Center. "The Space Between" by the Dave Matthews Band, The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" and "Everybody Look What's Going Down" kept the audience moving.

The show closed with the two all-male a cappella groups, A Completely Different Note, (CDN), and the Conn-Men.

CDN was welcomed with the screams of eager fans who waited the whole summer to see them again. "Do You Believe in Love" showed the group's incredible range and their nontraditional choreography left the crowd laughing through the whole set. They poked fun of themselves with the song "Manly Men," an ode to all-male groups everywhere and ended with "Love Train."

The last group to perform was the Conn-Men, founded in 2001. They began with Boyz II Men's "Thank You," followed by "Future Love Paradise." The crowd expressed their discontent that the show was coming to an end, but an obvious crowd favorite, Eve 6's "Inside Out," was an appropriate close.

"It's great to hear the variety of music and it was an awesome way to start the semester," said Domingo Bugg, a 5th-semester chemical engineering major.