A Cappella Sensation Straight No Chaser Comes to The Bushnell
You’ve seen them on YouTube, PBS, and NBC’s Today Show. Now see them LIVE at The Bushnell Thursday, April 15, 2010! Tickets go on sale Friday, January 22.
Hartford, CT – January 15, 2010 – Most popular for their memorable rendition of the holiday classic, “The 12 Days of Christmas,” the all male a cappella group Straight No Chaser will be performing in The Bushnell’s Mortensen Hall Thursday, April 15, 2010 for one night only. In an era when so much pop music is the product of digital processing and vocal pro-tooling, Straight No Chaser is the real deal – the captivating sound of ten unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense and with a sense of humor. Straight No Chaser is part of the Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge Marquee Performances series.
Tickets for Straight No Chaser will go on sale to the general public beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 22, 2010 and can be purchased by visiting The Bushnell Box Office at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford or by calling (860) 987-5900. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.bushnell.org. Tickets prices start at $22. Ticket prices do not include all applicable fees.
Founded at Indiana University in the fall of 1996, Straight No Chaser’s goal was to expand the boundaries of the traditional college a cappella group. From the start, they viewed themselves more like a local band that just happened to use their voices as their instruments. As original member Randy Stine comments, “We take the music very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves too seriously.” In the process, they are reinventing the idea of a cappella on the modern pop landscape.
In 1999, the graduating members of Straight No Chaser chose their replacements, ensuring that the new tradition they had created would continue on with successive generations of IU undergrads. Then, in 2006, the unexpected happened – Indiana University decided to host a reunion concert for the original members. In honor of the event, Randy Stine posted footage from one of their 1998 concerts online.
To the group’s surprise, Straight No Chaser’s version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” – interpolating Toto’s “Africa” – became the hottest viral video of the holiday season, eventually receiving more than 10 million views online. Among those millions of viewers was Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, who tracked the group down and promptly signed them to the label.
The birth of Straight No Chaser’s second life is a story of talent, drive, and some very good luck. But their goal remains the same as it was back in their college days. As Stine says, “We want the audience to not miss the instruments, be surprised by what we’re doing, and in the end, appreciate the songs in a whole new way.”
Taking off from the runaway success of “The 12 Days Of Christmas,” “HOLIDAY SPIRITS” saw Straight No Chaser re-energizing holiday classics such as “The Christmas Song,” “Silent Night,” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” with their captivating and powerful vocal arrangements. Fueled by appearances on ABC World News Tonight, CNN Headline News, and NBC’s The Today Show, among others, the album spent 14 days in the #1 slot on Amazon, and 5 days at the top spot overall on iTunes. The group’s now famous version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” peaked in the top 10 on the Christmas radio chart and reached the top 15 at Hot AC. On their first-ever headline tour in December 2008, Straight No Chaser sold out shows across the country.
For up-to-the-minute news and information, visit www.sncmusic.com, and www.myspace.com/sncmusic.
About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
The Bushnell is Connecticut’s premier performing arts center, hosting more than 350 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events. The Bushnell is home to two theaters- the historic 2,800-seat Mortensen Hall, and the 907-seat Belding Theater, a state-of-the-art performance hall that opened in 2001. The Bushnell’s nationally recognized, award-winning, arts-in-education program, PARTNERS® (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), now in its 17th year, is a cross-community educational effort serving 21 schools and educational organizations in 8 districts across Connecticut. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a non-profit organization. For more information, call The Bushnell at (860) 987-6000, The Bushnell Box Office at (860) 987-5900 or visit our website at www.bushnell.org.
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With support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.