By: Ila Bumagin, Sophomore
Friday night concerts are the best, and last Friday’s Acapalooza was no exception. Marblehead High School’s a cappella groups were joined by Northeastern’s Nor’easters and Salem High School’s Witch Pitch?. If you don’t know MHS’s singers, there are two auditioned groups, Luminescence (which I’m in) and the Jewel Tones, along with two student-led groups, Serendipity and The Grizzly Freakin’ Man Singers. Things would be amiss if I didn’t mention our MCs, Kate and Audrey. They’re my inspiration for the bad puns, so get ready.
To start off the night, The Grizzlies really got the crowd roaring. First was Bingle Jells, a twist on… you guessed it. “Jingle Bells”!! But then they realized that it’s no longer the Christmas season, and changed tack. So, they sang some wonderful songs and finished off with “Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye.” What a way to start the night!
Next up… Serendipity! This amazing group had such energy that they shared with the whole crowd. True to their theme, they sang some badass pop songs – like “Copycat” by Billie Eilish. It was like a true copy of the original! That energy carries into Witch Pitch? (They put puns in their name, we love it.). Their version of “River” by Bishop Briggs carried us along in a wave of beauty.
Now it’s Luminecsence’s turn to shine. Decked out in their sparkles, they showed the crowd true talent in “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, and “Breakfree” by Ariana Grande. As a part of the group, I’m proud of how we pulled through, because there were three people in our group who had horrible colds during the performance. One of them was our soloist for the song “Still Feel,” and she couldn’t even speak! So, another senior, Nora, bravely stepped up to make our performance what it was. At the end, we invited all alumni singers up to the stage to sing “May I Suggest,” the song all Lumi singers know. It was such a wonderful moment to carry on the tradition with generations before me.
Jewel Tones is up next – what a gem!! Every single soloist was at their best, especially in “Monsters” by Aurora and Runaway. Their newest additions to the set were “Honeybee” by The Head and the Heart and “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap, with the latter song sung without microphones, creating an intimate experience for the group and the audience.
Together, Jewel Tones and Luminescence sang “All For Us” by Labrinth ft. Zendaya. It really took us all for a ride. The lead soloists, Val and Chloe, absolutely killed it. The song feels so powerful, and such a representation of Gen Z culture.
Last, but certainly not least, is the Nor’easters. They blew us away!! Like truly. What a sound, what power, what energy! Their lead soloists were outstanding and fully captivated the audience. Lauren was the soloist for “Rise Up,” which was uplifting and stunning. So much else was going on, too. It was clear that every single member of the Nor’easters was incredible. The full sound and power of this group knocked me off my feet, and then up again to give a standing ovation. We were so lucky to get the chance to hear them, so thank you to the Nor’easters!
So, now you know. Acapalooza is incredibly fun, and everyone there is so talented. Hope to see you next year!