A lot of music you hear these days seems to incorporate some kind of auto tune or electronic music, but with the growing popularity of shows like “Glee” or “The Sing Off,” a cappella music is starting to get noticed more. Straight No Chaser (SNC), is an all male a cappella group originally formed in 1996 at Indiana University. As the original members of the group started graduating, new members filled their spots. Now, more than 50 Indiana University students have passed through the group. In 2006 Randy Stine, , one of the original members, posted their version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and it soon went viral. Not long after that, the group reunited with six of their 10 original members and four of the later members. Now they are one of the better known a cappella groups in the world; they constantly tour the U.S. and their first European tour starts in January.

On Sunday, November 23, I got the pleasure of not only seeing these guys perform but also meeting them at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, RI. They put on an amazing show that people of all ages could enjoy. They did covers of some of the most popular new songs like Frozen’s “Let It Go” and Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” and older songs like Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” and Creedence Clearwater’s “Proud Mary.” Some of the songs they performed were their own unique mash-ups, combining songs like Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” and Harold Arlen’s classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Add some original songs and new versions of over-played Christmas songs, and they have quite a variety of music.

The guys of SNC do not simply sing one song and then move on to the next; they really put on a show. Some of their more energetic songs also included choreography that got the audience clapping along or laughing. The way they interact with not only each other, but also the audience, shows they truly have fun performing. On the other hand, they sang slower songs with so much passion that the audience hangs on every word. For their second encore they treated the audience with something they don’t normally do at concerts, they put down their microphones. While this may not seem like a big deal, it is truly awe-inspiring to listen to a group sing in the purest form; no extra instruments or echoing from speakers, simply them and their voices.

After every concert, Straight No Chaser has a tradition of going out to the lobby to meet their fans. Even though they are in a different state practically everyday during tours, they take the time to thank their fans by answering questions, simply saying “hi” or  autographing something. They not only put on an amazing show, but they are also an amazing group of guys. For more information about Straight No Chaser you can visit their website at www.sncmusic.com.