Kicking off the festivities and celebration, Cardiff University recently hosted their first Winter Showcase of 2024. A three-act performance made up of a variety of society’s prepared five-minute pieces, I was lucky enough to watch alongside two members of the Quench Team.
The showcase was organised meticulously by Cardiff student union staff who made the audience feel welcome and prepped for a night of fun. Hitting 6 O’clock, the hall flooded with friends and family, arriving in support of the performers. Audience members had two options; seated or standing in the balcony area. There were also two intervals, giving opportunity for us to buy a drink or grab a snack mid-way through. The countdown went down quick as a buzz filled the hall in the lead up to showtime.
Whilst the array of societies each had something beautifully unique to offer, there were three in particular which took my interest, kicked off with the Show Choir’s performance of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’. Festive nostalgia took over me for this short segment, with the group’s effortless voices doing justice to Lily’s Allen’s cover of the song, famously appearing in the John Lewis Christmas advert in 2014. After speaking to some of the members, I was informed that the song choice was decided from a poll in which Keane’s track won by a “massive margin,” remarked by one member of the society.
Costume choice was simple and classy: all black. Certainly the right decision, allowing audience attention to remain firmly on the audio rather than the visual. And, without doubt, we heard them loud and clear. Delicately harmonising, the group sang with passion, being mindful of their fellow singers and performing as a unit. When it comes to the technicalities, I spoke to the society’s present and Synergy musical director, Joshua Tandy, who explained the nitty gritty parts of preparation.
He revealed: “I worked with the sopranos a bit more to ensure their highest notes were crisper. It can be really hard to get those notes clean, and not distorted.”
In a further question, I wanted to find out what their favourite part of being a member of the show choir really was. He stated: “We really do pride ourselves on an anyone can sing motto.”
A truly inspirational way to sum up the inclusivity and range of performers who came together on the Monday evening.
Next up, I was taken aback by the funky hip hop dance group, Slash Dance. Making their mark on the stage, they entered with a striking confidence which immediately locked in the crowd. Dynamic, sharp, and feisty, each of their energies beamed through the rows of ticket holders. Alongside the other talented dance groups that also performed that evening, they brought their own take which was astounding. Proudly displaying their society logo on their t-shirts, their unified costumes looked sleek and put together. Included in their playlist were Kendrick and Kaytranada classics, keeping the sounds relevant and recognisable for the students watching. Having collated multiple elements of choreography to bring together one cohesive display of street dance, I believe I speak for everyone in attendance that we were blown away.
The final act of the night, Cardiff University’s very own brass band, finished the night in style with a beautifully orchestrated medley of Tom Jones classics. Including hits such as ‘Sex Bomb’ and ‘It’s Not Unusual’, the accurate instrumentals had everyone humming along. The society was huge: the entire stage was filled with talented musicians and a range of diverse instruments that sounded beautiful in unison and made the renditions come to life. As the performance came to a close, an unexpected festive twist was also announced: their final piece would be a Christmas classic. Soon enough, the crowd rose to their feet and got involved as the show came to a close.
What a beautiful celebration of the university’s creative societies have to offer, ranging from medieval enactments to choir performances which will surely be remembered by fellow students and those perhaps wishing to get involved.
Words by Bo Burt.
Featured image courtesy of Katie Storrie. No changes have been made to the image.