So, I'm not really that British.

I mean, I guess I kind of am, I do live here now, but I got my start in a cappella back in the states. The UK ICCAs were one of my first opportunities to check out the collegiate scene on this side of the pond. I hadn't seen any of these groups live yet since I don't live near Oxford, the a cappella capital of Britain. It was well worth the train ride.

I had participated in a few US ICCAs, so I was especially curious to see if there were any major differences between how the countries run their competitions. There were really only two differences that I could see.

First, in most of the ICCAs I've attended, the hosts have been another a cappella group, usually from the host university. At the Oxford competition, our host was a young man named Marc Vastenavondt, an OOTB alum, there to "belt showtunes at an unsuspecting audience," according to the program. It took me until his judging period set to figure out what his speaking voice actually sounded like, since he seemed to use "funny" accents throughout the first half of the show. His set was very entertaining, especially when he encouraged everyone to do VP along to his off-the-cuff rendition of "Midnight Train to Georgia." I'm not sure whether it's tradition to have a solo host in the UK or not, but it could simply be the case that all of the other Oxford groups were competing (which was very cool in itself).

The other, bigger difference was judges' feedback. Rather than giving each group their judging sheets after the announcements, the three judges gave verbal feedback to each group onstage before announcing the winners. They mentioned some things that all groups could work on (balance between soloist and block, more uniformity in dress), and
then went through the groups individually, describing what they liked and didn't like about each set. I'm sure the performers must have been nervous about this portion of the evening, but everyone handled it with class and good spirits.

Other than those differences, it was the same spirit of ICCA that we know and love in the States: the obvious hard work and rehearsal that had led up to the evening, the high energy performances, the spirit of all the groups seeing their work pay off, and the enthusiasm from the audience. It was quite a night.

I've made some notes about each set -- just my opinion. I've starred the song that was my favorite of the three. You (and the judges) may disagree.

IN THE PINK (Oxford)

1. We Will Rock You
2. A Nightengale Sang in Berkeley Square *
3. ABBA Medley

Dress: Black tops, pink skirts, black stockings

These ladies have clearly worked hard to put together a set that shows off both their energy and their musicality. Their best song, "A Nightengale Sang in Berkeley Square," was a sensitive performance with attention to dynamics and tuning. I particularly appreciated the lovely blonde soprano whose name I didn't catch, both in "Nightengale" and in her duet featured in the ABBA medley. While the medley and their opener "We Will Rock You" had some entertaining moments (and some fine vocal percussion by Suzie Merchant, who received the Outstanding VP award for her performance), I did take issue
with a few things. First, for a song such as aggressive as "We Will Rock You," the soloists often settled into a light head voice. The block often fell into the same trap, and the overall sound became rather thin. These girls shouldn't be afraid to try experimenting with healthy belting-- it could pay off immensely. Secondly, in certain formations that were "narrow but deep" (girls standing in two parallel, vertical lines, or in some similar arrangement), it is very distracting to have the girl doing VP (sans mic) or a top soprano fighting for the high notes stationed in the very front. The facial expressions often required for such parts drew my attention away from everything else. Equally distracting was one particularly plunging neckline on an energetic soloist in the ABBA medley. Be careful, ladies. And finally, it seemed that many of In the Pink's arrangements featured very low bass and very high soprano, but not much core. Mid-range may seem less impressive than high As, but bringing more focus there could really be the key to making the Pink ladies' arrangements more solid.

THE ALTERNOTIVES (Oxford) -- Outstanding Soloist, Dan Richards

1. Blame it on the Boogie*
2. California Dreamin'
3. Don't Stop Me Now

Dress: Black, each member with a different color flair (ribbons for girls, ties for boys)

I'm in the camp that believes co-ed groups have a bit more difficulty in developing appropriate choreography (girls can be sexy, guys can be funny, but mix them and it can get awkward). Whether you agree or not, it is hard to deny that the Alternotives are doing something right. Each member brought really great individual energy, especially towards the end of their opener, "Blame it on the Boogie." Also impressive was the performance by Outstanding Soloist Dan Richards. A Jackson 5 solo is quite an undertaking, and Mr. Richards pulled it off with ease and style. I also enjoyed James Leveson in "California Dreamin." Although I always like to see male voices take on Queen, Heather Hendrickson was fine on "Don't Stop Me Now," when I could hear her. The acoustic setup with the Alternotive's enthusiastic block overwhelmed Miss Hendrickson for most of the song. A microphone would have helped immensely. Altogether, the Alternotives offered a fun, high-energy set. Plus, they just seemed like such nice kids, I couldn't help but like them.


THE SWEET NOTHINGS (Exeter)

1. Like a Prayer
2. Moondance *
3. Shine

Dress: Various outfits in black, red and white

While The Sweet Nothings have room for improvement, they made a strong showing for a group only a little over a year old. Their arrangements were simple but appropriate for a new group. "Like a Prayer" was not outstanding, but maybe just because I'm not a fan of the whole "everybody clap" thing. "Moondance" was a highlight, showcasing several lovely solo voices in a jazzy style that brought out the best in their sound. "Shine" was a little less polished. The tempo accellerated in the first few measures, and there was a bit of a blend issue with some soprano voices. However, the highlight certainly came at the end in a powerhouse duet between two of the ladies (a blonde and redhead whose names I failed to catch), stomping and belting and energizing the crowd. This strong ending was capped with a multi-level pose, including splits and at least one Sweet Nothing raised in the air. These ladies have definite potential, and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

THE BELLES (Oxford) -- Third Place, Outstanding Choreography,
Outstanding Arrangement (All 3)

1. Do Your Thing / I Just Can't Wait to be King
2. Breathe Me
3. One Way Or Another *

Dress: Various outfits in black and teal

These girls know what they're doing. I certainly couldn't have predicted how well Basement Jaxx would work for all-female acappella, especially combined with a Lion King interlude. The Belles made it all work, and with no inhibition. I also admired how the Belles still included an injured member in the performance; she sang along from a chair at the side of the stage. I didn't find it distracting in the least, and I commend the Belles for taking that risk and sticking together as a group. "Breathe Me" featured duets to capture Sia's unique sound, and while I enjoyed their other two selections more, the Belles get points here for degree of difficulty. The highlight for me was "One Way or Another". While Dan Richards of the Alternotives certainly merited his Outstanding Soloist award, Christine Kelley gets my honorable mention. I wrote down "brilliant and charismatic" in my program. Not only did I like her vocally, but her character was outstanding: very likeable, but a little crazy (as it should be). I was very impressed overall. I think I may have a new favorite all-female group.

OUT OF THE BLUE (Oxford) -- First Place
1. Shake Your Tailfeather*
2. Fix You
3. Cross Town Traffic

Dress: Standard OOTB uniform - dark suits with blue dress shirt

Of all the groups performing this evening, I was especially interested to see these guys perform live. I'd heard more about them than any of the others, so my expectations were particularly high. I will say this, these guys weren't as perfect as their reputation may have led me to believe. I was a surprised by some of the tuning issues I heard in "Fix You" from both soloist and block (granted, the soloist was apparently sick that evening), and I was not blown away by the solo work on "Cross Town Traffic". That being said, OOTB knows how to put on a show. The judges commended the guys for their consistent energy, saying that they couldn't pick out anyone who wasn't giving it his all 100% of the time. "Shake a Tailfeather" was a
strong, energizing performance, giving a modern edge to a older tune. The transitions between songs were seamless. The bridge into "Hey Ya" was particularly creative; each member faced front and used the percussive sounds of "shake it" to create a really interesting and unique rhythmic effect. The whole sequence was a definite crowd-pleaser. While I wasn't blown away by "Fix You", I did appreciate the creative syllables, such as "shin da tin daga." Very refreshing after an evening of "doh"s and "ba dah"s. And while the solo was a little overwhelmed by the block, I really enjoyed the choreography on"Cross Town Traffic". Car choreo was never so cool. Congratulations to Out of the Blue for their win. I'm glad I had the chance to see them live, and I wish them the best.

THE GARGOYLES (Oxford) -- Second Place

0. Gargoyle Song
1. Sir Duke
2. Another You
3. Cloudburst*

Dress: Tuxes for the guys, black dresses for the girls

What class. The Gargoyles have mastered balancing a sophisticated style with the youthful energy of university students. I was very impressed by their jazz technique, but even more impressed that they did their own arrangements. All of them were stellar, and I assumed they were professionally done until one of the judges brought it up at the end. As another judge mentioned, "every group should have their own theme song." I enjoyed the short, snappy Gargoyles song, and how it lead nicely into "Sir Duke". I'm sure it must not be easy to incorporate traditional acappella choreo into a jazz set, but it seemed natural to the Gargoyles in this opener. "Another You" was beautiful and very professional with lovely solo work, but my favorite was "Cloudburst." The three soloists were impressive, tackling speed-lyrics while staying in perfectly in tune. I was especially floored by Rhiannon, the soprano soloist, with her solid intonation and clear tone. I could see a future in professional jazz for this girl. The Gargoyles delivered a very strong ending to the show, and earned a much-deserved place in the semifinals.

After an extra-long deliberation period, the groups gathered on stage for the judges' reviews and announcements. Out of the Blue, The Gargoyles, and the Belles will be advancing to the Semi-Finals in London, and deservedly so. Congratulations to them and to all the groups who participated. I can't wait to see and hear more from all of them in the future. I think I may have to make my way to Oxford more often.