All photos by Kelly Pien.
Last Saturday, seven a cappella groups sang to a large audience of students and community members in John M. Greene Hall during the annual Silver Chord Bowl. The Bowl, a well respected collegiate a cappella showcase in Western Massachusetts, celebrated its 35th year with this performance.
Northampton High School’s group, the Northamptones, started off the afternoon with an energetic delivery of The Beatles’ classic “I Am The Walrus.” The group didn’t shy away from the more peculiar parts of the original, eliciting laughs from the crowd with the song’s screams and maniacal laughter. The Smiffenpoofs represented Smith well with a collection of modern music. Member Kira Hill ’21 said the ’Poofs had been practicing the songs for their set since October, which included a mashup of Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” and Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and a beautiful cover of Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me” by Anaïs Jordy ’22. The group also performed one of their signature pieces, Fiona Apple’s haunting song “Hot Knife.”
Following them was sQ!, a co-ed group from Tufts University. They started with “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, giving the popular ’70s song a new twist by mixing it with Kanye West’s “Heartless.” They continued with “Girls/Girls/Boys” by Panic! At the Disco, with many members dancing along. Berklee College of Music’s On the Vox kept the energy high with their The Weeknd, MIIA and Nathan Sykes covers. Their vocal percussion members were especially impressive as their performances were nearly a dead ringer for the electronic drums and synthesizers on the original songs. Next was the Dartmouth College Aires, who came tumbling out of the stage doors in brightly colored suit jackets singing David Guetta’s “Don’t Leave Me Alone”. A highlight of their set was a simple and harmonious rendition of an old bluegrass staple, “Calling My Children Home.”
Although several groups dazzled the crowd with their technical skill on top 40 hits, the most charismatic performances came from groups covering older favorites or different genres. The Ohms, a South Asian fusion a cappella group from MIT, mix Western hits with popular Bollywood songs. They jumped right into the theme with “The Phantom of the Opera,” mixing it with “Main Hoon Don” from the Bollywood movie “Don.” The featured soloist drew gasps and applause from the crowd as she hit the highest notes on the Broadway classic.
Last was the Amherst College Zumbyes. Named “the most dangerous a cappella group on the planet” by the New York Times, the Zumbyes certainly brought their best talent to the Chord Bowl with a set of pop and soul classics. They opened with “P.Y.T.” by Michael Jackson, transitioned into Sam Cooke’s “Nothing Can Change This Love” and ended with a lovely version of Hall & Oates’ “Sara Smile.”
The Silver Chord Bowl was the first event in Northampton’s “Four Sundays in February” series. Upcoming events include the 27th annual variety showcase of local talent called “Sunday Afternoon Live!” Feb. 24 at the Academy of Music.
