This page is maintained by Tom Arneberg ( toma@arneberg.com)
(Last modified: $Date: 2003/10/23 20:31:41 $)
For more info about MHBQA, email Kim Orloff at korloff@ix.netcom.com
Taking place in late at night (10:30 PM) on Friday night of the SPEBSQSA INTERNATIONAL Convention, it was amazing... although there were over 1000 seats in the ballroom, it was a standing-room-only audience. This year the performing groups were selected by invitation; Show Producer Doug Miller came up with a knockout of a show. Arriving from the evening AIC Show, I missed the first two performances: the BARBERSHOP BRATS (a mixed chorus formed of children and grandchildren of barbershoppers), and the DENVER A CAPELLA PROJECT, but I understand they were both warmly received by the audience.
I arrived in time to hear all of our MHBQA members... I came in on the last song of JAZZKATZ, and they were really cooking, as usual. New baritone Ryan Wilson (he also sings with the Denver A Capella Project) fits in perfectly with that special JazzKatz sound.
Then came FABULOUS 40'S, a group that I thought I didn't know... only it was just MHBQA's Crossroads, with a new name and an absolutely smashing new package. They walked on in character, as four professionals coming to the radio station to do a broadcast gig, and carried it through without a break until they left the stage. Dialog, a radio announcer, singing jingle advertisements ("You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent" was one of many), plus some great songs. It was such a fascinating over-all performance -- and so believable -- that it was over before I thought to make any notes! I'm no judge, but it sure seemed like comfortable barbershop to me... and it was also GREAT entertainment.
Then MHBQA's KINDRED SPIRITS took over the stage, and boy do they know how to do just that. Tight blend, tight harmonies, and energy on a tight beam that never lets up. Pure barbershop ringing chords, even on contest songs like their opener, "Redhead." These four are past-masters of performance.
Picking up the energy right where Kindred Spirits left it, THE AIRWAVES grabbed onto the audience and never let go. This MHBQA quartet claims that they do not have the voicing ranges to do pure barbershop, but their clean, tight harmonies and sense of blend make for really "easy listining." I'd feel comfortable having any of these quartets feature as a quartet on a barbershop show; both musicality and entertainment level were extraordinarily high.
The show closer was a set by MHBQA VLQ "Friends," 8 barbershop couples who never fail to deliver both entertainment and lush, toe-tapping harmonies, even though sometimes with a recorded instrumental accompaniment. Doug Miller sings with them, and I'm sure they were also his "crew" in producing the show... so special thanks to them for the entire show, as well as their own enjoyable performance. I'm looking forward to Nashville's Mixed Harmony Showcase in 2001!