The BOCA award is an annual recognition of the best songs in college a cappella music in the United States. Every fall, collegiate a cappella groups from around the country submit their albums in hopes of being selected for inclusion on the prestigious CD. This year nearly 1,500 songs were submitted, vying for one of only 18 spots, one of which went to the Back Row.
"Sexyback," a song from the group's second album, "After This I'll Show You My Rock Collection," will be Track 4 on BOCA 2008. Back Row is one of only two a cappella groups appearing on BOCA in back-to-back years with songs from different albums, a feat rarely accomplished in college a cappella music.
"It means so much more now that we've made it two years in a row," said Ian Goldstein, Back Row founder and producer of "After This I'll Show You My Rock Collection." "So few groups ever make it onto BOCA, and virtually none make it two years in a row from two separate albums; it's a great feeling to see our hard work so well recognized on a national level."
Deke Sharon, president of the CASA and Don Gooding, president of A-Cappella.Com, jointly made the award announcement.
The Back Row, following a trend in the a cappella industry, recorded both "Sexyback" and its entire album on its own. By soundproofing a group member's room and turning it into a homemade studio, members of Back Row spent a semester self-recording all the tracks themselves. They then worked with music producer Bill Hare on polishing and mixing the tracks.
The group is a self-directed student ensemble at Colorado College. Its 12 members meet three to four times a week, including five hours each Sunday, to rehearse and sing for school functions and Colorado Springs community events. Twice yearly they perform an end-of-semester concert, and during the year they perform at CC hockey games and at the home of Colorado College President Richard F. Celeste. In addition, they give volunteer performances at local schools and nursing homes. They have performed from Colorado to Las Vegas to Boston to Maine and are planning a spring tour of New England in April 2008.
Back Row will perform "Sexyback," as well as many other songs, at its annual winter concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 1 in Armstrong Hall, located on the Colorado College campus. The show is open to the public, and tickets will be available at the Worner Campus Center Information Desk, 902 N. Cascade Ave., the week of the show and at the door.
The Best of College A Cappella 2008 CD will be available for purchase in late January from Back Row or from a-cappella.com. The group's two studio albums - "After This I'll Show You My Rock Collection" and its debut album "Unleash the Periscope" - are currently available form the same sources or at Back Row's website at www.ccbackrow.com
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