Another Round celebrated its 30th anniversary with a spring concert Friday night, bringing a full audience to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for an evening of a cappella music, humor and reflection. The milestone performance featured a special guest appearance by Straight No Chaser, as well as many other Indiana University a cappella alumni. Founded in 1996 at IU Bloomington as Straight No Chaser, the renamed collegiate group Another Round has long been a fixture of the campus music scene. The group is known for its blend of vocal arrangements and comedic elements, a style on full display throughout the anniversary performance.
Several past members of the group now sing in the critically acclaimed professional group, Straight No Chaser, while the IU ensemble maintains the name Another Rounds.
“We’re watching our younger selves on stage, something we started 30 years ago. We had no idea, but this became bigger than we ever imagined,” Jerome Collins, a current and original member of Straight No Chaser, said during the intermission. “It’s just a different vibe, a different love than I’ve ever felt before.”
The concert featured a mix of contemporary songs and longstanding audience favorites, with arrangements including “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” “Glad You Came” and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.”
The setlist highlighted the group’s musical range and evolving repertoire, moving between pop, rock and classic ballads. Throughout the performance, members of Another Round paired tight harmonies with choreographed movement, maintaining a balance between musical precision and humor.
Straight No Chaser appeared toward the end of the concert, drawing a strong audience response with a performance of “Stand By Me,” featuring tenor Collins on solo vocals.
The evening concluded with a joint rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana” as current members of Another Round, the Straight No Chaser ensemble and Another Round alumni gathered onstage, closing the anniversary concert with a large ensemble performance.
Michael Krauter, an IU and Another Round alumnus, attended the show. He spoke about his experience as a member of the group before he graduated in 2023.
“Another Round was such a foundational part of my college experience, and the guys that you meet, and you’re up on stage with them and making memories, it’s just amazing,” Krauter said. “The legacy we created and just watching it keep going is just amazing.”
The audience reflected a similar sense of legacy, with alumni, former performers and early contributors filling the venue, including Straight No Chaser founder Dan Ponce. The concert also drew members from across the university’s a cappella community, including Ladies First and several other student groups.
IU senior Angela Carraher, a member of Ladies First, said having a milestone performance is a commemorative moment.
“A couple of years ago we had our 25th anniversary, so it was a huge moment for us,” she said. “It’s a really amazing feeling, and we’re just really proud of them.”
Throughout the evening, the program had elements reflecting the group’s past and present, including pre-recorded comedic opening segments and videos between songs featuring alumni introducing arrangements.
The show concluded with an original number celebrating the success of the university’s football team this season, bringing a distinctly campus-focused close to the performance, starting with a “Hoo… Hoo… Hoo… Hoosiers” chant.
In addition to the performance, Another Round also teased its new album, with details to be announced soon on the group’s social media and website.
