Straight No Chaser at Civic Center of Greater Des Moines

Founded at Indiana University in the fall of 1996, Straight No Chaser’s goal was to expand the boundaries of the traditional college a cappella group. From the start, they viewed themselves more like a local band that just happened to use their voices as their instruments. As original member Randy Stine comments, “We take the music very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves too seriously.” In the process, they are reinventing the idea of a cappella on the modern pop landscape.

In 1999, the graduating members of Straight No Chaser chose their replacements, ensuring that the new tradition they had created would continue on with successive generations of IU undergrads. Then, in 2006, the unexpected happened – Indiana University decided to host a reunion concert for the original members. In honor of the event, Stine posted footage from one of their 1998 concerts online and to the group’s surprise, their version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” – interpolating Toto’s “Africa” – became the hottest viral video of the holiday season. Among the millions of viewers was Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, who tracked Straight No Chaser down and promptly signed them to the label.

Three full-length albums and one EP have since followed, cumulatively selling more than half a million copies. The group has been featured on ABC World News Tonight, HLN, and Today, among others. Straight No Chaser’s third and most recent album, “WITH A TWIST,” marked the group’s highest chart debut to date, entering the Billboard 200 at #29 upon its April 2010 release. The group celebrated the success of “WITH A TWIST” with a memorable appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where they performed an homage to ABC’s famed “TGIF” line-up.