By Kerri S. Mabee
Southwest Riverside News Network
March 19, 2012
(Don) “We know how lucky we are to be performing for our fans.”
Read more:
http://www.swrnn.com/2012/03/19/straight-no-chaser-to-get-real-at-pechanga/
(Edit: The link is no longer active, so the full text is below.)
Currently winding their way through the mountains of Canada and down into the United States, Straight No Chaser has been touring hard and will land at the Pechanga stage this weekend.
“Somehow, we’re in people’s minds. We’ve been recognized, but we’re definitely a different group,” said member Don Nottingham.
The popular 10-man a capella group, rising stars in the world of harmonized sound, will make its first visit to Temecula with a one-time performance at 8 p.m. on March 24 at Pechanga Resort & Casino.
Formed in 1996, the longtime friends began singing and performing together live and at local clubs.
But, Nottingham credits social media with the group’s ardent and loyal fan base.
“It’s been a modern grassroots movement that has propelled us,” Nottingham said, noting Straight No Chaser’s popularity on YouTube.
“I think in some way it’s kind of the underground Facebook crowd that has (made us so successful),” Nottingham said.
Social media has made it easy to grow a following.
“We’re accessible. We like to have a relationship with our fans. We like to chat online. It’s a big part of our success.”
In the days when contemporary techno beats and manufactured tracks flood the airways, Straight No Chaser gives an authentic, straight-forward performance that resonates with audiences.
And for anyone imagining a hokey, four-part barbershop quartet variety show, the group’s name should provide a clue to the group’s straight-ahead, take-no-prisoners style.
Part of the group’s appeal is the varied influences that each member brings to the sound, Nottingham said.
“When it comes to inspiration, I guess you would get 10 different answers from our group. We (incorporate) a lot of different sounds,” he said, referencing everything from Doo Wop to The Beatles.
For now, as Straight No Chaser winds its way from the cold, upper reaches of the country to the sun-drenched Temecula Valley, Nottingham said he hopes that fans, new and old, will swing by to see the show.
“We know how lucky we are to be performing for our fans.”
Kerri S. Mabee can be reached at kerri.mabee@swrnn.com. Follow me on Twitter @kerrimabee.
