REVIEW: Chorduroy entertains with enthusiasm
The Chorduroy CD release concert was held last weekend at the Ellen Eccles Conference Center. A very impressive turnout on both Friday and Saturday, helped to get the a cappella group’s music heard and noticed.
Chorduroy began their show with a very energetic oldie, So Happy Together and kept the energy going throughout the night.
Kathy Bell, a member of the audience, said, “They have amazing talent. They’re entertaining and cute guys.”
Each member of the group brings his own personality to the stage.
Brian Monson, who’s been with the group from the beginning, said “Mike [Christiansen] is our comedy secret. He’s wild and crazy on stage. Daren [Haws] and I have performed together and have done comedy routines since high school. The rest is everyone’s personalities.”
Chorduroy began in June of 2000, but the story begins in 1994 when Monson and Tom Webber, a former Chorduroy, sang with a group called the Vocal Chords in high school. A year later many of the group graduated, Monson said.
“So me and Greg [Balls] started Monotones and we sang together for two more years until we left on [Latter-day Saints] missions,” he said.
Both Webber and Monson wanted to start another group after returning from their two-year missions.
“We got some Monotone guys and a new member, Dave Gordon, and that became Chorduroy,” Monson said.
The members of Chorduroy all attend USU. The band is made up of Christiansen – a junior majoring in chemistry, Balls – a freshmen majoring in business management, Monson – a junior majoring in electric engineering, Joel Thomas – a sophomore majoring in nursing, Gordon – a sophomore majoring in biology, Haws – a senior majoring in accounting and Mike DuBois – a freshman majoring in music composition.
With their variety of personalities, the concert reflected their unique styles and enthusiasm. Not only did they sing oldies like Candy Girl while they tossed candy and even some carrots, they also sang newer songs with interesting twists. Such songs as Who Let the Dogs Out intermingled with the old How Much is that Doggy in the Window, had the crowd laughing hysterically.
Kellen Bell, an 8-year-old, was watching Saturday night’s performance and said, “It was cool.”
His favorite part was the “doggy looking out the window part.”
Monson said, “We try to get a mix of music that people of all ages will enjoy.”
They sang a variety of songs. Everything from Dave Matthews Band, to an original, to a church hymn sung in the languages they learned while serving missions, made up the program.
The innovative singing wasn’t the only part that had the audience enthralled. They also added a comedy skit into the mix. The famous Abbot and Costello comedy act “Who’s on First” was acted out by Monson and Haws and had the crowd with tears in their eyes and aching stomachs.
Thomas said, “My favorite part about the group is the opportunity we have to perform for various groups of people [and] the good feelings of the group. It’s a part of me.”