InsideOut A cappella
I saw InsideOut A Cappella in concert Saturday night (at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, which is where the symphony performs). I was in the 9th row back on the left side of the stage.
Their show is a really fun blend of good music and family-friendly humor. I really enjoyed it. Check out their web site to hear some samples of their stuff. If you like 80’s pop, silly humor, or good a cappella performances, you’ll probably find something to like.
Of course the live show has stuff to offer that you just can’t get on the albums (like a running joke about Layne eating stuff that’s dropped onto the floor). My favorite bit they do is called Star Wars. The guy who does the human beat box stuff is really good with vocal impressions and sound effects, so he does a bit that lasts about five minutes that takes you through the original three Star Wars films. It would never work on an album, though, because there are quite a few visual jokes. In the show, it’s definitely a very entertaining segment.
I can’t remember the exact set list or song order, but here is a list of most of the songs they performed:
Pure Energy
The Promise
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Jackie Chan
Just Can’t Get Enough
Give Said the Little Stream
Crazy
Mr. Bassman
Man in the Moon
McDonald’s Girl
Once There Were Some Snowmen
Prayer of the Children
Squirrels
Innocence
First encore: Coal Mine
Second Encore: Stalking Song
I think there were a few more songs than that, but you get the idea. (It was a long show, and my memory isn’t half as good as it used to be…) You can hear clips of most of those songs on their web site.
The most impressive moment was a solo done by the beat box guy where he sings while doing the beats. (Low Rider was the song he chose, probably because you can do the singing staccato.) I have no clue how he pulled off some of the stuff he did. It’s really remarkable and I’ve never seen or heard anyone else do something quite like it. Anyway, they’re all really talented. The bass can go insanely low, and when he paired off with one of the tenors to sing “Mr. Bassman” it was really entertaining. Their sense of rhythm, pitch, and ability to blend well on the harmonies is really impressive. And with a combined range of over four octaves, it’s a very full sound for an a cappella group.
As you probably can guess by now, I really like watching these guys perform. Marcie and I have seen them perform several times, and we’ve often gone with family (my youngest brother Mike one time, my sister Jenny and her family once, and Marcie’s parents this time.) It’s a fun show, and the talent is impressive. I hope to see them again. They billed this show as their “3rd Annual Last Show Ever”, so who knows what the future will bring. A new album would be really cool…and I’m looking forward to a 4th Annual Last Show Ever. 