As if there were not already enough amazing events happening during Spring Fair, the Octopodes, one of JHU’s premier A Cappella groups, also held their annual Spring Concert in Mudd Hall last Friday.
The Octopodes is the oldest a cappella group on campus, and they show no signs of slowing down in their old age. Having made multiple appearances at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) and most recently winning the 2013 ICCA Quarterfinals of the Southern Region, they have established a solid reputation.
Thus, it was not surprising that the concert was packed with people willing to tear themselves away from all of the delicious food and the Spring Fair-classic Beer Garden, to listen to some good ol’ quality A cappella.
Bursting into song, junior Duncan Crystal led the Octopodes in their opening number, “Gone gone gone,” by Phillip Phillips. At that moment, most audience members were assured that they had made the right decision to come.
The crowd was a very energetic one, and their enthusiasm for good music (or from lots of beer) definitely livened up the atmosphere.
When favorites like Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and a cheeky all-male rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Trouble” were sung, the audience let their approval of the songs be known.
The Octopodes showcased how strong of vocalists they were as individuals, as well as a cohesive group, by singing a range of songs that spanned from Maroon 5 to Ed Sheeran. They certainly take the saying “you’re only as strong as your weakest link” to heart, for it was impossible to point out a single individual who did not perform as passionately as his or her neighbor.
Although all the songs they performed were good, there were several stand-outs during the night, including junior Peter Yang’s incredible rendition of “Locked Out of Heaven.”
Sophomore Lajari Anne reminded all of us why she deserved the title of “Outstanding Soloist” in the recent ICCA’s by pouring out her soul in a moving performance of “Who You Are.”
However, one of the stars of the night was definitely senior Abigail Ryan (JHU’s very own version of Florence Welch), who coincidentally sang two Florence + the Machine songs, “Never Let Me Go” and “Shake it Out.” Her hauntingly beautiful voice and undeniable charisma on stage made those songs some of the most memorable of the night.
The Octopodes were not the only ones who took the stage; there were several guest performers as well, including the Loyola Chimes from Loyola University and the Meludees from the University of Delaware.
The Loyola Chimes did an exceptional job with their second song, “Natural Disaster,” by Zac Brown Band. Audience member Duyen Tat said, “[it] spiked her estrogen levels.”
The Meludees had such an energetic set overall that audience members were jumping out of their seats by the end of it!
In between the performances, raffle tickets were drawn out, and a few lucky people were given CD’s of the Octopodes past work along with their own wristbands.
The Octopodes certainly left the best for last though, when they called up a couple of alumni to join them in singing Muse’s “Uprising.” The performance perfectly encapsulated the song, maintaining its eerie vibe, while including an added boost from the Octopodes’ powerhouse vocals.
This final song rendered the audience speechless and left a lasting, positive impact on everyone who was there.
Although the concert only lasted a little over an hour, it was a show packed with good singing, dancing, and entertainment.
Those who did invest their time and money into going to the concert did not have it go to waste.
These performances left the crowd counting down to the next A cappella concert, determined to improve their singing skills to ones acceptable out of the shower.
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