The Buffalo Chips are sending off their seniors and celebrating their 24th anniversary this Friday.
The Chips, UB’s all-male a cappella group, have won several awards and recently released their EP “Shout.” This Friday, the Chips will take to Slee Hall for the annual Spring Fling show. This concert will feature Exit 8, SUNY Geneseo’s coed a cappella group.
Spring Fling is a send-off to the group’s seniors, and each senior member will be featured in a “senior solo” of their choosing. Before each solo, the group will honor members with a speech, commemorating their time with the Chips. They then, based on tradition, give the seniors an engraved Buffalo Chips flask full of apple juice.
The Buffalo Chips have been putting in long hours to prepare for Spring Fling. They rehearse twice a week from 9:30 p.m. to midnight.
Hunter Ford, a junior marketing and finance major, said the performance will feature new group arrangements and a few favorites from their previous 24th Annual Valentine’s Day Invitational.
Ford said he expects a large turnout, despite the concert falling on Good Friday.
“There are some people that aren’t going to be there for religious reasons, but we still expect a turnout of probably 300-350 people.”
“I can spoil it a little and say that ‘Africa’ [by Toto] may or may not make an appearance,” Ford said.
The group will also perform their alumni song, Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” at the concert. During the song, the Chips invite alumni on stage to perform alongside current members. The group has a strong alumni following, which many of the members attribute to the group’s bonding experience.
“We come from many different backgrounds, whether it’s business, engineering, communication — every once in a while we’ll have a musical theatre kid in the mix. But none of us really come from a solid music education background. So for all of us, this is our outlet in terms of music,” Ford said. “Later you find out after being in the group that you’re not just here to sing, the Chips are a family.”
Justin Bowen, a junior musical theatre major and member of the Buffalo Chips, thinks the group’s brotherly connection comes from its a cappella style.
“There’s something about a cappella that brings us closer together. Without the instruments, there’s more of a human connection.” Bowen said, “[Our connection] drives more energy, which makes it just the more heartfelt every single time we’re singing.”
Tickets are being sold online and at the door.
Julianna Tracey is the asst. arts editor and can be reached at julianna.tracey@ubspectrum.com and on Twitter @JTraceySpec.
Julianna Tracey is a freshman music theater and history double major. She’s excited to explore all that the Buffalo arts scene has to offer.
