On the night of Saturday, Feb. 25, the Johns Hopkins Shriver Hall auditorium more closely resembled a setting for a Bruce Springstein concert than that of an a cappella competition.
Armed with custom T-shirts, homemade signs and warpaint, the crowd was revved up for an evening of great music. Just like "The Boss," the Octopodes did not disappoint.
The University's oldest a cappella group was awarded all-around first place at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella South Quarterfinal (ICCA) 4 and will advance to the semifinals. Salisbury University's Squawkappella will also advance.
According to its website, www.varsityvocals.com, the ICCA, held annually from January to April, provides top-notch, collegiate a cappella groups from the United States and Europe the coveted opportunity to showcase their talents in front of distinguished judges.
ICCA Executive Director Amanda Newman explains in the competition's program that the top two winners of each region's quarterfinals move on to the semifinals and compete for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform at the International Finals at New York City's Town Hall. In this case, the Octopodes and co-winner Squawkappella will travel to Nashville, Tennessee for the semifinals to be held at Vanderbilt University on Mar. 17. At the beginning of the South Quarterfinal 4, ICCA South Producer Lindsay Howerton explained to the audience that in order to advance to the semifinals, each group needed to perform a selection of unique songs in twelve minutes, while the judges analyzed their vocal and choreography skills.
The evening began with a hilarious opening performance by Hopkins' comedy a cappella group, the Mental Notes, sporting their signature Hawaiian shirts and "painfully sexy" sense of humor, to quote the group's slogan. The Mental Notes' own junior Andy Weld even served as the evening's emcee, providing some much appreciated comic relief during transitions.
Once the competition portion got under way, the audience could recognize some common threads being woven among many of the songs performed.
For instance, swelling dynamics, an emphasis on impactful female soloists and a rhythm and blues flair were featured by most groups such as the Cleftomaniacs (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), the TrebleMakers (University of Maryland, College Park) and the Vocal Points (University of Delaware). Still, the audience needed that extra "something" to be truly dazzled.
Squawkappella certainly filled that void, expanding on these commonalities by mesmerizing the audience with desperately soulful and emotionally poignant lyrics at first and then finally with a fantastic arrangement of Maroon 5's "Harder to Breathe," which was further elevated by a soloist with great range.
Even so, it was the Octopodes's performance that brought the house down, catapulting the group to first place, earning 426 points to Squawkappella's 291 points.
The Octopodes started off with a bang with new age, in-your-face choreography and an alternative musical style, which transitioned to a half dramatic, half delicate ballad and then topped it all off with a harmonious, gospel-like tune, making use of the entire stage and encouraging the audience to feel the music.
After the electrifying series concluded, judges withdrew from the auditorium to deliberate in private, while the audience got a special treat from a professional, four-person a cappella band named Transit, hailing from Raleigh North Carolina.
After much suspense, the moment of truth arrived, and awards were given to the deserving performers.
First, to the delight of the audience, juniors Miriam D'Onofrio and Devika Bhise, both of the Octopodes, were given awards for Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding Choreography, respectively. The second runner-up was awarded to Vocal Point. After Squawkappella was named one of the quarterfinal winners, the Octopodes celebrated its first place victory and advancement to the semifinals, made even sweeter by the wild cheers of the hometown faithful.
When asked to describe how he felt after learning of the Octopodes's victory, the group's Business Manager, senior Jon Sole, seemingly at a loss for words, simply replied, "Good!"
Regaining his composure, Sole added that the Octopodes had been preparing for the quarterfinals since Intersession for five hours each week, carefully selecting pieces that would showcase its wide range of talents. However, more than anything, he identified the group's "unifying love of music" as the group's key to success.
The audience had a similarly positive reaction to the evening. Freshman John Yang said that the entire event was "great, absolutely amazing. The Octopodes outdid themselves, and the bass was much stronger."
Furthermore, senior Howie Joress marveled at how the auditorium was "pretty packed" and how the atmosphere maintained its energy throughout the evening.
As the competition progresses, be sure to remain updated by visiting www.varsityvocals.com and support the art of a cappella nationwide.
