Which isn't to say it was lacking. Spared of an opening act but saddled with the responsibility of catering to the mass of pre-froshes swarming about campus, the Zumbyes gamely kissed collective ass in the assortment of skits dropped amongst their 18 numbers.
There were three standouts, including the obligatory pre-frosh act. Four visitors unfortunate enough to be attendees were hauled up and asked absurd questions by a chirpy Dean of Students Ben Lieber, the purpose being to eliminate all but one. Pity the poor kid done away with because he was nervous enough to answer "No" when Lieber addressed him with "Do you find me good-looking?"
The centerpiece skit used the recent Amherst Feminist Alliance's screening of the film "Breasts" as an excuse to counteract with a film about balls. The purpose for this was hazy and there was no real rhyme or reason to anything happening on-screen, but I know I won't forget the image of Matt Murumba '04 throwing a glass of chocolate milk in Jason Blynn's '02 face as the latter dared to touch Murumba's volleyball. Or, for that matter, the sight of Blynn sprawled lazily amid pillows stroking, caressing and cooing over his collection of assorted balls.
But the funniest skit I have ever seen at an a cappella show was Taharqua Peterson '05 and Russell Lee's '05 spoof of English professors dissecting the language of pop music acts. To imitate Peterson's interpretation of a British accent, to describe the cadences of Lee's tone as he hysterically labeled Shakira 'verbal diarrhea,' to express the hilarity of the high-fiving and exclamations of "Well done, old chap!" would be impossible. It was nothing short of genius.
And then the music. Oh, the music. Personally I was in heaven; and, on a more professional level, there was nothing to complain about. The Zumbyes' music is characterized by the incorporation of jazz into their arrangements and, true to tradition, every number, even the slow ones, had an undertone of vigor that lent a sense of cohesion to the entire show.
One of the highlights of the first half, which found the Zumbyes in their traditional costumes of blue suits and wonky ties and shoes, was Peterson's gorgeous solo in the fourth number, "Since I Fell." Another was the peppy "Shall We Dance," which found the group doing parodies of both a classic top-hat number and, to riotous effect, a ballet.
In preparation for the second half, the Zumbyes donned the most ludicrous assortment of beach-themed outfits imaginable, which they introduced in a brief "Gilligan's Island" send-up. While their reasoning wasn't clear, watching Kevin Yeh's '02 beautifully rendered solo in "Solace of You" performed in a fake-muscleman outfit and "LIFEGUARD" briefs was reason enough for me.
Two numbers in particular stood out for me. One was the group's rendition of "Loch Lomond," melodic and simple enough to nearly make me cry. As for the second, I'm sorry, but "You Spin Me Round," starring the absolutely inimitable Brian Clowdus '03 and featuring their most energetically tongue-in-cheek routines, was too damn good to resist. But to be honest, to my ear there wasn't a single weak moment in the entire show and I would sit through the entire performance three times over. God, I love a cappella.