Name: Wesleyan Spirits

Group type: All-man a cappella

Members: Cheuk “C$$” Kei ’07, Owen “Beers4Tears” Albin ’07, Dan “Bojangles” Macalinao ’08, John “Ronaldocious” Rushing ’08, Will “Becklectic McRungles” Runge ’09, Allie “Leviathan” Levey ’09, Ben “Fist” Roberts ’09, Owen “The Biscuit” Bennion ’09, Hansel “Handsome Tan” Tan ’10, Greg “Hamwhich” Hurd ’10, Justin “J-boozer” Bours ’10

Date formed: 1981

Q: What’s your style? What types of songs do you perform?

A: Our style is to sing songs without instrumental accompaniment. Sometimes we will simulate wicked drum beats using only our mouths. We perform lots of pop stuff but we also like to mix in older collegiate Wesleyan songs from the 50s. They are collected in Spirits’ “blackbooks” and we are actually recording an entire CD of these blackbook songs right now.

Q: What separates you from all the other a cappella groups on campus?

A: We are men. We are men who discovered the wheel and built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn.

Q: Nude modeling?

A: Most of us nude model for the art classes. We strike Biblical poses and then sing naked. It’s both humiliating and empowering.

Q: What was your most fun performance?

A: We sang for David Oreck (the vacuum guy) in his personal giant airplane hanger after he had the nation’s best trick pilot put on an air show for us. We also did a show at Smith which was fun, but what happens at Smith stays at Smith.

Upcoming shows: Spring Jam, May 11, World Music Hall. Allie Levey will also be hosting an “Unplugged” concert in the near future at Westco where he covers the best of Vanessa Carlton’s career on guitar.

Place to learn more: www.wesleyanspirits.com

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Name: BEAR HANDS

Group type: Band of musicians

Members: Dylan Rau ’07, Ted Feldman ’09, Val Loper (doesn’t go to Wesleyan, lives in Brooklyn), TJ Orscher (doesn’t go to Wesleyan, lives in Brooklyn)

Date formed: August 2006

Sounds like: If Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Clinton had a baby…it sounds like Chelsea Clinton.

Q: Best show played and why?

A: April 6, 2007 at Club Midway (Pull-Out Method Party) in Manhattan. There was just a lot of energy in the crowd. Also, they gave us lots of free booze.

Q: You just opened for Man Man. How did that come about?

A: They had the date free (I guess their last before going on tour with Modest Mouse) and at the last minute, Manic Productions booked the show and asked us to open. How could we refuse?

Q: Interesting fact about the band or a band member?

A: The L Magazine just named us one of “8 New York Bands You Need to Hear.” Also, Dylan is from Connecticut.

Upcoming shows:
April 28 at Eclectic
May 1 at Luna Lounge in Brooklyn, NY (with Kenna)
May 10 at Piano’s in Manhattan, NY

Place to hear you and find out more: www.myspace.com/bearhandsband