Glee Club

Those who read my blog on a regular basis know a lot of what I write about involves my experiences with the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. It’s obviously a pretty big part of my life. This page is devoted to the Glee Club.

2009-2010 Purdue Varsity Glee Club

From the website:

With integrity, passion, unparalleled showmanship and attention to every detail, the men of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club have proudly served as ambassadors of the university with honor and dignity for more than 115 years.

Founded in 1893, this select ensemble has entertained on behalf of Purdue University for campus, community, state, national and international events, averaging between 50-60 appearances each year. Embodying the spirit of service above self, the men of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club represent different backgrounds and hometowns across the country, consistently maintaining a high level of academic excellence with majors ranging from engineering to education to management to biological sciences.

Check out all of the different social media pages for the Glee Club and Purdue Musical Organizations!!

As we have such an expansive repertoire, we have the ability to perform for a wide array of audiences. Our music spans many genres and decades, and as our director Bill Griffel says, there’s at least one song in every show for every audience member. If you like classical, we’ve got it. If you like contemporary, we’ve got it. If you like country or gospel or barbershop, we’ve got it.

Aside from the full group, we have a number of specialty groups that have specific genres and styles of music, all of which are very talented!

The Voiceovers

  • The a cappella group does popular music without a piano or any other instruments. With a beat-boxer and five vocalists, the Voiceovers bring a unique touch to a Glee Club show. Bill likes to refer to them as the Glee Club’s a capella rockband! The group currently has classics such as “Carry on my Wayward Son” and “Fireflies.”

The Voiceovers

Lighthouse

  • As the Glee Club’s “inspiration quartet” as Bill often refers to them, Lighthouse combines gospel tunes and tight harmonies to create such a smooth blend. The four guys that make up Lighthouse have such a crisp tight sound, it’s no wonder why they’re our source of inspiration.

Lighthouse

Ba-Na-Na

  • As the Glee Club’s oldest specialty, Ba-Na-Na really brings the house down every time they step on stage. Specializing in music of the 50′s and 60′s, the quartet rocks the stage to classics such as “Shout” and “Johnny B. Goode.” With slick jeans, leather jackets and sunglasses, Ba-Na-Na really takes audiences back to the good ole days.

Ba-Na-Na

The Clever Lads

  • This foursome has changed styles between semesters from the “comedy act” of the Glee Club to the style of a crooner. With medleys of some of the best crooners of many generations, Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble to name a few, the Clever Lads add to the diverse repertoire the Glee Club is known for.

The Clever Lads

The BoilerBoys

  • Inspired by Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons, the BoilerBoys perform a number of songs from the 60s and 70s. The four guys, all tenors of course, hit some notes you didn’t even think were possible for men to sing. They even have choreographed dance moves to go with the falsetto that has many audiences clapping for more

The Boiler Boys

The Flashbacks

  • The newest of the Glee Club’s specialties, the Flashbacks sing hits of the 70s and 80s. The music these guys do ranges in style, but the group is up-and-coming and have a quality sound. They perform Billy Joel classics “For the Longest Time,” “Uptown Girl” and others, as well as “Hip to be Square” and many classics.

Being a part of the Glee Club and Purdue Musical Organizations has afforded me so many wonderful opportunities, a simple page doesn’t do the group justice. You simply need to see a performance yourself!