Hips ‘n Harmony (pictured above) sang alongside other Geneseo a cappella groups at the Aca-tober event on Oct. 25 in Wadsworth Auditorium. Groups sang music that ranged from pop songs to slow, reflective melodies (OlgA Shvetsova/photo editor).
Wadsworth Auditorium was packed to capacity as everyone and their grandma gathered to listen to performances from Geneseo’s five different a cappella groups. The songs performed varied from upbeat pop jams to more serious, slower beats that displayed the groups’ unique personalities. The auditorium was filled with excited chatter while everyone eagerly awaited the first song.
The concert began with a high-energy performance from The Southside Boys, who performed their traditional opening song “Good Ol’ A cappella.” Recent alumnus Alexander Webber ‘19 showed up and joined the group. The Southside Boys then transitioned into Train’s “50 Ways to Say Goodbye.” This performance provided a great start to the show and the audience loved both songs.
Next, Between the Lines took the stage dressed in fall colors to sing a lively mashup of “Pompeii” by Bastille and “Payphone” by Maroon 5. The mashup showed off the vocal range of both soloists from the group. The combination ended with the choruses of both songs sung simultaneously.
The concert continued with Emmelodics who, dressed in red and black, began their performance with tributes to graduating seniors. After a cute story about broomball, senior vocalist Caitlen Epperson delivered a strong performance of Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me.” The performance ended with a group hug and the introduction of the next group, Exit 8.
The co-ed group named after Geneseo’s exit on Route 390 performed songs by Alicia Keys and Gnarles Barkley. Sophomore soloist Nicole Acquavella’s rendition of Keys’s “No One” sounded amazing, and sophomore soloist Sara Rapuzzi put a unique and interesting twist on Barkley’s “Crazy.” The last performance before the intermission was from Hips ‘n Harmony.
Taking the stage in all black outfits, Hips rocked the audience with an a cappella rendition of “Fallingwater” by Maggie Rogers and a beautiful version of “As” by Stevie Wonder. Junior soloist Isabella Higgins made sure to give credit to her chorus.
“I think one of the most important parts of a cappella is that group dynamic, and just knowing that [the chorus is] there holding it down in the back,” Higgins said. “And I think they sounded fantastic.”
After Higgins’s wonderful performance, there was a quick intermission before Between the Lines retook the stage.
The group came out strong with a fun performance of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Best Friend” by Rex Orange County. Junior soloist Nicholas Santora’s part in “Best Friend” was strong, and his commanding stage presence resulted in cheers from the audience.
From there, Exit 8 kept the energy up with a smooth performance of “G Train” by Thirdstory, with solos from Harris and sophomore vocalist Isaiah Kelly.
The night’s climax came with The Southside Boys’s explosive performance of Nero’s “Promises,” remixed by Nero and Skrillex. While not a traditional a cappella song, the group used the beatboxing talents of senior vocalist Jordan Hecht to match the original song’s dubstep beat. Hecht was perfectly complemented by the stellar voice of senior vocalist Owen Monteferrante.
Monteferrante hit the high notes brilliantly in the group’s song and this incredible performance earned the Southside Boys a standing ovation from the crowd. Spanish adolescent education major senior Isabelle Cirulli enjoyed the performance.
“The beatboxing solo was definitely a highlight,” Cirulli said.
The concert ended after four more spectacular performances from Hips ‘n Harmony and Emmelodics.
Audience members left the concert looking satisfied and happy, including undeclared major first-year Jack Kerr.
“I couldn’t be more impressed with the performance as a whole,” Kerr said.