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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 2004)
APRIL 17.2004 SIMPSON DULL FIELD 10:00-S:00 COME OUT FOR: GAMES LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 4- FOOD AND FUN FUN FUN!!! Class C ouncils Presents: 1 lie 67th A nnual Ring D ance “A Night on the iown” April 24, 2004 9 p.m.- 1a.m. Tickets availa hie at the MSC B ox Office For A Complete Listing of Senior Week Events Visit Cl asso (2004,ta mu.edu Sponsored hy I he Association of Former Students, R ose Cottage Creations, David Gardner’s jewelers and Al’s Formal Wear Can you Spot the Intensity i Deniyne Intense Snorters will be on & around your camnus from April 18-May 1,2004 looking to snot you with a nack of Oentyne Fire or Dentyne Ice All you have to do Is be snotted with your nack ol Dentyne Fire or Dentyne Ice and you could win one ol many great urizes. Including a MP3 Player! Dentyne Jifp/y l! Get your nack of De or Oentyne Ice from your local store and KM CMHrt UMMt «M U t Tuesday. April 13 2004 Singing down the hous; Rockapella’s Texas debut to bring eccentric music style to Reed Arena By David Shakelford THE BATTALION Doing original music is more rewarding.You;« ;,l \ tv tml> tiiltillal unless you write your own stSC Kivkapdla's 2002 release.“SmilinV’isisL... esi ol a thick stack of albums on differentM 111 'I The term “a capella” may conjure images of the classic sounds of barbershop quartets and 1950s "doo-wops” where finely tuned voices stand alone. But with its flawless vocal duplica tion of clicks, claps and booms and an array of instruments including guitar and piano, the five- member vocal group Rockapella proves that a capella doesn’t have to sound like its stereotype. While experiencing the vocal exploits of the band, listeners have had to remind themselves that they are hearing unaccompanied human voices. Michelle Police, a senior finance major, said that when the beats produced by the vocal percussionists falls upon her ears, she often does a double-take. “When I first heard (Rockapella), it was hard to imagine the drum sound coming from a person,” Police said. “And the fact that the overall sound is made up of voices just amazes me because there is so much going on.” The group began as a quartet in the late 1980s, lending har monies to New' York street cor ners for dinner money. Since then. Rockapella's assembly of rhythm and blues jazz, rock, gospel and hip-hop has been heard on several advertisements, including Folgers Coffee. Budweiser and Taco Bell. The group's most popular perform ance though, is its contribution to the Public Broadcasting Service quiz show, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” on which it renders the theme song. Vocal percussionist Johnathan 'MusicaCs As w ith most of its work, the album isi complex arrangements and innovative effects add up to an organic marvel. Police said she hopes Rockapella’s livej _ form ance will satisfy what has become a kT sense of skepticism. “I’m so curious to find out howtheypadj those sounds into their voices,” Police said. Thacher said the live playlist is divided a equal portions of original material and e; songs. He said the members' individual^ ’j variety and color to the shows. “We have our own personalities and last that gives a gtxxl flavor to the group," Thadiei^ “We're not tastelessly loud and big, but weli w hat we call the 'wow'faci Thacher said that "via emerges in the fancy vocal guitar and drum solos ered to astonished audieiKei “Scott (Leonard) main soloist, but we; solos.” Thacher said.' lengthy drum solo." Reproducing the heard on records requM munication and half Thacher said. "The mix ol umes and sounds nuistj articulate. “Everyone feels great we communicate well have our stuff top Thacher said. "Then we as 1 inventive and powetfuT Rockapella's twopeti ances, w hich startat7p.i cau anioiu arc I Thacher said Rockapella has sold out its Wednesday show and expects a similar turnout for the second show. He said the group expects to draw more crowds through nostalgia. “A lot of college kids watched ‘Carmen Sandiego’ back when it was on. so that has really boosted our recognition,” Thacher said. This assumption holds true for some Aggies, including Police. “1 remember its name from watching Carmen Sandiego,” Police said. “That show was big. Everybody at least knew about it and could sing a jingle from the theme song.” In a style where cover songs dominate, Rockapella offers originals. Thacher said tenor and main soloist Scott Leonard composed and arranged the majority of tracks on the band’s last few albums. The members of Rockapella aren’t strangers to covers, however. Their vocal-recon struction selections include tracks such as “Dock of the Bay,” “Stand By Me” and “Pretty Woman.” “The past decade has been an evolutionary process (for us),” Thacher said. “From a clever cover group (we have developed) a distinct sound. April 14 and 15 at Reed Arena, will be itsiJ debut. The perfonnance is hosted by the M®] Student Center OPAS. Steve Lewis, Rockapella’s co-manager, a the band’s two perfomiances will be a 1 due Texas debut. “For a while fans in Texas hadbeensei® us about a dozen emails a month." Lewistflnet “Rockapella is widely known in the collesw p< cuit through groups like Glee Club. WelikeBuntc vers i ties as venues because the theaters are I ■ er quality.” K— Despite this debut and the band’s past corns | success, Thatcher said Rockapella it®I cial humble in its quest to grab a wider audience “We take opportunities even if they wont* | directly to fame,” Thacher said. “We like a business, but our main concern istlial' we’re doing makes us happy.” V; 1 WMmWTS'-Tm* WjE)E)lEE)MI mijpw (©iFjF SCREEN PRINTING & EMBROIDERY -C m Nst J?nly Sa§ [Thihs Semestf^ii Thursday - Sunday April 9.sl -iUfMSa Kaj Fam rosy