Often a showcase of the silent arts, MOCRA was transformed last weekend as 12 Saint Louis University students sang their presence as the Bare Naked Statues.
Formed in September, the a cappella group had their premier performances on April 6 and 7. Trung Tran admits that the group was not sure what the public response would be, but they were “utterly surprised and grateful for the reaction.”
There was no need to wonder about the audience reception. It was clear after the opening number that the Bare Naked Statues had both the talent and stage presence to keep listeners captivated by their layered harmonies and outstanding solos.
At 8 p.m. the lights dimmed, signaling the start of the show, but the darkness was soon shattered by the rhythm of voices and the striking performance of Live’s “Beauty of Grey” from soloist Rob Turner. Tran animated the audience with his energy and movement in the rendition of “And She Was” by the Talking Heads, and Billy Brennan captivated and moved audience with “Fields of Gold” by Sting.
The first set ended with a dedication to Britney Spears, as Anoop Vermani sang “I’ll Melt With You” by Modern English. Their enthusiasm caught and the audience clapped as they left for intermission. The show resumed with Colin Malone, who surprised the audience with his range that soared in “MLK” by U2 and “Sing Me to Heaven.”
The audience was on its feet during Rob Turner’s version of “Brown Eyed Girl,” and they begged for an encore. The Statues decided to do their thing one more time and left the audience standing as they ended their performance.
The weekend made both the Bare Naked Statues and nearly 400 fans excited about the group’s future. As Brennan stated, “This performance reflected the work of one semester- I can’t wait to see how the group develops in coming years.”
Immediate plans for the male group include a performance at Southwest Missouri State University on May 5. Next year they intend to begin arranging their own music and making a CD.
They hope that outside support will continue and noted MOCRA’s invaluable role in their success. “The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art did as much as humanly possible for us, and the event wouldn’t have happened without their support,” Trung said.
The group looks forward to auditioning new members and becoming more involved in various campus activities next year. Brennan summed up the attitude of his fellow members: “We hope the fans continue to support us, because we’re planning to continue in this amazing endeavor.”
To contact the Bare Naked Statues, email them at [email protected].
