AU's a cappella scene is typically defined by three groups: Treble in Paradise, Dime a Dozen and On a Sensual Note. Each is equally popular and equally dynamic, and audiences are usually only able to see one at a time. On Friday night in the Kay Spiritual Life Center, students and fans alike were treated to a triple threat of all three.
"I usually just go to TIP [Treble in Paradise] concerts, but it was great to hear all three groups together with their different styles," said Kate Watts, a senior in the School of Public Affairs.
Though all a cappella in nature, each group has its own distinctive sound. Dime a Dozen is the co-ed group and was founded in fall of 2000. Friday night, Dime a Dozen relaxed in polo shirts while bouncing, hugging and gesticulating wildly with the music. Member Eric Righter, a junior in SPA, defined their music philosophy as, "we just love to rock out to some sweet songs." These included hits such as "Chariot" by Gavin Degraw, "Try" by Nelly Furtado and "Let Go" by Frou Frou.
President Jeff Chalmers, a senior in Kogod School of Business and the School of International Service, describes their music choices as a bit different from the other groups. "We tend to stay a bit more poppy and mainstream than the others. ... There's obviously something different about having a co-ed group. Musically there's a lot of things to think about, especially blending different types of voices. And yes, people within the group hook up sometimes!"
In the second slot, all-male group On a Sensual Note dressed it up a little in Oxford-worthy ties. Intense and funny, they had crowd pleasers in "Sugar We're Going Down" by Fall Out Boy, "Tribute" by Tenacious D and "Beautiful Day" by U2.
President Zia Hassan, a senior in Kogod, said that everyone in the group is "close friends, almost like brothers, and we create harmony through that friendship." On a Sensual Note is "incredibly spontaneous. ... Our audiences never know what to expect from us," Hassan said.
"We love to keep things fresh and new," he said.
To finish the night, Treble in Paradise offered a cappella "with a splash of pink." They brought all-female a cappella back to campus in the fall of 2003. "Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox has been their signature song for a while, but they also perform favorites like "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service and "Steal My Kisses" by Ben Harper.
President Aimee Ghosh, a senior in SPA, emphasized that Treble in Paradise has always had a community focus and really enjoys performing for non-profit groups and at charity events.
"We have a lot of fun together at rehearsals [too]," she said.
"Sometimes too much. If we are singing a song and one person starts laughing it's like a domino effect: slowly but surely every member is laughing and our song comes to a screeching halt," she said.
Despite the stylistic differences, the groups do have a few similarities. All choose their own songs and arrange their own music. All have performed in and around D.C. and also tour and compete at other universities all over the east coast. However, the most interesting similarity is that all three groups have trouble finding rehearsal and performance space.
"Right now we're a nomad group," Chalmers said.
According to Hassan, "It'd be nice to have a few different places to perform. ... Katzen is sort of distant when it comes to non-DPA [Department of Performing Arts] related performances."
"Kay is the only free performance space open to student groups," Ghosh said. "While Kay is a wonderful facility and the Kay staff work very hard, there are many groups and organizations that compete to use it, therefore it is not always easy to reserve space. I would like Katzen to become more accessible to [all of us]."
However, the groups quickly pointed out their love for Kay.
"We're happy in Kay. It's like our home," Hassan said.
They also were very clear about how much they love their fans and how grateful they are for their support.
"Performing at AU is fantastic because you know everyone in the audience. All of your friends who see you rehearse three times a week ... can come see what all the work has been for," Ghosh said.
"Everyone is so enthusiastic about a cappella here," Hassan said.
The three groups next perform during parents' weekend. If that seems too long to wait, they all offer personal serenades at low costs. Dime a Dozen is also currently recording a new CD, which will hopefully be released in the spring. On a Sensual Note just finished recording and will be releasing a CD in October, and Treble in Paradise will begin recording their debut CD later this year.
