IU’s Straight No Chaser celebrates 15 years

When an IU’s Straight No Chaser alumnus uploaded videos from 1998 to YouTube, he never expected an Atlantic Records recording deal to emerge.

In 2007, former members of the IU a cappella group flew to New York City to record their first CD with Atlantic Records.

Since then, Atlantic Records’ Straight No Chaser has toured and been acknowledged across the globe.

But IU’s Straight No Chaser still exists on campus.

IU’s Straight No Chaser will perform at 8 p.m. this Friday at the IU Auditorium to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary as an award-winning IU a cappella group.

“I’ve been waiting for six months for this show,” sophomore and SNC member Eddie Suarez said.

Suarez auditioned and joined Straight No Chaser in October 2010. Traveling on weekend shows, he has become close with other
members.
“We spend all day traveling together, all day in a hotel together, all day on stage together,” he said.
With hopes of writing for Rolling Stone Magazine and owning his own record company, Suarez has a major in business and minor in journalism. With this year being his first in the group, he said he feels lucky to jump in right for the fifteenth anniversary show with Atlantic Records’ Straight No Chaser.

“I’ve met a couple of them,” he said. “They come back to visit every now and then. But to meet the whole group at once will be the coolest thing.”

Atlantic Records’ Straight No Chaser will make a special appearance at the show to promote its newest album “Still Standing.” The group composed of IU alumni will return to its Bloomington origins to celebrate its 15 years of work. The group was here this past April to perform at the IU Auditorium as well, according to business manager and senior Will Lockhart.

“We were lucky enough to perform with them and perform a song by ourselves,” he said.

Lockhart auditioned his junior year and decided to become a fifth-year senior to stay with Straight No Chaser one more year.

“Yeah, it dawned on me today,” he said on Wednesday. “This will be my last time singing with the group.”

With a major in theatre and drama, Lockhart has performed in several operas at the Musical Arts Center, was part of Campus Movie Fest and performed in “Into the Woods” at the Waldron Arts Center, but his time with SNC has been the most
rewarding.

“Straight No Chaser has been the greatest experience of my college career,” he said.