Resos’ AKFEST Benefits Japan

The night of April 2 saw yet an­other amazing performance deliv­ered in the chapel by the Colgate Resolutions (better known as the Resos) at their annual spring con­cert, AKFEST. AKFEST, short for “A capella Fest,” held this year to benefit the victims of the March 11 disaster in Japan, raised $1,100 and had quite a significant turnout.

“This was the first time in 19 years we made [the show] a fund­raiser. We figured that our concert was a great way to bring people together, and noticed that there had not been many other events on campus to acknowledge the disaster, and felt that people who just lost their homes and friends could use the money more than we could,” said musical director and senior Malcolm Piper.

In attendance were faculty, friends and family members, in addition to members of the Hamilton commu­nity. Also present were Reso alumni who joined this year’s group on stage for their final number, “Operator.”

The concert began with clamoring bells and hoots from anxious Reso alumni as the Colgate Resolution’s made their procession onstage. After tumultuous applause for their first num­ber, Piper told audience members that they shouldn’t hold back from dancing along.

The Resos began with the Beatle hit, “With a Little Help from My Friends,” with soloist senior Chris Adler leading the way. Next up was a rendi­tion of “Show Me Love” where sophomore Molly McDevitt serenaded one lucky audience member. After the blushing man departed the stage, the Resos performed Alabama’s “I’m in a Hurry,” in which they pulled out their imaginary guitars. Their rendition of “Whatever Tomorrow Brings” was one of many highlights to the performance, and includ­ed a candlelight interlude and a lovely solo by junior Chloe Nwangwu. Following a number with the take charge alto voice of first-year Gabby Ambrosio, the audience was treated to Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” by the sultry styling’s of first-year Marly Levine.

The dancing came fully under way after this number, with a collective shimmy from the Resos. Sophomore Molly Frantzen performed Nelly Furtado’s “Powerless.” Later, sophomore Evan Weissblum put all basses to shame with his solo in “Where I Go, I Just Don’t Know” while the Resos encouraged audience members to join them in taking out their imaginary ores .

The penultimate number, a mash up of K’naan’s “Waving Flag,” was gorgeously executed in a duet by sophomore Nicole Vilanova and first-year Josh Hair. I couldn’t keep still in my balcony seat, and everyone around seemed trans­fixed by the perfectly harmonizing voices as well.

After the final number by all the Resos, past and present, I was one of many who were sad to see the concert come to an end, but with an album coming out next semester, soon we can all get a piece of the night to bring home with us. You can also catch the Resos at the Barge on April 22, and footage of the concert should be available on YouTube within the coming weeks.