The Spin

A cappella redeemed

Morgan Hennessy

As anyone who’s been recently assaulted by overly ambitious flyering on Locust knows, it’s a cappella season.

This weekend I was conned into going to the PennSix show by friends who I was sure must have been eating Aqua Dots, because they claimed I’d love it. Judging by Penn’s recent embarrassment in the Ivy-League a cappella scene, I was highly doubtful that I would not want to gauge my eardrums out with a blunt object.

Surprisingly, I was entertained, impressed, and a little turned-on.


Penn Six

When I arrived at Irvine auditorium, I knew I was in for a good time because the place was full of sorority girls who had “pre-gamed the pre-game,” so to speak. Irvine was abuzz with drunken anticipation.

I have to hand it to these guys. They came running down the aisles and onto the stage wearing some of the most ridiculous get-ups I’ve ever seen (think sparkles, brassieres, crotchless tights), and yet they still manage to look sexy. The question, however, remained: could they actually sing?

Not only could they sing, and I mean really sing, but they put together hilarious skit-comedy routines and told some of the worst jokes I’ve ever heard. And I mean that in a good way. The audience was groaning with disgust. There’s nothing like a little low-brow humor to brighten up a Saturday night.

PennSix has managed to slightly improve my opinion of a cappella. No longer will I totally ignore the mediocre beat-boxers and crackly voices that scrawl all over the walk and shove brightly colored fliers in my face. Maybe I’ll actually look at one of the fliers every once in a while instead of immediately shoving it into a trashcan.

My favorite part of the show was the finale. It was scary how comfortable the soloist was in a grandma swimsuit rocking out to “Sweet Child Of Mine.” He should have gone out for BMOC . . . respect.

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14 Responses to “A cappella redeemed”

  1. one of your aqua dot eating friends Says:

    i told you so!!!!

  2. john Says:

    actually, you probably should continue ignoring the other a cappella groups as they are indeed more or less terrible. Penn Six rules!

  3. marty mcfly Says:

    Awesome show. A cappella sucks, Penn Six (somehow) rocks.

  4. Stanley Goodspeed Says:

    Nice, nice. You too, you too.

  5. Nimbus Says:

    Who was the guy beating his chest like a maniac? He looks like he has been in the group since 1995 or something like that. Anyone know his name?

  6. Huxley Says:

    i talked to him after the show. he said his name was Sniffy McYamyams or something weird like that. He’s gotta be pushin 50.

  7. Sniffy McYamyams Says:

    Motherfucker stole my name

  8. Primus Says:

    Thank you very much. Gotta love the robo-love. Sniffy, take a break man. Respect the beat box and the bass…cause we are the most important.

  9. Jiggy Says:

    Look at me, I’m a hypocrite! Cletus is so handsome

  10. Felix DaHousecat Says:

    These comments are the best.

  11. Dante Says:

    Wow, Primus, you’re even unfunny OFF of Klorg. Wait, who the fuck is Dante?

    Love, Fake AquaDots

  12. PROFESSOR FOXSTAR Says:

    You guys are totally speaking a different language here! As a non-Penn-Sixer, I don’t understand it. What’s going on?! ROFL COPTER

  13. Drexel Treblemaker (Slutty Drexel Girl) Says:

    the University of Pennsylvania “6-5000″ is amazing

  14. REAL slutty drexel girl/stooge Says:

    the drexel treblemaker is not representative of slutty drexel girls as a whole

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