Saturday, October 27, 7:30 p.m.
Adler Theatre, 136 East Third Street, Davenport IA
Lauded by the New York Times for their “vibrantly warm-blooded” song stylings and by Iowa City's The Gazette for their “silky smooth a cappella harmonies shaking up pop tunes and standards,” the Chicago-based male vocalists of Straight No Chaser play Davenport's Adler Theatre on October 27, the group's singular sound and thrilling blend leading The Morning Call to ask, “What's not to love?”
The group formed in 1996 at Bloomington, Indiana's Indiana University, their moniker inspired by the title track on Thelonious Monk's 1967 album. Composed of nine male vocalists, six of whom still perform with the ensemble, Straight No Chaser made its debut singing for a 36-hour dance marathon, and the original lineup went on to perform at Chicago's Wrigley Field, Comiskey Park, and Navy Pier. They also opened for Lou Rawls and toured nationwide venues including Carnegie Hall, and the group's original members remained together until 1999, when new students were selected to replace the graduating members and Straight No Chaser continued to exist as a collegiate ensemble.
But in April of 2006, a 1998 video recording of the group's rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas” was posted on YouTube by original member Randy Stine. The song was an adaptation of a 1968 comic arrangement of the song by Richard C. Gregory, a faculty member of The Williston Northampton School, for his a cappella group the Williston Caterwaulers. Straight No Chaser added its own touches, including snippets from songs such as “I Have a Little Dreidel” and Toto's “Africa,” and the video went on to receive more than 19 million views. After viewing the video himself, Atlanta Records' CEO Craig Kallman contacted Stine to ask if the group would consider reuniting to record a new album, resulting in the release of Straight No Chaser's 2008 debut Holiday Spirits. The recording became the number-one-seller on both the iTunes and Amazon.com charts and led to appearances on such TV programs as Fox & Friends and NBC's Today show, and well as subsequent albums including Christmas Cheers, With a Twist, and Under the Influence. In addition to its recording sessions, Straight No Chaser maintains a rigorous touring schedule, and when the vocalists played Iowa City's Hancher Auditorium last year, The Gazette reported that “the multi-generational audience went wild with clapping, cheering, and three standing ovations – all well-deserved.”
Straight No Chaser performs locally at 7:30 p.m. on October 27, admission is $35-50-55.50, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 or visiting AdlerTheatre.com.
