Western Courier

Issue date: 5/6/05 Section: The Edge

Media Credit: Craig Finlay Members of The Advantage present their unique combination of humor, wit and music at the COFAC recital hall on Sunday.

a cap.pel.la adv. Without musical accompaniment.

ad.van.tage n. A beneficial factor combination of factors.

Of those who showed up to the College of Fine Arts and Communication recital hall Sunday evening for the The Advantage concert, those already acquainted knew what to expect and those who decided to take a chance and show up were pleasantly surprised. Anyone who didn't show up missed out.

The idea of a glowing review for an a cappella group performing pop cover songs may reek of buddy-buddy ism or a campus goodwill gesture. It's not. The Advantage's combination of singing talent and onstage antics meant its concert rivaled any of this semester's Western Hall bookings for entertainment value.

"It was fun to watch, and I thought Justin Thomas sounded particularly well," said Nick Sutton, senior elementary education major.

Composed of eight Western students and members of the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity, The Advantage is an a cappella group, using only its voices to perform songs - the lyrics and the music. At times this required a level of inventiveness on the part of the members, for example Sean Murphy, recreation, park and tourism major, singing a guitar solo for the Eagles' "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

The Advantage doesn't simply stand in a line and sing songs, though, as impressive as is the dividing of a song's music into a complex series of "do's," "wa's" and "ba's" and distributing them among basses, baritones and tenors. (A rendition of George Michael's faith led by junior music major Ben Tague was the standout in this regard.) The group infuses comedy into its act as well.

During "Under the Boardwalk," group members grabbed senior music major Adam Beck by the feet and shoulders, turning him into a human boardwalk, under which the rest of the group danced one by one. During U2's "The Sweetest Thing," Bob Hanerhoff, senior music major and the group's musical director, played an insulting ventriloquist doll operated by senior music major Justin Thomas.

The Advantage wasn't formed until last year when the group found an eighth member. Before that, according to Hanerhoff, they were the "Heptet as yet." Being its one year anniversary, the group called the concert, "The Advantage of Turning 1."

Hanerhoff said the group's origins can be traced back several years ago when Phi Mu Alpha members would serenade various sororities around campus.

"We used to go along to the sorority houses and sing to the girls, who would always get a big kick out of it because we can actually sing," Hanerhoff said. "The other fraternities shout and chant and things like that." He said the encouragement they received persuaded them to form the group.

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