Fake feud divides all-male acapella group for spring concert hilarity
By Liz Reichart, A&E Editor //
High Point University’s premiere male a cappella group, the Toccatatones, took a turn for the worse this April. Internal feuding led to a perfect 50-50 split, and now two groups have emerged from the all-male musical collective: the O-Tones and the Toccata-Blues. All for the purposes of promotion of their spring concert, the a capella group has gone all out with the concept of their fake feud. “I’ve actually been sitting on this idea for about two years now,” says Toccatatones leader senior Caleb Redslob. Their performance, entitled “Toccatatones: Versus” was preceded by weeks of build-up on social media. Two teams of vocal performers battled it out musically during their concert on April 25, and each of these teams came with their own loyal following, promo videos, and Facebook fan pages. “It’s a very interactive marketing ploy and creates opportunities for cool visuals on stage. It’s really just fun,” adds Redslob.
Versus Spring Concert offered HPU students the opportunity for involvement. “The audience has the chance to really get invested in this concert. The teams obviously provide cheering options, but they also serve to feature the spectrum of talent that exist in the group right now,” says Redslob. When it came to splitting up into two teams, there was little strategy involved as all members were eager to embrace the competitive spirit. “The rivalries are arbitrary. The split ups were formed in a rehearsal setting,” says Redslob.
“The group is composed of a very diverse personalities, but the intersection of these characters results in pure fun,” he adds. Those personalities came out in full force at their spring concert, just as Redslob expected. “This isn’t just a few guys singing songs while everyone looks at them. It’s electric, and, most importantly, loud. Rehearsals are going really well and I think that the work is going to pay off for both sides,” said Redslob pre-show. The fast-paced set list left no audience member disappointed. Current songs still on the top of the charts like “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars and “Roar” by Katy Perry were dispersed amongst clas- sic gems like “Come Sail Away”by Styx and “Free Ride” by the Edgar Winter Group. The harmonies were consistently tight, and by the close of the concert, with the feud finally resolved, the friendships were even tighter.