MANSFIELD — Famed a cappella group Rockapella will perform live in concert at the Renaissance Theatre on Saturday, April 23 at 8 p.m.
Since the early ’90’s when they first achieved national television fame on PBS’s “Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?” Rockapella has toured the globe and provided a funky powerful soundtrack to several generations of vocal music fans.
With buckets of catchy original pop songs, and complete contemporary revisions of sparkling Motown, pop, and soul classics, this group will dish up an exciting and diverse vocal program ideal for anyone who loves great music.
As one of the progenitors of the astonishing full-band sound of “contemporary” a cappella, Rockapella has shown every audience the raw power of pure vocal talent and originality.
Rockapella’s influence has been widely imitated (but never duplicated) amidst the increasing popularity of the a cappella vocal style, as showcased by network television a cappella shows like NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” movies like “Pitch Perfect,” and innumerable college vocal groups on campuses everywhere.
The group is known for using only their voices to produce powerful melodies, harmonies and rhythms.
“There’s nothing between us and the audience – it’s very human music – with nothing missing,” says Rockapella’s human beatbox Jeff Thacher.
“We make it rock and make it interesting,” explains Scott Leonard, the group’s chief songwriter, arranger and an architect of their ever-evolving and imitated dynamic sound.
USA Today summed up the lasting appeal like this: “The best musical instrument of all is the human voice – if you’ve seen Rockapella you know that’s the truth.”
The current Rockapella line-up features Scott Leonard (since 1991, High Tenor), Jeff Thacher (1993, Vocal Percussionist), Steven Dorian (2010, Tenor), Calvin Jones (2013, Tenor), and Ryan Chappelle (2015, Bass).
This line-up marks a new generation of Rockapella, who remain keenly focused on musical excellence.
“People have a hard time believing it’s just us making all of that music. It’s still those same elements that make modern band music: percussion, bass, melody and harmonies,” says Scott.
“Our success is in the art of it – it’s not what you do, but how you do it,” adds Jeff.
Rockapella will perform live in concert on April 23 at 8 p.m. at the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield. Tickets range from $15 to $29 and are on sale now at the Renaissance Box Office, via telephone at 419-522-2726 and online at MansfieldTickets.com.
Rockapella is presented as a part of the Avita Health System Concert Series. This show is presented by Shaw Ott Medical with additional support from the Sterkel Fund.
