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If the phrase "boy band" conjures up nothing but memories of the eighties and nineties, then Sunday's concert by the Heartland Men's Chorus would have been an interesting surprise. The show was packed with one hour and forty minutes of music that chronicled well-known numbers from across the decades from a variety of hit-making bands. It played to a packed house on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, entertaining hundreds of faithful followers.  

The HMC is at home at the Folly Theater. It is the ideal space for, director, Dr. Joseph Nadeau and his team to launch creative ventures in repertoire, movement, staging and lighting design. When this venue is sold out, however, the single revolving door simply cannot accommodate the crowd and ticket holders do not get processed efficiently, thus Sunday's show started 15 minutes late. Executive Director Rick Fisher was on hand to warmly welcome the sold-out house and set a spirited tone for this pops concert. To follow was a jam-packed program with thirty-five numbers (if individual songs in medleys are counted).  

Although the opening Sh-Boom was somewhat uninspired, the program did gain momentum and captured the audience. The show was emceed by Chris Hernandez, who reveled in the dramatic rendering of the classic Dick Clark persona. The audience watched his fashions and hair styles evolve and even saw him "age" throughout the afternoon. More importantly, Hernandez provided useful context that included details about the bands or facts about a song. This was an integral part of the successful program, but had he offered information for every piece instead of only a select few, his role would have been more consistent.  

One highlight of the first half was soloist David Wood, who offered up just the right gruff, raspy tone for his part in Shout. He delivered his solo from an elevated stage situated above and behind the risers. For added visual appeal, Oliver Schwab's set boasted huge records flanking each side of this loft-like platform (and these records gave way to a cassette tape and CD for the eighties and nineties during the second half of the program). With Shout came the first choreographed moves for the group, and while the prescribed gestures at times gave momentum to a number, much of the choreography was plodding and at times pedantic. To be fair, it is not easy to coordinate 100 singers standing on risers, but the listless moves added little to the program.  

In the Still of the Night brought a disco ball and a passionate dancing couple, so sweet nostalgia was the key here. Under the Boardwalk, a song so full of summer imagery, again incorporated some choreography that was lost on this reviewer: a beach ball and blankets were in play and although flirty was probably the goal; the elementary antics did little to summon ideas of romantic relaxation "on a blanket with my baby." For the Beach Boys medley, Hernandez appeared in a colorful aloha shirt and bare feet to usher in the vibe. The car for I Get Around was the set design highlight of the first half, and the choreography here was clever. Sherry featured The Heartaches and this small ensemble produced a convincing falsetto. The Beatles medley to follow demonstrated that Nadeau found some credible choral arrangements of these pop numbers to make the most of his large group. Some difficulty with uniform phrase endings was evident here, but this was more about the party and pink ruffled tuxedo shirts were a hit with the audience.  

The second half of the show brought on the seventies and the singers abandoned their suits for jeans, polo shirts, and sneakers (wardrobe changes play an integral part in the HMC style). This new relaxation loosened the mood for the music to come. The opener was barn burner Bohemian Rhapsody. Soloist Kelly Marzett controlled the stage with a straight, at times piercing, tone that combined effectively with the unruly guitar solo. This was the rock 'n roll some listeners came for!  

Fan favorites followed  like Earth, Wind and Fire's After the Love is Gone and I'll Be There by The Jackson 5 (Aubrey Williams' solo was modest but engaging). The short snippet of Hotel California was easily the highlight of this 5-number set, when the singers celebrated the percussion-only accompaniment. That's the Way (I Like It), a KC and the Sunshine Band sensation, encouraged the audience to be even more participatory.

No pop music odyssey is complete without something from the Village People and that medley featured some familiar characters, complete with shorts, tank tops, and a variety of hats. No one could resist joining in on spelling out "YMCA" with wild arm motions. And while one may not expect to hear a choral arrangement of Mr. Robato, the number allowed the group to sing full voice and use glow sticks at the same time. By the time the boy bands of late were the feature, Dick Clark is having trouble reading his cue cards, but the audience sees things clearly, enjoying Backstreet Boys and NSync hits from the more recent past. William Wilson's solo on As Long As You Love Me was perfect-his fresh sound hit the mark here. 

The simple choral arrangement (like those by David Maddux and Ed Lojeski) were no stretch for these experienced singers, and so this is really no time to critique balance, sonority, blend, or diction. These were melody-driven numbers and more an exercise in HMC giving the audience what they came for. At times the HMC Dancers were more of a distraction than a complement, and the choreography was reminiscent of a high school musical, but the instrumentalists contributed a solid rock vibe throughout with inspired accompaniment, and the concert was a success overall. The afternoon ended with Goodnight Sweetheart, and it was worth the wait to hear the ensemble at work with some vocal subtleties largely absent throughout the rest of the program. This was a fitting finale that showcased the group's more polished sound.  

There is a reason that this is one of the most well supported choral groups in the city: they deliver spirited performances, clever (at times risky) programming, and always a surprise or two.

In any case, they did what they do best: charm audiences and ensure that listeners will come back for more.

REVIEW:
Heartland Men's Chorus
Heart Throbs: The Best of the Boy Bands
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Folly Theater 
12th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO
www.hmckc.org

By Sarah Tyrrell

Opera, Vocal and Classical Contributor

Since 2004, Dr. Sarah Tyrrell has been part of the Musicology faculty at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. In 2003, she completed doctoral work at the University of Kansas and also holds degrees in music history and voice performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and Kansas State University. At UMKC, Sarah teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in music history and world music, as well as graduate seminars on American and Latin American musics. Sarah has presented her research locally and nationally (her research specialty is the art music of Brazil) and actively guest lectures about town on Brazilian popular subjects such as samba and bossa nova. Her articles and reviews have appeared in Musical Quarterly, Latin American Research Review, and Latin American Perspectives.

Sarah is also active in the Kansas City choral music scene: she is the Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Chorale of Kansas City and also sings soprano with the group. This 60-voice ensemble presents four concerts each year and recently completed a performance tour of Brazil.