On Saturday Sept. 20, five a cappella groups came together in Wadsworth Auditorium to deliver amazing performances for family weekend. To start off the night, Exit 8 took the stage to excited applause and shouts from the audience. The group proceeded to perform “Settle Down” for its first number. Senior Harrison Dole, who presented his beat boxing skills for the song, accompanied the group.
The audience clapped along to Exit 8’s second piece, which took a soulful turn with the classic “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder. As the clapping continued through the end, the Southside Boys prepared for their performance.
For their first song, the Southside Boys slowed things down with a rendition of “My Body is a Cage” by Arcade Fire. Dole returned to the stage once more with his accompanying beat boxing.
The group then radiated its boy band image with a cover of the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” Already giving a great performance, the Southside Boys amped up their singing game by switching lyrics around—changing “Backstreet’s back” to “Southside’s back.”
The newest addition to Geneseo a cappella, Emmelodics, then followed. The group began its set with a lively rendition of “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall. Emmelodics emitted energy that transcended the entire auditorium, revving up for the next song.
The all-girl group Hips n’ Harmony took the stage with “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” This slower piece displayed that the girls stay true to their name, showing off their harmonic strengths.
Taking a spin on an old classic, the group next performed “Somebody to Love” by Queen. After the audience was entertained with more traditional music, Between the Lines graced the stage and took a more modern path.
For its first number, the group performed “Dance in the Graveyards” by Delta Rae. Once again, Dole, a crowd favorite, lent his beat boxing talents. Although Between the Lines was the smallest group, the singers’ powerful vocals filled the entire auditorium, and they were received with cheers and strong applause.
The group took a different path for its second song, performing “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap. A mood changer, this piece was certainly subtler, but Between the Lines continued to captivate the audience.
The amazingly receptive crowd made it evident that Geneseo’s a cappella groups have tremendous talent.