Straight No Chaser returns to IU fan base in April

Straight No Chaser was formed more than 10 years ago at IU, but the original members, now signed with ATCO/Atlantic records, are continuing to perform for their most loyal fan base.

The original Straight No Chaser, a 10-member a capella group, will perform April 12 at the IU Auditorium. The group is currently working on releasing a 2010 pop album and has already released two holiday albums, “Holiday Spirits” and “Christmas Cheer,” and a six-track EP, “Six Pack.”

Tickets will be available at 10 a.m. today through Dec. 17 at the auditorium’s Web site for members of the IU Auditorium Email Club. The public sale begins 10 a.m. Dec. 18 both online and at the auditorium box office. Prices are $19 to $28 and are $13 to $23 for IU-Bloomington students and adults.

IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said there are numerous highlights of Straight No Chaser’s performance.

“High energy – the guys have a great time performing together. The second thing is that they’re a unique brand of a capella performance,” Booher said. “The third thing is the camaraderie that they have together and with the audience. It makes a really entertaining experience to be at the concert.”

After graduating from IU, members of the group went on different career paths. Some continued to pursue musical engagements while others ventured on to unrelated fields, according to sncproductions.com.

Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman watched a YouTube video from one of SNC’s 1998 concerts, and the rest is history.

Senior Paula Kramer, a volunteer for Live Nation’s street team, who has worked to promote other SNC concerts, said the group has fantastic performers, and what gives them an edge is not only their talent, but their experience with music, such as going on Broadway.

She said they bring a lot to the performances, and when they perform in Bloomington, it’s something special.

“It’s refreshing to see because it started at IU,” Kramer said. “It’s nice to see that something that started at IU has become something that’s translated outside the borders of Indiana and has become national.”

Kramer said the group has a strong dynamic because its members have worked together for years, and remaining with the same members allows a solid musical sound.

“Every time you replace a group members of any musical group, especially in a capella, the entire dynamic of the group changes,” she said. “The group that’s here has to deal with so many changes so often, it’s hard to keep a cohesive sound. These are all the original guys, especially because they have a contract, they’re locked in.”

IU’s current Straight No Chaser group hasn’t yet reached the same level of commercial success, but the group’s business manager Brent Mann said they are learning things from the original group.

“I think the biggest thing we can take from them is their professionalism and how they carry themselves,” Mann said.

Mann said that IU’s SNC has a variety of majors in the group, such as chemistry and business, while the original SNC had more music majors. He used humor to describe another distinguishing factor in the two groups.

“Besides the age, we like to joke that they’re the old Straight No Chaser, and we’re the younger, better-looking guys,” Mann said.

Mann said he has positive feelings regarding the original group’s success. He said IU’s SNC is proud of its achievement, and is always listening to its music.

“Their sound – they have a great blend, a lot of the guys have a lot of experience singing with each other, they do a wide range of music,” Mann said. “They’re very well rounded – they have a great, full sound. Every performance they do a very good job. They never have a bad performance.”