Johnson Chapel was immersed in darkness as the murmurs of anticipation grew louder. Suddenly, tranquil sounds of wind instruments floated through the room, and as the lights came back on, several Zumbyes members came strolling in. Based on my experiences at previous performances, the typical Zumbyes entrance seemed to be a screaming mad dash for the stage. Where was the uninhibited silliness that we had all come to expect? Where was the unrestrained energy? Gradually, we realized that it was all acting; the show had begun. For those of you who have never seen the Zumbyes perform, you are missing out on more than simple a cappella. At "Jambo!," their annual concert, the Zumbyes left the audience clamoring for more with their characteristic mix of dancing, comedy and, of course, wonderful blending harmonies.

The Mt. Holyoke College V-8s opened the show with their rendition of the Counting Crows' "American Girls." For the fourth and last song of their set, the V-8s called former Zumbye Chad Mills '04 up to the stage and proceeded to "serenade" him, singing "Goodbye, I never want to see you again." After the jovial male-bashing was over, the V-8s turned the stage over to the Zumbyes.

"Today, we're going to learn about love," said Brendan Horton '08, playing the part of a preschool teacher while dressed in a yellow banana suit. In the Zumbyes' version of love, Cupid (Josh Rilla '06), who looked more like a disgruntled Rambo than a cherubic matchmaker, shot arrows at innocent victims. This skit created a perfect bridge into the first song of the night, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love."

It is obvious that the Zumbyes put almost as much effort into their dance routines as their harmonies. The show contained a lot of eye-catching choreography such as the sun formation during "What's Your Name" and the over-the-top bouncing of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." While the background dancing occasionally shifted the focus away from the singing, the choreographed routines were an integral part of the Zumbyes experience that the audience obviously enjoyed.

For their second skit, the Zumbyes did a hilarious sketch about thefacebook, the popular online friendship database that has taken the College by storm. The laughter echoed throughout the building, as many people in the audience were able to relate to the silly antics on stage. For example, the Zumbyes made fun of what being "friends" on the thefacebook actually means (Question: "Do you know him?" Answer: "No. We're just 'friends!'") and the mystery that is "poking."

Putting the humor aside for a moment, the Zumbyes shifted gears and delivered a soulful rendition of "Crazy Love," featuring a solo by T. Patterson '05. It is a testament to their amazing musical depth that they could switch from comedic routines that elicit roaring laughter to a gentler, more heartwarming sound. This softer side of the Zumbyes appeared in several other songs including "Have A Little Faith In Me" and the beautiful "Sally Gardens."

In another skit, the Zumbyes humorously envisioned what life would be like if Jesus Christ were to attend the College. For example, "J.C." (played by Russell Lee '05) would be a star on the swim team because of his ability to walk on water, and on the lacrosse team for his superb "saving" skills. The skit ended with a shameless recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper," another example of the Zumbyes' outrageous sense of humor.

As the show neared the end, Nick Brentley '06's absurd hermit crab dance entertained both the audience and, it seemed, the Zumbyes themselves, as it took a few moments for their laughter to die down before they could continue the show. The energy remained high as they charged through exciting renditions of "More Than a Feeling" and "Crazy Train." For the encore, the spotlight was on Patterson, who charmed the audience with "Since I Fell."

After the show, the audience's response was overwhelmingly positive. The feel-good atmosphere lingered as the audience made their way outside. "I love the randomness, like the part about how the world would be without connective tissue," said Laura Taylor '08. "You can see that they're having fun," Eddie Ramos '08 enthused. "These boys can sing!" All in all, the performance was a huge success. We can definitely look forward to the Zumbyes' next performance.