2007 Chicago Regional Winners: NightwatchNightwatch was formed in 1998 as a result of a lost bet, or at least it seems that way. "Stik" (Fireman - ask to see his Dalmatian), "Flip" (Security pro - he breaks in and cleans out your fridge), "Leo" (Nursing home crooner/heartthrob) and "Nooge" (Nacho cheese pump problems? He’s your man!) have been berating each other ever since meeting at a local Sadie Hawkins dance (they were the ones "holding up the wall"). Their consistent refusal to get serious actually paid off in August of 2000 - they were crowned the Buckeye Invitational Comedy Quartet Champions after performing their now infamous (this means 'more than famous', right?) Diner Set© in front of tens of people. Since then, they've hoodwinked their way into a 2001 Division Quartet Championship and a spot in the 2003 Harmony Sweepstakes National Finals. Scores of unsuspecting audience members across the country have made it through a “Nightwatch Experience”; the lucky ones brought a tarp. No matter what the venue, you can expect a wide array of musical styles from this group. What you cannot expect is for them to go to bed early or to have serious conversations with each other, or anyone else for that matter. 2007 Chicago Regional: Second Place Home FreeHome Free is a perfect fusion of comedy and four-part harmony. Built upon the acoustic beauty of "a cappella" and combined with one astounding vocal percussionist, Home Free has been amazing audiences all over the Midwest since 2000. With their extensive theatrical and musical training leading the way, Home Free’s performances showcase a new, animated, and electrifying experience that leaves audiences breathless. Eschewing traditional forms of a cappella, Home Free is carving new ground, expanding their audience’s horizons, and introducing its own unique flavor to the musical world. Their genre of music is an expansive mix from pop songs to classical and even techno, all successfully done with only the human voice and microphones. This music is put to the explosive beats of one of the most exciting vocal percussionists in the a cappella scene. Home Free has performed for a diverse clientele, ranging from the Minnesota Vikings to Fortune 500 companies like United Health Group. They can also be found this summer on a four month touring contract with Celebrity Cruise Lines aboard the luxurious “Infinity.” Home Free also devotes their time to educating and encouraging music in our public schools through innovative workshops and concert fundraising. Their programs have raised thousands of dollars for schools in Minnesota. Home Free is doing what they love, anxious to continue pushing the boundaries of what they can do, both musically and professionally. 2007 Chicago Regional: Third Place Vocal ChaosVocal Chaos is one of Chicago's most exciting and unique a cappella bands. Always fresh and fun, their arrangements include classic rock songs from artists like The Jackson 5, The Rolling Stones and Elvis Costello, as well as hits from current groups like Tonic, *NSYNC, Counting Crows and The BoDeans. Celebrating 11 years of a cappella rock in 2007, this semi-pro group of consultants, marketers, actors, students, computer geeks, a playwright and a cartographer performs throughout the Chicagoland area at sporting arenas, corporate events, school assemblies, charity functions, a host of other public venues and even on the big screen. You might have seen them performing at Soldier Field exclusively for the Chicago Fire major league soccer team, entertaining at SeptemberFest in Schaumburg, IL, or singing the National Anthem for the World Champion Chicago White Sox. (You can even see some of them in the Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn movie, "The Break Up.") These guys live to sing the songs you know and love, in a way you've never heard before! It's all you would expect from your favorite band, minus the instruments! Other 2007 Chicago Regional Competitors offBeat AcappellaoffBeat Acappella is a five voice, co-ed, semi-professional vocal band performing out of Madison, WI. They perform an eclectic mix of contemporary rock, pop, jazz, and doo wop; all without the use of instruments. All sounds are made by human voice and appendages. Their sound is characterized by tight harmonies, driving bass lines, and explosive vocal percussion. offBeat's music, as well as their "off beat" sense of humor, make them as much fun to see as they are to hear. If you like what you hear, order their CD, No Instruments.  OMGTHNX & WLCM 2 OMG! JTLYK a lil more about OMG! Nobody is really sure what the letters stand 4; One More Group, Oh My God...On Musical Genius...but they do know exactly what they stand 4 when it comes 2 entertaining an audience! IMHO fun is a natural byproduct when you take a baker, a chocoholic, the mother of the cutest baby known to man, a baseball fan who claims that the only real team in Chicago is the Cubs, a drum machine, an MBA, a garage pianist and Ian...who BTW wants you to know that although he may play the fool at times, he is more than just a pretty blonde girl with a butt that won't quit!...LOL You're thinking OMG right? FWIW, OMG! is here to bring u exciting arrangements that take elements from contempo a cappella, jazz, blues, BBS, musicals, pop and OMG flare, it's no wonder OMG is the hottest thing to hit Chicago since the fire! HTH...HAND...C U L8R! (J/K)  ShircagoSince their last Sweeps performance in 2003, Shircago has been busy at African-American/Jewish Freedom Seders, B'nai Mitvzah, weddings, and recording and producing its first studio album, “Shircago”, which is now available for purchase! Shircago strives to make Jewish music accessible to all ages and backgrounds. From traditional songs to modern innovations, from English to Yiddish to Hebrew to Ladino, from the corner bar to a bar mitzvah, Shircago has been performing its blend of contemporary Jewish a cappella music for years. We'd love to be a part of your special event!  Sound UpSound Up is an a cappella quintet from the city of Akron, Ohio. Mixing together the styles of R&B, soul, funk, jazz and pop into a cappella singing, they write, record, and perform their own original music and arrangements. Starting as the septet "7stacked" in high school, all members of the quintet are graduates from Harvey S. Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio. With a new sound and completely new music, the newly named "Sound Up" is a fresh blend of a wide mix of style, musicality and personality. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
