On the Rocks took the stage last night catering to a crowd of semi-soaked fans waiting to hear the all-male a capella group perform for the last time of the academic school year. And although the rain persisted in waves throughout the duration of the performance, the group and fans stayed at a show that ran from midnight to 2 a.m.
They performed everything in their song library, from Andy Grammar’s “Keep your Head up,” to Def Leopard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”
Every year, the show serves to introduce new members to the group, giving them the opportunity to perform for the first time on stage. University freshmen Brandon Mai and Joel Gonzalez were introduced last night, singing “For the Longest Time” by Billy Joel.
“It’s weird coming into a group that’s so established, but I’m really excited,” Mai said. “We’ve got a huge library next year — more than we’ve ever had. I’m just excited to start learning the songs and being with the group.”
The event serves to usher new members in, and also serves to usher veteran members out. Jeff Rogers, Alar Teose, Alex Horwitch and Luke Snyder all said goodbye to the group after the event.
“We’re On the Rocks and we will see you in the fall,” said Horwitch at the concert, announcing that “The Final Countdown” would be the last song of the night. “Well, I won’t. Sorry ’bout it.”
Not only is the group losing four members, but it’s also losing the last members who were in the group that was invited to perform and compete on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
“People were always asking us about ‘The Sing-Off’ and wanted to know about ‘The Sing Off,’” said Horwitch, the group’s baritone and percussion for the past three years. “Now that ‘The Sing Off’ generation is gone, they can really create their own identity and become their own group instead of living in a shadow.”
“The fact that they are such a young, talented group of musicians is going to be so great for them,” added Rogers, who has been with On The Rocks for three years as a tenor. “I think that the younger group is going to do really, really well.”
For Connor Eagleton, it’s going to be a challenge to recover from “The Sing Off” generation — new members of the group repeatedly get asked by fans if they were in the Sing Off.
“We’re going to lose the face of the group,” said Eagleton, who joined the group in winter 2011 as a baritone. “We will have to definitely step it up and make sure people still recognize us…It will be difficult, but I think we can do it.”