The Hartford Informer
Andrea Wojcik
Friday night, the nationally recognized group Rockapella rocked the house at Lincoln Theatre as part of the Music for a Change benefit concert series. As the lights dimmed and the performance began, I had no idea what I was in for.
L'Shir, the university's only co-ed a cappella group, kicked off the concert. Jessica Ruggles and Eddie Grace commented, "It was such a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to open for a world renowned a cappella group."
It was refreshing to see L'Shir sporting a handful of new faces. Unsurprisingly, the group gave a wonderful performance. Some new songs have made their way into the repertoire, such as "Love the One You're With" and "Peace of Mind."
Personally, I was happy to hear "Love Remains the Same," sung by soloist Eddie Grace, for the second time. The song is performed so well; it gives me goose bumps. As for "Put Your Records On," it's been nearly a week since the concert, and I still find myself absentmindedly humming the tune.
When Rockapella took the stage, there was an explosion of sound. I have difficulty believing five men can produce such full volume using nothing but their voices. Of course, microphones help. The vocal percussionist Jeff Thacher had three mics all to himself, two on his throat to pick up bass sounds and one held to his mouth.
When I sat down in the theatre seats, I was not expecting such a multitalented group to grace the stage. I knew they would be able to sing, but I did not expect them all to be able to dance, beat box and perform standup comedy.
In the early days, before Rockapella received national recognition for their performances on "The Tonight Show," NBC's "The Today Show" and CBS' "The Early Show," the group found themselves accepting any gig for money. We, as lucky audience members, heard some of their comedic early jingles, including promotions for Almond Joy, Preparation H, Dr. Pepper and Folgers coffee.
Upon receiving recognition, however, Rockapella has been able to expand their repertoire. The group boasts large variety of songs to appeal to a large variety of listeners. They sing anything from soul, rock, R&B and jazz (all the good classics).
A few songs Rockapella sang at the concert include Bill Wither's "Use Me," Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," Mills Brothers' "Paper Doll" and the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." There was literally something for everyone to enjoy.
It's safe to say the concert was easily worth the $35 ticket. The show thoroughly entertained audience members, who never stopped laughing. The audience even voluntarily clapped to songs. There is no doubt that a performance is phenomenal when the audience participates of their own accord.
Those who attended also experienced the added benefit of knowing their money went to a good cause. The Rockapella concert sought to raise funds for Hartford's Camp Courant, which according to the Camp Courant Web site, is "the largest free day camp in the nation." It provides Hartford children ages five through 12 with a fun and safe environment during the summer months.
I asked Rockapella why they chose to participate in the concert benefit series, and they responded with the truth; they were invited. However, Jeff Thacher, the vocal percussionist, had something to add. He said that performing to raise money for charities "makes what would be a great gig even better." Rockapella donated 25% of their merchandise sales to Music for a Change.
Rockapella returns to Connecticut in December for a concert in Fairfield. If you couldn't make their last performance, I strongly recommend seeing the concert. The a cappella group will not fail to astound and amaze.
