Crowds of students funneled through the doors of Devlin 008 Friday night to see The Heightsmen, the only all-male a cappella group at Boston College, perform at their Fall Cafe. The group of 11 had the audience singing along the whole time, from the second it opened with Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young” to their bittersweet ending with “Good Old Acappella.”
The group has a lot of humor—throughout the evening, it sang unexpected songs that made everyone laugh, such as “Beautiful Girls” by Sean Kingston and an ’80s medley that included Boston’s “More Than a Feeling,” Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al,” Toto’s “Africa,” Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.” It was especially impressive how the group seamlessly transitioned from one song to the next. They were all performed with complete seriousness and executed flawlessly, which added to the charm of the evening.
During the Heightsmen Dance, the four freshmen comically danced to a Rihanna medley that included “Please Don’t Stop the Music” and “SOS Please.” Their hilarious choreography provoked the loudest cheers of the night—audience members were filming the performance as they laughed and sang along. While it might have been funny, credit should be given where credit is due—the freshmen rocked their dance, and did a fantastic job learning all the choreography.
Asinine, BC’s only sketch and improv comedy group, made a guest appearance during the Fall Cafe. The group called on unsuspecting audience members throughout their set, keeping everyone smiling and on their toes.
Throughout the show, the Heightsmen provided consistently impressive harmonies. The group truly worked as a team during their performance of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” Jack Peterson, MCAS ’20, did a phenomenal job as the soloist, but the rest of the group carried the rest of the complex, heavily-layered song with precision and ease.
Besides all of the laughs and funny moments throughout a Heightsmen show, the main reason the group consistently yields a huge turnout is its sheer talent. Each member of the group adds an important element, and all their voices are heard. The perfection in their performances allows them to pull off a few silly, light-hearted moments like the Heightsmen dance or performing funny throwback songs. The group’s prestige, charm, and talent allow it to capture the audience’s attention, no matter what it’s performing.
Featured Image by Katie Genirs / Heights Editor
