Working the Numbers

We rehearsed tonight to put the finishing touches on our Sweeps show. Thanks for all the words of encouragement via FB -- we're looking forward to seeing many of you at the concert this Saturday night. (If you're still looking for ticket information, click here.) For those of you who haven't found us on Facebook yet, please visit this link or go to our website and click the "Like" button.

I figure the best way for us to "get our game on" for this Saturday night's Harmony Sweeps competition is to work the numbers.

Eight groups were chosen from the Midwest. Each will get to display their a cappella wares on the Northshore stage for 10 minutes. Doing the math, that means that Listen Up! has a 1 in 8, or 12.5% chance of winning -- all things being equal.

Some of our competition is trying to fake-out the rest by using the "new math". For example: Six Appeal (I kid you not) has 7 guys... Up 'til 2 has 6 guys, 3 Men and a Melody has 4 guys.

She's got nothing on Kevin.

One group, Route 66, has decided to distinguish themselves from the rest of the boy bands by excluding MEN... Very clever. We'll see what they know. After all, we've got our secret weapon... Kevin - and he can sing higher than most girls I know.


Two of the groups are trying to work the audiences' heartstrings with names like.. The Brotherhood Singers and Breath of Soul. And one group has decided to go with a more explanatory name - simply, Shout.

"I never lose."

Our band has been in existence since 1992. We've got 5 guys. The approximate weight of our group is a respectable 867 lbs. The total age of our group is, after tomorrow, 183 years. We'll sing 2 songs of a total of 516 notes, give or take the notes that we choose not to sing for artistic purposes. We are... I'm guessing here... the only Shomer Shabbos ensemble (which would do wonders for us if HE were judging). We will have more kippot than any of the other groups, and I daresay that we'll be throwin' down more Hebrew than the other groups. If performing at countless bar-mitvahs and shul fundraisers is a measure of having "arrived", we'll bring it. Oh yes.

Bottom line is that it's going to be one helluva show -- all the groups are great and with the theater packed with fans who have chosen an evening of "no instruments" music, I'm sure it will be a great crowd. We'll see you on the other side. Wish us luck!