On one of the first truly cold Sundays of the year, this beleaguered editor traipsed to the midpoint of Balmain’s famous Darling Street. After a battle with a parking metre and a truly undersized parking spot, I settled into a seat for Balmain Town Halls’ most eclectic performance: BarberSoc’s Petrichord.
In a rain-themed performance it was inevitable that the opener was none other than Toto’s ‘Africa’. All four choirs took to the stage to give an appropriately dramatic performance of the head bopping number. We swiftly moved into a Vampire Weekend cover, which delighted this 2014 indie girl’s heart. Artfully arranged by Tom Brand and transcribed by Margot Roberts, the song included one of my personal favourite parts of any BarberSoc concert — during the bridge, remaining singers at the back of the hall joined in the tune. These moments really let you sink into the sound, and show that the society is all about inclusion and the pure joy that comes from singing.
A standout small group moment was when Henry Beissel, Vanessa Kwa, Sharanya Napier-Raman, and Riley Treisman performed ‘Oh GOD’ by Orla Gartland. Described as ‘gay panic: the song’, it did not disappoint, with the group dynamic shining through.
One thing that always appears to me at BarberSoc concerts is that everyone on stage seems to be having the time of their lives. This was certainly true when Pitch Please, lead by Charis Ho and Angelina Nguyen, took to the stage to sing ‘All For One’ from Barbie and the Three Musketeers. With their conductor out front, pitch pipe in hand, the choir seemed to get the giggles halfway through the performance, which just affirmed that laughter is truly the best music.
In the second act, the Power Chords, lead by Margot Roberts and Sophie Beer, sang ‘Everybody Talks’ by the Neon Trees. Complete with whispers between the choir members during the chorus, it was a wholesome performance to say the least. The Accidentals, lead by Holly Miller and Joseph Knox, performed Ninja Sex Party’s ‘Welcome To My Parent’s House’. With the forewarning that the choir might “say some naughty words” from Joseph, we were swept into the world of a first date that ends with someone’s overbearing parents insisting they “use their inside voices”. Soloists Lorenzo Aggio, Liam Bubb, and Pearl Cardis must be noted as they were the driving force behind the performance.
Finally, Duly Noted closed off the show with ‘You’re Welcome’ from Moana, a humorous addition to their set list of Billy Joel, Moses Sumney, and Cesár Samson. For the final number of the concert, we were treated to an embrace by all participants of the show. With singers surrounding the audience, they saung a gorgeous rendition of ‘Flow Water’ by Damien Kehoe, which rounded off the afternoon’s proceedings nicely.
BarberSsoc is definitely in the running for the most wholesome society at USyd. With a show spanning almost three hours, it’s incredible to see so many people dedicated to making music with their mouths. Despite the long runtime, everyone always seems to be having an incredible amount of fun, and it’s always a treat to hear people cheering each other on from the back of the hall.
BarberSoc performs at the end of each semester. For details about their Semester 2 concert, or to join, visit their Facebook or Instagram page.
