Friday, October 19, 2012

SIC InC charts more "pop"ular course


Tonight’s SIC InC, Plume Giant and Michael Blume concert will blow away both the audience and some musical mantras.

“SIC’s done classical, now we’re doing pop,” the concert’s facebook event stated.

Well, that’s sad.

This concert is likely to combine amazing, well-founded musical talent with an explosion of expression and some upbeat tempo markings. Do I have any doubt the crowd will love it? No. So allow me to explain this reaction.

SIC InC is the ensemble that showcases original student classical pieces with fun lighting and sound effects, which attempt to make the music accessible to its audience. Plume Giant is the graduated folk trio whose awe-inspiring three-part vocal harmonies and fiddle riffs are helping their careers take off. Michael “popdivaking” Blume is the frontman of A Streetcar Named Funk, and has recently been tearing up New Haven with solo concerts that showcase his smooth vocals and R&B flair. Together they will play numbers by Blume, Plume Giant (thank you!), BeyoncĂ©, Alicia Keys, The Beatles and Nathan “writeSICmusic” Prillaman JE ’13 (who also write music for Streetcar).

In their own right, each of these musicians and composers are worth listening to. Collaboration among them sounds great also; Michael Blume does well with instrumentals backing him up, and Plume Giant is adaptable to a variety of settings. But I’m concerned SIC might deviate too far from its original goals of helping an audience to understand new classical music on an emotional level, in order to put on a good show.

The show is bound to be fun, and SIC InC can add a more classical element by jazzing up some of the Beyoncé tracks with instrumental sections and solos perhaps.

The event kicks off tonight at 10 p.m. in the JE Dining Hall, and tickets are $5 at the door.

I’m excited for a fun time and a good spectacle. But next time let’s keep it classy(cal).

Z