Performances, Part II
The Best I’ve Seen highlights the very best in a cappella, as seen in the admittedly biased and limited view of the author.
This time, we share the best performances I’ve seen in collegiate a cappella, Part II
A Near Perfect Set
Going into the 2008 ICCA Finals, there was a lot of hype surrounding The University of Southern California’s SoCal VoCals. Their 463 point performance in the quarterfinals was the highest score in the tournament that year, and a mere two points away from a perfect score. They emerged from an ultra competitive West region. They topped the reigning international champions, Noteworthy on their way to the finals (not to mention, the previous year’s champions, Vocal Point, and five other groups of the highest caliber). But could they live up to the buzz around them? In three words: oh, hell yes.
The group opened with “Feeling Good.” What can I say? Fantastic solo. Even better movement, with some really innovative stuff, highlighted with the entire group forming two lines, which the soloist ran through to wonderful dramatic effect. The movement was just so crisp, and the sound so clean, making for a simply wonderful start to the set.
Next was “All the Things You Are.” Ordinarily, I don’t care for choral music in collegiate competition. With that being said, the sound on this song was simply outstanding. Beautiful blend, great use of dynamics. It wasn’t what I wanted, but boy was I glad I got to hear it.
Things got very interesting when the SoCal VoCals ended their set on “Somebody to Love.” After all, less than ten minutes earlier, the Southern champions, Florida State University All-Night Yahtzee had performed the very same tune. And yet, as great as the first performance was, I have to say that this one was a little bit better. The movement was great. The energy was excellent. The soloist was insanely intense and sounded absolutely amazing.
I was reviewing this Finals show for the ACB, and, as is my wont, taking copious notes as the show moved along. As I was taking in the final minutes of “Somebody to Love," I actually put my pen away, because I didn’t want to miss a thing.
Unless I had friends I was there to root for, I had never given a group a standing ovation at an ICCA show. I simply couldn’t help myself on this one. Much like half of the other spectators at Avery Fisher Hall, I needed to get up and give this group the applause they deserved. To date, it remains the single greatest ICCA set I’ve seen.