In a backyard lit with fairy lights, a crowd of a capella enjoyers crowded a stage with two microphone stands to hear performances from a collection of USC’s a capella groups Friday night. “All Hail” was a showcase and recruitment event hosted by the Trogons, with a venue provided by the SoCal VoCals. 

Throughout the event, nine groups took to the stage — a cleared-out space between a garage and a parked car — performed two songs each and introduced themselves to the crowd. Many of the groups advertised upcoming auditions and fundraisers. 

The a capella groups present, in order of performance, were Overflow, Trogons, Reverse Osmosis, Asli Baat, the Sirens, Troy Tones, UnderSCore, the SoCal VoCals and The Trojan Men.

All groups presented impressive performances, easily connecting with the audience in the intimate setting while putting forth an enticing energy that took advantage of the atmosphere. The crowd clapped, snapped, cheered and swayed through all nine presentations, captured by the melodies woven using only the human voice and strong vocal power of the soloists. All of the performers were enthusiastic, their energy was high and their passion for their art was infectious.

Standouts of the night included the Trogons, whose cohesive sound was at once soothing and exciting; the Troy Tones, whose liveliness and large ensemble thrilled the crowd; and The Trojan Men, whose unique mix of comedy, a capella and formal attire was particularly charming. 

Five of the nine groups who performed included some kind of cultural association or distinct membership. Overflow is USC’s Christian a cappella group; the Trogons highlight East Asian music; Asli Baat is a South Asian fusion group; the Sirens are an all-women group and The Trojan Men are an all-men group. 

James Tse, co-president of Trogons and a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and economics, spoke on the importance of these cultural connections. 

“It’s just been like a home away from home, seeing a lot of familiar faces; a lot of us were brought up, kind of grew up in the same, similar cultural context,” Tse said. “But at the end of the day, we’re not bound by our cultural background, and in some ways, it’s easy to kind of break out of our cultural worlds together.” 

Community was a common theme at “All Hail,” even outside of groups’ cultural associations. For members of the a capella groups, team connections and community building are as large a part of this culture as the singing. 

“I think a capella is so special because of the community,” said Gabriel Douglas, a soloist for the Troy Tones and a senior majoring in communication. “Honestly, everyone who does a capella loves to sing, but I feel like the biggest part about it is finding a family and a home at USC. It can make your experience so much better and so much more fun if you just have a home.”

In the coming weeks, these tight-knit communities will open their arms to new members, looking for the next group of singers with whom they can harmonize. 

“It’s the best way to be involved in the music scene on campus because you get people from all different skill levels,” said Charles Cui, co-president of Trogons and a senior majoring in communication. “I think for me, coming from very little music background, it was just a really good way to get into music further and express my interest.”

While some are, most of the a capella groups on campus are not competitive. Instead, they focus their time and effort on expressing their love of music and building connections, within their groups, as well as across campus and in the wider community, Douglas said.

“It’s all about cohesion,” Tse said, “and I think that’s the one thing — it’s not just music, it’s a community, a group of friends singing together.”

The next “All Hail” is expected to be hosted around Halloween. Head to the event for an evening of musical community and beautiful vocals.