Gaston Hall came alive Saturday night with the sound of some of the most talented voices on campus at the 17th annual D.C. A Cappella Festival. The show, which was hosted by two of Georgetown’s premier a cappella groups, the Georgetown Phantoms and the Georgetown GraceNotes, featured performances by the Georgetown Chimes and guest groups, the Skidmore Dynamics and the NYU N’Harmonics. Over the course of the evening the groups made their voices heard and brought down the house.

DCAF was started 17 years ago as a way to bring together a cappella groups from the Georgetown community and up and down the East Coast. According to the Phantoms’ musical director, Danielle Villalovos (COL ’08), who hopes it will become another campus tradition like Rangila and The Cherry Tree Massacre, DCAF is an event where students have a chance to show off their musical talent. Caitlyn Penny (NHS ’10), president of the GraceNotes, echoed that statement, saying: “For a campus which is so involved in political, social, environmental and business issues around the world, the arts sometimes get swept under the rug. DCAF … gives students an outlet for their creative sides”.

The Phantoms opened the show with an energetic and unique medley of songs from the classic group Queen. Singing familiar hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Another One Bites The Dust” was a great way to engage the audience right from the start. That energy remained constant during the entire show, through an impressive rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something To Talk About” from the Dynamics and the set from the N’Harmonics, which brought the audience to their feet — literally.

“It was really cool to hear [them],” said Meredith McGrath (COL ’10), “especially since many of them will probably be on Broadway in a few years.”

According to Villalovos, bringing in the different guest groups “adds another dynamic to the show,” which gives the Georgetown community a chance to be exposed to other talent.

The GraceNotes, an all-female group, opened their set with a pop hit from the summer, “Grace Kelly” by Mika, and continued with covers of ballads by Ani Di Franco and the Beatles. Each song showcased both the talent of the soloist and the lovely harmonies of the rest of the group. The historic Georgetown Chimes also performed their classic barbershop/rock style with hits such as a combination of “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Kiss the Girl.” As always, their adorable stage presence wowed the crowd.

The Phantoms, the official host of that weekend’s DCAF, ended the night with a mix of classic and contemporary songs. A particular standout was “Killing Me Softly” by the Fugees, with soloist Stella Clingmon (SFS ’10) raising the roof of Gaston with her strong, clear voice. The final piece was one most people probably never expected to hear any place other than a club, but the Phantoms’ interpretation of Justin Timberlake’s “LoveStoned,” featuring soloist Richard Trent (COL ’10) was phenomenally unique.

The show reflected both the weeks of hard work the groups spent preparing for the show and the performers’ passion for singing.

“All a cappella is is a few singers up on a stage singing the same song. But what makes it amazing and so entertaining is the energy and emotion that each singer pours into the song. … It is an empowering feeling to know that all you have to rely on is your voice and the others around you,” Penny said.

A cappella manages to be powerful without all the extra help from musical instruments or technology. The focus is on the singers and their voices.

“Every member of the group is important, not just the soloist or the percussionist. Every person and every part is crucial to each song,” Villalovos said.

DCAF on Saturday night was a winning situation for both the audience, which managed to fill every seat in Gaston Hall, and the performers.

“It could not have gone better,” Penny said.

Added Morgan Breck (COL ’10), an audience member: “I thought the concert was exciting and fun — at times I was clapping along and others I was crying”.

With another DCAF coming up on Nov. 17, the a cappella community at Georgetown is hoping to match and maybe surpass the triumph of the first show.

“I really hope people come to DCAF,” Penny said, “because DCAF showcases some of the most talented singers who love what they’re doing and love performing in front of a great audience at Georgetown.”