A cappella group performing on stage
The A Cappella Blog

Family Weekend Shows

200 Reasons To Love A Cappella

Reason #66: Family Weekend Shows

When collegiate a cappella groups pick songs, they generally don’t have anyone to answer to but themselves—the group’s own preferences, styles and aesthetics. Many groups take it upon themselves to consider their audiences, which usually means thinking about what will appeal to other college students. Those that compete may pay less attention to what’s popular as to what’s musically interesting.

But then there’s Family Weekend, when a group’s agenda may switch altogether. No, most groups won’t learn a full set of songs just to please mom and dad, but it’s not uncommon to pick up two to three simple new ones, or to dust some material off from the groups archives for this purpose, and otherwise pick the group’s more tame, accessible material.

Family Weekend is all about those old school Beatles, Billy Joel, and James Taylor covers that, done conventionally, might make the audience groan at a normal show, but that will draw more than a few “aww”s and smiles from the ‘rents, and by extension, serve as a nice reminder of your own musical roots, and the beauty and fun that comes with keeping music simple.

I love it!

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