By R. David Shew
To close out the EKU Homecoming weekend, the a cappella group, Straight No Chaser, came to the Eastern Kentucky Center for the Arts and entertained those in attendance from the opening video to the closing encore. The musical entitled “Holiday Road” helped this EKU alumnus close out and up and down weekend.
From missing the Homecoming Parade and the Friday night Block Party to not playing in the GEO scramble at Arlington, this alumnus was a bit fried from losing the Homecoming game and a long Saturday of tailgating and watching football at the Garden.
The Straight No Chaser group originated in 1996 at Indiana University. The group recorded a video in 1998 entitled “The 12 Days of Christmas.” In 2007, this video ended up on YouTube. A five-album deal with Atlantic Records followed in 2008.
After a short intermission, the second set kicked off with a video spoof of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” which had everyone in the audience laughing out loud. The nine-member group starred in the hilarious video.
The group did an excellent version of “Friends in Low Place” and had the audience singing along. Two Christmas favorites were “Someday at Christmas” and “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” almost had me in the Christmas spirit, and I have not even gone trick-or-treating yet or had Thanksgiving dinner.
Salute to the EKU Center for the Arts for bringing Straight No Chaser to Richmond. The a cappella group has over 50 shows from now to the end of the year. You can check them out at sncmusic.com and maybe catch them in person before the close of 2025. I highly recommend purchasing their Holiday Road album as a gift to someone for Christmas.
