Boston College’s all-male a cappella group, The Heightsmen, and BC’s all-female a cappella group, The Sharps, joined hands wearing rouge dresses and rose boutonnieres to deliver a Valentine’s Day special on Feb. 17 in Devlin 008.
The “Love on the Sheights” event, a play on the names of the two groups, took over the lecture hall on Saturday, featuring love songs fitting for the romantic season.
Although not heavily advertised, the show drew in an impressive crowd. The Sharps kicked off the show with “Easy to Love” by Couch, performed by soloist Maddie Andrews, MCAS ’25. The smooth love song featured a wide vocal range and created a passionate atmosphere from the beginning.
Soloist Julia Rousmaniere, MCAS ’26, took over with a soulful rendition of “At Last” by Etta James. The animated vocals moved the crowd, earning loud applause at the end.
For their second to last song, The Sharps showed off their top-notch harmonizing abilities with “Movement” by Hozier, performed by Gabriella Franchi, MCAS ’26. Soloist Ryann Johnson-Wojnicki, CSOM ’25, finished the set with “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls, featuring a small interactive opening and pointing at the members of The Heightsmen in the audience during the lyrics, “it’s raining men.” The group jammed and swayed to the music throughout.
The set then switched over to The Heightsmen, starting off with “Shape of My Heart” by Backstreet Boys performed by soloist Noah McGuire, CSOM ’25.
Instead of serenading to a specific girl as they have in past performances, The Heightsmen dedicated their next song, “My Girl” by The Temptations performed by George Arianas, CSOM ’24, to The Sharps. The audience cheered as they changed the lyrics, singing “I’m talking about The Sharps.” The members concluded by kneeling down and holding their hands to receive The Sharps, which sent the crowd wild.
Second to last in The Heightsmen’s set, the upbeat song “Accidentally in Love” by Counting Crows, performed by soloist Jake Parkman, MCAS ’24, echoed through the hall.
The group finished with “Story of My Life” by One Direction. The song featured various soloists, but especially highlighted the stunning tenor voice of new Heightsmen member Cam Matheson, MCAS ’25.
The Sharps joined the Heightsmen on the stage for two collaborative performances. They started with the classic “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John and Kiki Dee, performed by multiple soloists, creatively pairing Heightsmen and Sharps members as they rotated around the mics. Each pair’s voices had a unique sound, showing off their musicality and teamwork.
The show concluded with the heartfelt love song “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. Soloists Nary Oo, CSOM ’25, and Gregory Redmond, CSOM ’24, stunned the audience with the compatibility of their voices. The night came to a satisfying end as the two groups took their bows, leaving the audience with their hearts warmed on a chilly February evening.
