Fermata Nowhere
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #13: Mt. San Antonio College Fermata Nowhere, Spring 2009
I’m relegating this reason to just one particular semester’s incarnation of the group because, at this time, that’s the only edition I’ve seen. But boy, oh boy did these guys leave an impression.
Fermata Nowhere did not look like other groups. The all-male group came clad in orange jumpsuits, and carried with them an aura of energy and confidence. Perhaps more than any other group I have ever seen, they took the stage looking like they were prepared to have fun—never mind the fact that that they took that stage to compete for an international championship.
What followed from there was a truly unique set. From a heartbreaking solo on Secondhand Serenade’s “Fall For You,” to an opener that saw guys doing back flips across the stage, to closing on a “Heartless” medley that included a fully choreographed salute to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” this set was non-stop action, fine-tuned musicality , and flat-out 12 of the most entertaining minutes of a cappella you’ll ever see anywhere.
Fermata Nowhere’s fantastic performance, paired with just how easy they made it all look was a recipe for some of the very best of the collegiate a cappella spirit—forgetting about stage fright, rivalries and perfectionism and saying ‘we’re going to go out there and put on a show.’
I love it!