Nora Meeks, Staff Writer–
At 8:00 p.m. on April 18, after an hour-long storm delay, a parade of 28 a capella singers walked down the sidewalk in between the Sunnies and processed into Slivy’s. But, this was not your average Hilltoppers and Ladies Night Out (LNO) combo concert.
The group was greeted with an array of applause yet, something was different. The Hilltoppers were not wearing their usual navy blazers and red ties. Instead, the Hilltoppers were sporting black dresses and purple LNO t-shirts. The ladies of LNO were donned in the signature navy blazers and red ties. The reason? The annual switcheroo concert.
The switcheroo is a yearly tradition during which a Hilltopper performs a song that would usually be sung by LNO while dressed in their outfits, and an LNO member wears a Hilltopper’s outfit and sings one of their songs. It is a switcheroo in both clothing, song choice, and attitude.
When they took the stage, the members of LNO, dressed as the Hilltoppers, walked around and shook hands with each other to poke fun at the other group. This year’s concert featured a multitude of different a capella numbers, from Hozier to Panic at the Disco, and each number showcased the wonderful talents of the seniors from both groups.
“I love how close everybody is, it’s so fun,” said senior Clay Ryan ‘24, who was the first Hilltopper soloist for the fourth number of the night and sang a rendition of “Listen to the Music” by The Doobie Brothers.
Ryan has been a member of the Hilltoppers during all of his four years at Denison. He holds the concert in high regards as a way to bring people in two different a cappella groups together.
The first number of the night was sung by the Hilltoppers and LNO soloist Sophie LeMay ‘24, who sang “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse.
Clara Bumgarner ‘27 said she was inspired to join LNO upon seeing them perform at admitted students day and has found a close knit community in the a cappella group.
The concert concluded with two combined numbers sung by both groups. Audience member Madeline Levi ‘27 said that her only knowledge of a cappella stemmed from the “Pitch Perfect” movie series but after this concert she has been converted into a self-proclaimed “a capella enthusiast.” If you missed this concert or just can’t get enough a cappella, The Hilltoppers will hold their senior concert in Swasey Chapel at 7 p.m. on April 24. LNO has their senior concert on the library steps at 6 p.m. on April 28.
