SU a cappella groups band together for AfterHours concert

On a snowy Friday evening at Syracuse University, a cappella echoed through the halls of Hendricks Chapel.

Six SU musical groups came together to present Fall AfterHours, an event that has been held for approximately eight years now for students to break away from the books and enjoy the harmony.

After all, “… it is statistically proven that anyone who attends this concert does 75 percent better on their finals,” say the A Cappella Council at Syracuse University on their Facebook page. But don’t quote them on it, they add.

“The idea for AfterHours came from the discussion that we should have a common stage for the a cappella groups on campus to perform together,” said Jackson Giampino, a bioengineering senior in his first year as A Cappella Council president.

Giampino serves as the president of Orange Appeal, an all male musical group which opened the show to loud applause from the 150-odd audience filled with excited students.

The men of Orange Appeal began with Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” flaunting goofy moves in black shirts and colored ties as crowd sang and danced along to Christmas and contemporary pop tunes.

Charles Keppler, a first-year master’s student in mechanical and aerospace engineering, was most excited when OttoTunes, the final group for the night, was performing.

Keppler sang with OttoTunes for three years as an undergraduate student and says it’s bittersweet to see his friends perform and not be on stage with them.

“It is always great to be here at AfterHours,” Keppler said of the event, which is organized at the end of each semester. “The fact that they brought in professional sound engineers to enhance the audio now is really good.”

After the men put their best notes forward, it was the women in black up next.

Main Squeeze, in their sparkly festive gear, put forth a repertoire inclusive of a Christmas medley while The Mandarins had the crowd on its feet with “Take Me Home” (Cash Cash feat. Bebe Rexha) and more.

Olivia Gubitose, a bioengineering junior and first-time performer with the latter said she is so happy to be a part of The Mandarins.

“Everyone here is so supportive and Mandarins is amazing, especially since it’s representative of women empowerment and support,” Gubitose said.

AfterHours was not just all male and all female groups with Oy Cappella and Groovestand showcasing co-ed a cappella prowess.

With Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” among its range, Oy Cappella – a Jewish musical group – delivered vocal harmony that held the crowd in rapture.

Groovestand’s Michael Larkin, a television, radio & film sophomore marked his second year in AfterHours delivering a solo performance with John Mayer’s “New Light.”

“Being a part of the group and the concert is just fun,” Larkin said, adding that the Christmas medley by Main Squeeze was one of his favorite performances of the show.

OttoTunes wrapped up the 90-minute event with their set with St. Vincent’s “New York” followed by the university’s anthem, a closing tradition which had everyone in the chapel proudly stand up and sway together in harmony.