When one typically thinks of a cappella, one might imagine a perfectly harmonized scene from the movie “Pitch Perfect.” A cappella embodies synchronized performance, planning and coordination. What definitely may not come to mind is the idea of a roulette: a risky and random game of chance. Defying our expectations, the Colgate Resolutions (Resos) flexed their a cappella prowess for an evening of “Reso Roulette” on Saturday, March 2 at Parker Commons (the Mat).
“Reso Roulette” was a playful and unconventional concert, as the audience members were responsible for shouting out songs they wanted to hear from a list of 44 songs. This impressive list included a curation of 38 solos, four group songs and two duets from a wide variety of artists and genres. Unlike a traditional a cappella concert at Colgate University, the audience was in full control of how the night progressed. Senior Victoria Crow, a member of the Resos, notes how she was looking forward to the spontaneity of this unusual concert.
“The audience gets to choose our set list based on whatever they want to hear. So, the songs and the soloists are going to be new to both us and the audience,” Crow said.
Senior and community programming coordinator of the Resos, Nicholas Cinnamo, spearheaded the revival of the tradition of the spontaneous concert after speaking to Resos alumni over the group’s annual January tour.
“I met a Reso alum from the early 2000s who said they used to do a concert called ‘Total Request Live,’ based off of an old MTV show where viewers voted for the music videos they wanted to watch,” Cinnamo said. “This tradition was sort of lost in history, but I thought it’d be a really exciting and interactive concert to bring back, so I proposed it to our president and music director and they were on board.”
Although “Reso Roulette” unfolded seamlessly and looked rather effortless, Cinnamo describes the behind-the-scenes planning process that made this possible.
“We wanted to find a balance of providing the audience with a lot of songs to choose from, but also ensuring that we felt confident on all of the songs. Then, once the song list was made, we had to determine soloists,” Cinnamo said. “Each Reso sent in solos that they would be comfortable on, and a list of potential soloists was made for each song. When someone requested a song, the person first on the list would solo. If the person first had already soloed, we’d go to the next person on the list and so on. This process ensured that a wide variety of Resos would be able to solo.”
Starting with slower songs, like “Creep” by Radiohead and “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, the night eventually took a turn towards faster-paced and more lively songs, like Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.”
Sophomore and Resos member Billie Scholz was chosen to sing Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.”
“It was really enjoyable to get to be so engaged with the audience and cater our performance to what they wanted to see. I hope we continue to do more unconventional shows like this in the future,” Scholz said.
First-year Rob Vanderhoef, who was in the audience, felt that the unique theme of the concert made for an enjoyable experience.
“Every song was filled with fun energy and vibes,” Vanderhoef said. “The singing was phenomenal, and I can’t wait to see them perform again at their next concert.”
“Reso Roulette” not only defied the conventional expectations of an a cappella concert, but also showcased the Colgate Resolutions’ adaptability in order to create an unforgettable experience for both performers and audience alike.
