Last modified: Thursday, December 3, 2009
A cappella sensation Straight No Chaser to return to IU Auditorium in April
WHAT: Straight No Chaser
WHEN: April 12, 2010, 8 p.m.
WHERE: IU Auditorium, 1211 E. 7th St
TICKETS: $13-23 for IU Bloomington students with a valid ID and children and $19-28 for general public, on sale Dec. 18 at 10 a.m. IU Auditorium is offering a pre-sale starting Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. on its Web site, IUauditorium.com. Individual tickets may be purchased online at IUauditorium.com, in person at the IU Auditorium Box Office, as well as through Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000. The IU Auditorium Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 3, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A cappella group Straight No Chaser will perform at Indiana University Auditorium April 12, 2010, at 8 p.m.
IU Auditorium will offer a pre-sale starting Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. on its Web site at https://www.iuauditorium.com. Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster, in addition to the IU Auditorium box office and https://www.iuauditorium.com, starting Dec. 18 at 10 a.m.
The concert will feature songs from the band's newest contemporary album, which is scheduled for release in April 2010 by ATCO/Atlantic.
"While many of us have known for years that Straight No Chaser was a local treasure, now the entire country has been treated to their incredible talent and they have become a true national phenomenon," said IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher. "We look forward to bringing them back to IU so that their first fans and followers -- along with a new audience -- have the opportunity to experience their energetic, spirited show."
Founded at IU 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, the band members viewed themselves as a local band that just happened to use their voices as instruments. As original member Randy Stine said, "We take the music very seriously -- we just don't take ourselves too seriously."
The 10-man group performed at campus events and sorority functions, and soon found itself headlining concerts. Within two years, Straight No Chaser was touring nationally, reinventing the idea of a cappella on the modern pop music landscape. The group opened for artists such as Lou Rawls, performed at Chicago Cubs and White Sox games and blew away a sold-out Carnegie Hall crowd at the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.
In 1999, the graduating members of Straight No Chaser chose their replacements, ensuring that the tradition they had created would continue on with successive generations of IU undergrads. In 2006, IU decided to host a reunion concert for the group's original members, and in honor of the event, Randy Stine posted footage from one of its 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 it to the label.
Straight No Chaser's first album, Holiday Spirits, spent 14 days on at the No. 1 spot on Amazon and five days in the top spot overall on iTunes. Straight No Chaser has appeared on the Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, CNN Headline News and QVC, along with many other TV and radio appearances. Since the release of its album in 2008, the group has toured nationally to sold-out audiences. Straight No Chaser's recently released Christmas Cheers features both original tracks and classic Christmas songs reworked in the group's inventive, original style. The group also recently released a contemporary album, Six Pack, an EP of six non-holiday cover songs ranging from "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse to a medley of "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz and the classic Wizard of Oz favorite "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
The birth of Straight No Chaser's second life is a story of talent, drive, and some very good luck. But the band's goal remains the same as it was back in their college days. "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," said Stine.
