Concert season kicks off with stand out performance

By Bill Thom

A capacity crowd attended the first concert presented by Home Free A Cappella last Friday evening at the Simon Estes Auditorium. This was the opening concert of the 2009-2010 series presented by the Centerville Concert Association. Home Free is a male quartet with the added emphasis of a vocal percussionist. The members are all from the state of Minnesota and are currently on a 75 city tour.

Over the past several seasons, the Association has hosted several male a cappella quartets and this performance of Home Free topped them all in my mind. They sang a very wide variety of selections that ranged from a 50s and 60s tune like “Rockin’ Robin” to a sacred selection titled “I Live for You.” They loved making jokes and involved the audience. One audience participation segment was about identitying TV show themes. They also presented humorous sections titled; What We Are Thinking About While Singing and Songs That Didn’t Make the Cut.

Each member of the group was a soloist in his own right. The two tenors are Matt Atwood and Rob Lundquist and they both took turns singing lead on tunes like “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “I’m Yours.” Chris Rupp is the baritone and is the arranger for most of the music they sing. Adam Rupp is the younger brother and is the vocal percussionist that make Home Free unique. I’m sure the audience was amazed after Adam’s percussion solo at how he made all the sounds with his mouth and tongue. The bass part is sung by the highly talented Troy Horne. I loved his rendition of “16 Tons” as well as the way he provided the bottom of the quartet sound. The audience really responded when the group did a barbershop arrangement of “Coney Island Babe,” but Home Free went to the next level by singing it in falsetto, giving the Sweet Adeline’s equal time.

The concert came to a close with a tune celebrating our freedom called “God Bless the USA.” Home Free has ended every concert with this selection since they made their debut in September of 2001 following 9/11. All the audience members had an opportunity to meet the artists following the concert. There are two concerts coming soon. Paul Asaro, a hot jazz pianist from Chicago, will be in Centerville Thursday, Nov. 12 and Tony DeSare, a singer/pianist from Atlantic City, will be in Ottumwa on Saturday, Nov. 14.