Review — The end of October always brings spooky fun, but few events are as franken-tastic as this past week’s a cappella Spook-A-Palooza. The event was hosted by Starving Artists and was both musically impressive and comically lighthearted. Six a cappella groups gathered in Schwartz Hall, in full costumes ranging from a psychedelic cat to a risque Winnie the Pooh and everywhere in between. 

The show was a fun event for students getting into the Halloween spirit but also for many parents visiting for Brandeis’ family weekend. Audience members could trick-or-treat for some candy before walking into the transformed lecture hall. 

Schwartz 112 was decorated with classic paper-and-string jack-o-lanterns and streamers. The cozy venue allowed for interaction between the performers and the audience, along with up-close-and-personal viewing of the performers’ costumes. There is nothing quite as spooky — or hilarious — as watching a fully covered sheet ghost come up to the microphone for a solo. 

The Brandeis a cappella groups that performed included Voicemale, Company B, Rather Be Giraffes and Starving Artists. Two other groups that joined were Northeastern University’s Pitch, Please! and Tufts University’s Jackson Jills.

The night of music started off with Voicemale, whose Green Day Medley truly chilled the audience. Voicemale member Marek Haar ’20 soloed for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” The “I walk alone” line was especially fitting, as he was dressed as the spirit of the water, a green faced, otherworldly looking creature who probably does walk a pretty lonely path. 

Another outstanding costume was from Company B, an a cappella group dedicated to the oldies, and, last Thursday night, to old-fashioned trends as well. Company B was the only group sporting a collective costume, with each member wearing an iconic clothing style from the 1860s to the 1990s. Julia Brown ’19 stole the spotlight as a pilgrim, enthusiastically dancing and beatboxing in “Son of Preacherman” by Dusty Springfield. Company B kept the audience chuckling throughout its whole performance. 

The next group was Rather Be Giraffes, who sang “Mistakes” by Andra Day and “Jackrabbit” by San Fermin. Radhika Jangi ’18 gave an incredible solo in “Mistakes.” This group had an array of costumes, including a couple of farmers, Rosie the Riveter and Scar from “The Lion King.” 

Starving Artists wrapped up the night, performing “Be My Escape” by Reliant K and “Feeling Good” by Frank Sinatra. Yoni Israel ’19 soloed in “Be My Escape” as a kangaroo whose joey was circulating somewhere in the audience. Ben Steinberg’s ’18 solo in “Feeling Good” was the culmination of the evening. Ben’s bass resounded throughout Schwartz Hall and left everyone feeling good on a low note. 

Aside from hosting a spooktacular night of entertainment, Starving Artists also used the event to fundraise money for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. The jack-o-lantern that was passed around throughout the evening collected over $150 for the cause. 

Overall, the night was a spooky success full of great costumes and fun for both the audience and performers. It brought together students from Brandeis, Tufts and Northeastern, as well as parents for music and silly Halloween spirit.