ARTSETC.
Redefining’ a cappella
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by Sabrina Behrens
Friday, March 26, 2004
UW-Madison’s premier co-ed a cappella group Redefined is hosting its spring concert tonight, Friday Mar. 26, to help welcome Madison back from spring break and kick off the rest of a great semester. Redefined looks to draw a great crowd for an amazing night of a great variety of a cappella music. The show will take place in the Orpheum Theatre at 7:30 p.m. No music lover will want to miss out on this exhilarating experience. The group takes radio hits from the ’50s to present day and arranges them for four to 12 part harmony, replacing instruments such as guitars, strings, bass, horns, and keyboards with their voices. This also includes a vocal percussionist who simulates various styles of drumming with only his mouth. Redefined brings not only talented vocalists to the stage but also an amazing stage presence. With songs ranging from Evanescence’s “Bring Me Back to Life” to a Beatles Medley and even the Dixie Chicks, Redefined performs a diverse assemblage of tunes that is palatable to all ears. You may have heard of the crowd-favorite, Nintendo Medley, which incorporates classic, retro, Nintendo game themes, with hilarious reenactments of the games themselves. Redefined offers a unique a cappella experience through their enthusiastic, high energy performance that infects the audience, who can’t help but dance in their seats. A cappella, in general, has experienced a great revival on college campuses nation-wide, and Madison has been caught up in the movement. The group, formed by Nate Mendl and Andrew Jarvinen, joined the Madison a cappella community in 2001. In their short existence on campus, Redefined has gained a reputation for excellence in entertainment. In 2003 they were invited to compete in the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella in St. Louis. Also, Redefined has recently celebrated the release of their debut, self-titled album and has been nominated for a 2004 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award in best song by a mixed collegiate group. Tonight’s concert will serve as the capstone of a breakthrough year for Redefined, which will have just wrapped up a tour across the east coast with Professor Beverly Taylor and the UW Concert Choir. In September, Redefined brought a cappella’s finest professional group, Rockapella, to Madison, and they look forward to joining them again for an April show in Green Bay. Redefined is also excited to perform with them again, when they are back in Madison in December of this year. Redefined will be recording their second CD with one of a cappella’s nationally acclaimed producers this May and looks to continue their success as a prominent fixture on Madison’s a cappella scene for years to come.
Redefined’s spring concert begins at 7:30 tonight with opening group, Tangled Up in Blue, UW - Madison’s all female a cappella group. Tickets are available at the Orpheum Theatre box office on State Street. They can be ordered ahead of time by calling 608-255-8755. Admission is $7 for students and $10 for the general public. Don’t miss out!
