Author: Yennaedo Balloo
In performance and showbiz, to remain static is to die. The Cadence and Accidentals Concert on Sunday, April 1 showed that while each group has staples in their repertoire, they are in no way afraid to take new chances on their older songs or to add newer, riskier songs.
The whole concert was a harmony of the traditional and the risque. The Accidentals’ harmonics were, as always, impeccable. The vocals on set-closer “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie” were particularly memorable.
Other notables in The Accidentals’ performances were Reba Buhr’s (first-year) solo for Irene Cara’s “Flashdance,” new and improved since its appearance at the ’80s concert. Allegra Finelli-Thomson (senior) provided the solo for Madonna’s “Material Girl,” another recurring song that the group approached with such energy and joie de vivre that I feel safe comparing it to the larger-than-life version done in Moulin Rouge, but even better. Among the new songs, Regina Spektor’s “The Hotel Song” made me rethink my previous disdain for the artist; so good was their performance that Ms. Spektor now has a new fan. “The Hotel Song” displayed the kind of impressive harmonics that the Accidentals are capable of. Lines of verses passed seamlessly from singer to singer like a graceful game of hot potato.
If the Accidentals stand on this campus as the queens of acapella performance, then that should rightly make Cadence the kings. Much like the Accidentals, several of the songs performed were oldies, but the group tweaked the songs to give them a new feel. Jordan Miles (first-year) covered the beat boxing throughout the songs until his epic solo in Queen’s “We Are the Champions” for the final set. I don’t think anyone will forget Martin Chi’s (sophomore) solo during The Divinyls’ hit “I Touch Myself.” Taking on a somber tone, Cadence unveiled their rendition of Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into the Dark,” with Jueyoung Khwarg (senior) soloing. Cake’s “The Distance” with a solo by Mitch Daniel (sophomore), was another of the new additions that stunned the crowd. Mitch Daniel’s solo was incredible, and the arrangement gave the song an enthralling edge that had everyone holding their breaths till the finish line. Two other new songs, “F**k Her Gently” by Tenacious D (soloist Joel Drake) and the Aladdin theme “A Whole New World” (featuring soloists Jacob Groen and a cross-dressing Joel Drake) were astounding as well.
After the two virtuosic performances, the only thing I could have hoped for was a collaboration between the two groups. I was far from disappointed.
To sum up the afternoon’s tone-one of fun galore and arrangements that took a more somber, even hymnal tone (I know one of the Popes rolled over in the grave from the hymnal arrangement of “F**k Her Gently”)-the two groups came together for Ace of Base’s classic “The Sign.”
As always, it was the energy and zeal of the performers that made the concert spectacular. The performers of both groups were having such fun that it could have been just a goofy Sunday afternoon with friends. However, both groups performed with such skill that it was clear that behind the props and games there were artists at serious work with their craft.
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