Hopkins’s vested heartthrobs, The AllNighters, celebrated a long-awaited 21st birthday at their annual Spring Concert. The dashing lads invited the Hopkins community to witness the celebrations in their usual venue, Bloomberg Hall, this past Friday night.
Accompanied by University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Stillettos, The AllNighters delivered a set of varied arrangements, screened a hilarious home production and said farewell to two graduating seniors. Their unremitting preparation clearly paid off, for the April 18 concert contends with last year’s milestone as Hopkins’s best a cappella Spring Concert to date.
Every seat in the house and even the floor space filled to capacity. Bloomberg Theater’s guests —characteristically rowdy prior to AllNighters shows— were especially vivacious this year. Excitement increased as 8 p.m. neared, and it was clear that attendees prepared for the spectacle with festivities of their own.
Sophomore Tom Bernstein first took to center stage, soloing to a mix of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” Bernstein’s large fan base —cohesively situated at the front of the theater— helped pump up the crowd and set the tone for the concert’s repeated waves of roaring applause.
Isaac Nemzer, one of three new freshman members, performed next. Contrasting the upbeat opening song, Nemzer delivered the soft classic “Blackbird” by The Beatles. It is difficult to describe the vocals on this freshman baritone as anything other than truly uncanny. His rendition (for the most part faithful to Paul McCartney’s original) rang clear throughout the room, maintaining control and mounting in strength throughout. One can only fathom what Nemzer will deliver three years from now, at his own senior Spring Concert.
Junior Ari Messenger joined freshmen Brad Bowers and Andy Kim in One Direction’s recent radio hit, “Story of My Life,” before The Stillettos appeared on stage. Though their dainty, sparkling dresses might suggest otherwise, UMBC’s all-female group boasts powerhouse vocalists with feisty stage presence.
The feature group performed an impressive cover of “Lady Marmalade” from Moulin Rouge, One Republic’s “Counting Stars” and Ariana Grande’s “Tattooed Heart.”
The AllNighters returned with a comedic original that poked fun at the group’s “mediocre” skill.
Then came sophomore Brian Gilbert, who slowed things down with “Something Special” by Usher. Gilbert designated himself a crowd favorite at his first AllNighters performance, when he soloed to the concert encore “Nothing from Nothing” by Billy Preston. This time, however, Gilbert mellowed as fellow members gathered around on barstools.
Without any attention shifted to his stellar dancing or crowd-pleasing tactics (memories of Gilbert planting a kiss on a special audience member may ring a bell), guests were able to appreciate Gilbert’s raw, vocal ability. Indeed, “Something Special” received the full focus it deserved.
Following a hilarious video screening, the atmosphere in Bloomberg took a very somber turn. Music Director Ari Messenger began the heartbreaking process of recognizing senior members in traditional send-off fashion. President Dan Kahn listened as Messenger gave thanks, describing Kahn’s unrelenting dedication and patience while teaching the Music Director ropes. After receiving gifts including a graduation plaque and a Stanford sweatshirt, Kahn sang his senior solo, “Sing for Me” by Yellowcard.
Sophomore John An followed suit to send off Johnny Thibau. An described Thibau’s caring leadership and mediating presence. According to An, Thibau is esteemed by members as a father figure who steps up in times of discord. After accepting his plaque and “Hopkins Dad” mug, Thibau performed a warm rendition of The Eagles’ “Desperado.”
“I was nervous leading up to it,” Thibau said. “My voice may have even stumbled a bit for the first notes, but I started feeling it and everything fell into place. With such a vibrant crowd and my family in the audience looking on, I felt greater confidence and was able to put more feeling into the lyrics. I was happy to end on that note.”
To uplift the emotional weight of the send-offs, John heightened the room’s sexual tension with “Gorilla” by Bruno Mars. Most frequently behind the microphone as a beat-boxer, it was great to listen to An take his place in the limelight as a soloist.
Freshman Andy Kim held the spotlight next in what may have been the standout performance of the night. The audience remained silent as Kim sang “Say Something” by A Great Big World. Jaws dropped and chills spread during this gorgeous rendition. Kim’s every word was utterly beautiful. The experience was transcendent. In a word: wow.
The AllNighters’ choreography hit its peak during freshman Brad Bowers’s “Let it Go” recital. This closing song was full of energy and had guests moving along with it. Crowd members were on their feet, unwilling to let the night end, when Bowers finished.
Thus the men in vests returned to the stage, granting the audience one final piece: “Tearin’ Up My Heart” by ‘N Sync. Junior Mason Hemmel rocked the stage alongside sophomores Jaquain Sloan and Jay Choi. These frontmen brought the passion in true boyband style, ending the Spring Concert (in usual AllNighters fashion) with a bang.
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