Nobody ever accused Rockapella of being cool. Then again, nobody ever claimed they couldn’t put on one heck of a show, as evidenced by the palpable delight swelling through the packed Union Theater by the end of their Homecoming Week performance Thursday night.
The unabashedly nerdy but undeniably gifted group, which started at Brown University in the mid-’80s, has evolved into a powerful force in entertainment. Well beyond the novelty of "making music with their mouths," the three tenors, bass and vocal percussionist certainly know how to put on a show.
Nowhere was this more evident than in the feat of working Bucky Badger into the requisite performance of "Carmen Sandiego" with some dignity and class to boot.
But the a cappella supergroup showed they needed no gimmicks, belting out two sets of covers and originals that were all made their own. They demonstrated their range (not just from rumbling bass lows to comically girly tenor highs) all night, from the immaculately blended "California Sad-Eyed Girl," highlighting the band’s capacity for poignant audience connection, to the funky and soulful "Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone" cover, where they really let loose and demonstrated their Motown credentials. Speaking of Motown, Rockapella’s jazzy arrangements and slick choreography put a groovy face to what tenor Scott Leonard called the group’s "new Temptations" vibe.
Leonard, Rockapella’s perennial frontman, clearly struggled throughout the performance, from his early joke about a cheddar chip in his throat to even more sincere self-deprecation in a half-joke, half-outright apology, later in the set. While his outstanding solos and highest-tenor harmony parts were painfully absent (to some, like this reviewer, who are "a little" familiar with the group), his problems only allowed Rockapella to showcase their depth. The golden-voiced Kevin Wright, usually only taking solos on a few songs out of the set, was pushed to the forefront in Leonard’s absence with much success. His lead on "Under the Boardwalk" and "Change in My Life" erased any doubt of his unbelievable talent. Bass George Baldi, also picking up some limelight, lived up to his billing as "smoothness personified," thrilling the audience with his whole performance: His lower-than-life bass singing, sweetheart smile, booty-shaking dance moves, hilarious between-song banter and a running joke that he was nearly in Boyz II Men all played well to, let’s face it, a mostly female crowd.
Newcomers to the world of a cappella were surely dazzled by the vocal percussion of "Mozart of spit" Jeff Thatcher. The rest of the group joined in the rhythmic fun with an impressive stepping interlude and small beatboxing symphony.
Rockapella also gave a nod to their Disney roots in more ways than one Thursday night. Though Leonard explained how he had started his performing career at Disney and had recruited other members there as well, the cover of "It’s a Small World" (though nearly jazzed-up beyond recognition) wasn’t the only way they showed their Disney pride. The relentless crowd-pleasing, enthusiasm, unnaturally tight vocals and perfectly executed choreography all enhanced the performance, and all probably have deep ties to the discipline of working God-knows-how-many shows a day at Disney. The group’s trademark family-friendly wholesomeness is perhaps a seemingly inescapable relic of each member’s Disney background, as well.
Because of this dedication to sound technique and matchless entertaining, the entirely student audience at the Union Theater didn’t really mind that some members of Rockapella could be their parents’ age. There was something heartwarming about the usually jaded 18-24-year-olds laughing along with "lol" and weather jokes that clearly highlighted the age gap between performers and students. But by the obliging Folgers commercial and "Varsity"encores, I bet many a swooning sophomore would have invited the awkward 30- and 40-something quintet along to the night’s Halloween party debauchery.
