My Favorite Live Performance

STRAIGHT NO CHASER

CHARLESTON, WV 2012

  I had never heard of Straight No Chaser until 2012 when I was unexpectedly asked to attend this live concert with a cousin of mine.  The concert was here in Charleston at the Clay Center. They were absolutely amazing to me considering the fact that they use no music and have amazing harmony! They started out as just "some guys" at Indiana University and from there they took off! They started out just kind of playing around and not taking themselves too seriously, but then realized their YouTube videos had gotten over 20 million hits along with getting TV appearances and being asked to do some holiday albums.  They were just 10 guys who liked to hang around with one another and loved to sing.  

As I said before, the harmony in the music is just amazing.  And that's just it, IT IS MUSIC! Even though there are no instruments! That to me was  just astounding.  Their singing provided a descant that made the fact that there was no music almost forgettable.  I didn't even realize it until the show was almost over.  They mostly imitate other music, so there is no particular genre, but for the most part they imitate pop music.  This was my favorite performance, but ALL of their videos are my favorite.  I think hearing how they mimic the musical talents of others is part of what makes their music so powerful.  I get chills every time I listen to them.  One of the performers was most definetely a crooner, which made it hard not to fall for him. He actually signed autographs afterward and I said, "You are just so cute, I have talked about it all night."  Of course he didn't realize my cousin was, well..my cousin! So he replied, "I'm sure he loves hearing that!"  Of course I tried to explain that he was not my boyfriend, but the moment was kind of gone.  Anyhow their music was pure consonance to the soul and I never tire of hearing it.  I hope everyone reading this takes the time to watch the videos and enjoys them just as much as I do!

Intrroduction

     My Name is Stacy McGhee and I am from St. Albans, WV.  I currently live in Charleston and work for the WV Attorney General's Office.  I have been with the AG's office for 2 years now and just recently got a promotion.  I have a 7 year old son named Andrew with my fiancé' whom I have been with for 10 years. My major is Marketing and my plan is to go to law school after I graduate from WVSU.  I have had all the Art courses that I need, so I really am just taking this class to expand my knowledge in music.  I am hoping that it will be a fun and knowledgeable class that I look forward to every day!  As far as musical experiences go, I was in a Gospel Group when I was in Junior High School.  I have sang all of my life and would love to learn to play musical instruments in the future.  I don't so much have concerns about this class as I just hope that it meets my expectations.  As I said, I don't need it so I am just hoping that it helps me to achieve the knowledge I am expecting to get from it.  I am passionate about music, reading, learning the ways of marketing and the law.  I love to listen to music, READ READ READ, and I love learning more about the law every day. I am pretty excited about this course and I hope that I was correct in choosing it.