Out of the Blue
Jun. 4th, 2009 05:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jadesfireI kind of want to make this post one long string of videos, because it's hard to do these guys justice with just words. But we'll have a go anyway.
Out of the Blue are an all-male a cappella group, started in 2000 and drawing members from Oxford University and (now) Oxford Brookes University. They've won competitions in the UK and Europe, and this year, were second in the world. Considering American Universities have a much longer and better-established history at this kind of singing, that's pretty good going.
I'd heard Out of the Blue singing on Cornmarket, promoting their concerts and was pretty blown away. So when we could actually get tickets to hear them live, we were both pretty excited. As was everyone else in the audience, if the noise level was anything to go by!
Nope, it's no good. I can't describe the performance to you. All the recordings I can find are pretty lousy, but they'll have to do. You've got to see it:
link in case video won't play
The video doesn't begin to get across what it's like to be there, and the atmosphere in the theatre was brilliant. That's not this year's line-up, but it's fairly typical of their kind of thing. Apart from the choreography, which is always entertaining, what always stands out about Out of the Blue is the quality of the arrangements. As in the video above, they have a knack for hearing when songs blend into each other and playing with that. I can' remember all the songs from last night, but this should give you a sample:
~ Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name/Livin' on a Prayer
~ The Feeling - I love it when you call
~ System of a Down - Chop Suey
~ Take That - Patience
~ Elvis vs Jxl Presley - A little less conversation (this one got a surreal when they *literally* mixed Elvis songs in with it)
~ Human League - Don't you want me, baby mixed with "This was acceptable in the 80s"
~ Billy Joel - Lullabye (Goodnight my angel)
~ Tom Jones - Sex Bomb
~ The Lion Sleeps Tonight (With the audience helping out...)
~ The Beatles - Daytripper
~ Billy Joel - Tell her about it
~ Scissor Sisters - I don't feel like dancing
~ Stevie Wonder - Very Superstitious (mixed with something else that will come to me...)
~ McFly - Five colours in her hair
~ Justin Timberlake medley
~ Damien Rice - Cold Water
~ Mustang Sally (by whoever sings your favourite version ;))
~ Blues Brothers - Shake your tail feather
~ Frankie Valli - Oh What a Night
...and those are just the ones I can remember. In the middle of each act was a short skit, "The evolution of the bass" in the first half and a brilliant demonstration of beat-boxing in the second. All the percussion you hear in any of these songs? That's all them.
There's a good number of videos here, of varying quality (my favourite is 'Fat Bottomed Girls') and a few more here, but a search for "OOTB" on YouTube will bring up loads.
It was a fantastic evening. These guys are incredible performers, as you'll see from the videos. It's not just the singing, it's the whole package from the initial arrangement to the dancing to the quality of the performance. If you get the chance to see them (They're probably doing the Edinburgh festival this year), go.
Out of the Blue are an all-male a cappella group, started in 2000 and drawing members from Oxford University and (now) Oxford Brookes University. They've won competitions in the UK and Europe, and this year, were second in the world. Considering American Universities have a much longer and better-established history at this kind of singing, that's pretty good going.
I'd heard Out of the Blue singing on Cornmarket, promoting their concerts and was pretty blown away. So when we could actually get tickets to hear them live, we were both pretty excited. As was everyone else in the audience, if the noise level was anything to go by!
Nope, it's no good. I can't describe the performance to you. All the recordings I can find are pretty lousy, but they'll have to do. You've got to see it:
link in case video won't play
The video doesn't begin to get across what it's like to be there, and the atmosphere in the theatre was brilliant. That's not this year's line-up, but it's fairly typical of their kind of thing. Apart from the choreography, which is always entertaining, what always stands out about Out of the Blue is the quality of the arrangements. As in the video above, they have a knack for hearing when songs blend into each other and playing with that. I can' remember all the songs from last night, but this should give you a sample:
~ Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name/Livin' on a Prayer
~ The Feeling - I love it when you call
~ System of a Down - Chop Suey
~ Take That - Patience
~ Elvis vs Jxl Presley - A little less conversation (this one got a surreal when they *literally* mixed Elvis songs in with it)
~ Human League - Don't you want me, baby mixed with "This was acceptable in the 80s"
~ Billy Joel - Lullabye (Goodnight my angel)
~ Tom Jones - Sex Bomb
~ The Lion Sleeps Tonight (With the audience helping out...)
~ The Beatles - Daytripper
~ Billy Joel - Tell her about it
~ Scissor Sisters - I don't feel like dancing
~ Stevie Wonder - Very Superstitious (mixed with something else that will come to me...)
~ McFly - Five colours in her hair
~ Justin Timberlake medley
~ Damien Rice - Cold Water
~ Mustang Sally (by whoever sings your favourite version ;))
~ Blues Brothers - Shake your tail feather
~ Frankie Valli - Oh What a Night
...and those are just the ones I can remember. In the middle of each act was a short skit, "The evolution of the bass" in the first half and a brilliant demonstration of beat-boxing in the second. All the percussion you hear in any of these songs? That's all them.
There's a good number of videos here, of varying quality (my favourite is 'Fat Bottomed Girls') and a few more here, but a search for "OOTB" on YouTube will bring up loads.
It was a fantastic evening. These guys are incredible performers, as you'll see from the videos. It's not just the singing, it's the whole package from the initial arrangement to the dancing to the quality of the performance. If you get the chance to see them (They're probably doing the Edinburgh festival this year), go.
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Date: 2009-06-04 08:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-05 08:24 am (UTC)Out of the Blue have to be seen to get the full awesomeness, I think :) Glad you enjoyed!