Fall Concert + Jambo: Wrapping Up A Cappella Season

We officially wrapped up Grapevine’s fall performances, and honestly, it still doesn’t feel real that the semester’s shows are already over. Between our Fall Concert and Jambo (the big joint concert with the other a cappella groups), this semester’s setlist was definitely one of the most fun (and quite possibly the most challenging) ones I’ve done so far.

The Week Before: Rehearsal Mode

The week leading up to the concerts was, in true Grapevine fashion, both slightly chaotic and very cozy. We were basically living in rehearsal rooms — running transitions, fixing little blend issues, tweaking dynamics, and doing full run-throughs over and over until everything finally clicked.

There were plenty of moments where we’d get stuck on one section for a while (looking at you, ga1ahad and scientific witchery), but there’s also something really fun about everyone collectively trying to nail a tricky harmony or tempo together. We also had a lot of laughter in between — snack breaks, random inside jokes, and that one moment where we somehow spent way too long arguing about mic positioning.

Even though it was exhausting at times, I honestly love these weeks the most. It’s where you really feel the group come together.

The Fall Concert

Our fall setlist was stacked. We opened with ga1ahad and scientific witchery, which was such an interesting way to start the concert. It’s one of those songs where everything feels like it’s constantly shifting — tons of layered harmonies, weirdly beautiful chords, and lots of tight rhythms that took so many rehearsals to get right. But once we finally locked it in, it sounded so cool.

We also sang:

• Pink Pony Club — which is always a vibe; one of those songs that’s just fun to perform and watch the audience get into

• Kyoto — this one was extra special for me because I got to conduct it! Conducting definitely adds a different kind of nervousness, but honestly, once we got going, it was really fun being able to help guide the group.

• Back Pocket — such a sweet, groovy little song that’s so satisfying to sing.

• Honeybody — just very feel-good all around.

• New Rules — one of our bigger, more dynamic arrangements.

• Boyfriend — delivered, and ate. So good!

• It’s Not All About You — this one would get stuck in my head cause it was so catchy!

The Fall Concert always feels a little more intimate since it’s just us, and it was really nice seeing familiar faces in the audience — friends, classmates, people who’ve been coming to our shows for a while.

I don't want to flood this post with a million videos, so I'll just link our Youtube channel here.

Jambo!

Then came Jambo, which is the joint concert with the other a cappella groups on campus. It’s always a little more chaotic (in a fun way) — more groups, more energy, and definitely a lot more people in the audience. Grapevine hosted Jambo this time, so our theme was "Pitch Pambo" (a twist on the classic a cappella series, Pitch Perfect!) We were basically dressed as the Barton Bellas, and had our own little a cappella showdown (a riff-off, to be exact) to begin the concert.

We performed:

• Do It All the Time — which was just pure chaotic fun. Honestly, such a good one to end on because everyone was fully leaning into the energy at that point.

• I Won’t Say I’m In Love — which was extra exciting because I got to be one of the muses! Definitely a highlight — it’s not every day you get to channel your inner Disney character on stage (loved our dramatic sigh at the end!)

• Since U Been Gone — we did it full-group, kind of like that Pitch Perfect audition vibe where everyone’s coming in and out with different parts. Very high energy, very fun to pull off live.

Jambo always feels like a little mini-festival — seeing the other groups perform, hanging out backstage, and just getting to share the night with everyone. It’s one of those “only in college” kind of experiences that I know I’ll miss someday.