Several students clothed in ghoulish, tattered rags came onto the stage. As they huddled over a figure in a red jacket, the stage was set for an evening of all-out entertainment.
The students, the Dodecaphonics, launched into Michael Jackson's "Thriller," kicking off the Spring Sing a cappella concert on Friday night in Spaulding Auditorium.
The Rockapellas, the first group to perform as part of the program, appeared at the back of the auditorium, clad in vintage '70s flashy garb.
Gyrating to hits from the '70s, the Rocks wove through the audience on their way to the stage. The Rockapellas lent their energies to classics like "Solsbury Hill" and "Walk Like an Egyptian," as well as newer songs such as "Hand in My Pocket" and "Carnival."
They also performed well-received skits about typical Dartmouth "random hook-ups" and a McDonald's version of the television medical drama "ER."
A few songs about female liberation also found their way into the Rockapellas' set, namely the songs "Gratitude" and "We Shall be Free."
The '70s attire and that era's connotation of newly-realized liberation greatly enhanced the songs' messages.
After the Rockapellas' set, the Gospel Choir came on for a brief, potent interlude. Voices booming across the auditorium, the Choir sang two songs proclaiming their intense religious devotion.
Next up were the visiting all-male group the Columbia Kingsmen. Dressed in red blazers, the men started off nicely with a rollicking version of "Tutti Frutti," into which they inserted a verse involving a girl named Lynn in the Hanover Inn.
But the Kingsmen's set quickly became quite sketchy, to say the least. Throughout their entire performance, the Kingsmen held beer bottles in their hands, and as if one wasn't enough for each Kingsman, extras were in ample supply in a basket prominently displayed at center stage.
While alcohol should not come as a shock to a school known for drinking, such a blatant demonstration of drinking on stage seemed quite tasteless.
Also in the realm of drinking, the Kingsmen performed a skit about underage admission into a bar. This skit was well-received, and could have easily been about Dartmouth freshmen using their wily wit to sneak into fraternities during Fall term.
The Kingsmen's rendition of Pearl Jam's "Nothing Man," however, was a bit sloppy. The lead singer was noticeably out of tune as the song rolled along. Perhaps it was the beer.
Finally, it was the Dodecaphonics' time to return to the stage. Garbed in ritzy formal wear, the Dodecs absolutely stole the show with their high-stepping, inventive collective humor and style.
Running the gamut from Pat Benatar's "We Belong" to the television show "Friends' " "Smelly Cat," the Dodecs showcased both old-fashioned tenderness and modern humor.
Especially great was their U2 medley, in which several U2 classics were superimposed on top of "With or Without You," and it evolved into the Beatles' "Let it Be."
One highlight of the Dodecs' set came when they acted out an absurd dream sequence to demonstrate how they came up with the word "Dodecadence" for their new album's title. Ballet moves, grapes and pineapple punctuated this strange, hysterical interlude.
The Dodecs closed with a stirring medley of "16 Tons/Fever," full of sultry swing-era choreography. Called out for an encore, the group ended in high style, with a jazz-laden "Basketcase" and a soothing "Galileo."
All told, it was a "thriller" of a night.
