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Hullabahoos

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The Hullabahoos
The 2024-2025 Hullabahoos
The 2024-2025 Hullabahoos
Background information
OriginUniversity of Virginia
GenresA Cappella
Years active1987–present
Websitehullabahoos.com

The Hullabahoos are a student-run, all-male a cappella group at the University of Virginia. The group was founded in 1987 by Halsted Sullivan and recorded its 24th studio album[1] in 2024. They have appeared as the fictional group "Here Comes Treble" on an episode of NBC's The Office,[2] were featured in the 2012 blockbuster film Pitch Perfect, and have performed at events like the 2004 Republican National Convention,[3] Washington Nationals baseball games, Good Morning America,[4] in the Philippines,[5] weddings, and private parties. Other performance requests have included invitations from the White House, the Kennedy Center,[6] and NBC's The Today Show.

History

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Originally friends, the group was founded on December 8, 1987 at the University of Virginia. As an a cappella group, their performances and recordings are produced with no instrumental aid, and they are seen wearing robes while performing. The group's history has taken them around the world and allowed them to record several studio albums in what they refer to on their album inserts as "Hullabasound".

The Hullabahoos typically have 13 to 18 members, although this figure varies from year to year. Auditions for newcomers are held every fall and occasionally in the spring.[7]

The Hullabahoos logo

The current Hullabahoos logo was drawn in fall 2003 by Morgan Anderson, a student at Williams College, to promote the Hullabahoos' visit to her college. The poster was later scanned into a computer and emailed from a girlfriend in Massachusetts to her boyfriend in Virginia, and it slowly crept its way on to more and more Hullabahoos' paraphernalia, gradually overtaking the traditional but less distinctive Uppercase H logo.

Fall Roll

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In addition to concert performances and other similar gigs, the Hullabahoos typically reserve their fall break weekend at the University of Virginia for a road trip known as Fall Roll.[8] The tour typically covers the East Coast, stopping and performing at various colleges (e.g. University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, University of North Carolina) along the way.[6]

Album Production

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The Hullabahoos released their first studio album, Full Glottal Stop, in 1991,[9] and spent the majority of their early album-making career recording with the accomplished sound engineer Paul Brier, formerly of Virginia Arts Recording Studios in Charlottesville, Virginia. However, with the release in 2004 of Jacked, the Hullabahoos began to use to a new sound engineer/producer, Dave Sperandio of Diovoce, hiring him to handle the album's final mixes and mastering. Sperandio, with his proficiency in hip-hop and pop type production, quickly built a solid reputation in the a cappella world, and his work has been commended by the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB). With the Hullabahoos' 13th CD release, the a cappella producer and UVA alumnus, James Gammon, of James Gammon Productions, was added to the production team, carrying out almost all of the Hullabahoos' production. Gammon most recently worked with the group to record, mix, and master their 24th studio album, Washed Up, which the producer proclaimed as the group's "best work."

Robes

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Caleb Park (Class of '27) sings with multiple robes symbolically placed on him.

The Hullabahoos were not the first all-male a cappella group at the University of Virginia. The Virginia Gentlemen were founded in 1953.[10] Historically, the Virginia Gentlemen wear tuxedos or coats and bowties whenever they perform. When the Hullabahoos were formed, they decided to differentiate themselves with a more laid-back style by adopting the use of uniquely patterned robes[11] that have been noted to resemble the official garb of the Eli Banana,[12] one of the many Secret Societies at the University of Virginia. In 2024, three of the group's active members were also members of the university's IMP Society.

Each member picks out their desired robe pattern from fabrics at Joann Fabrics in Charlottesville.[11] This gives the group a sense of relaxed individuality and swagger, making the Hullabahoos stand out amongst the more typical glee club-style college groups like the Virginia Gentlemen.

Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory

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New York-based writer Mickey Rapkin followed the Hullabahoos in 2006 and 2007 and profiled the group in his book, Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory. This "behind-the-scenes look at the bizarre, inspiring, and hilarious world of competitive collegiate a cappella"[13] was published on May 29, 2008, by Gotham Books.

The group makes an appearance in the film adaptation, Pitch Perfect, released in 2012. They appear during the ICCA Finals as a participating group performing "The Final Countdown".

Discography

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  • Full Glottal Stop (1991)
  • Baby Fishmouth (1993)
  • Free Doughnuts (1994)
  • Get on the Glide (1996)
  • You'd be Surprised How Well it Fits (1997)
  • Unit, Corps, God, Country, Hullabahoos (1998)
  • Hurricane (1999)
  • 8ch (2000)
  • Xerox Nation (2001)
  • You Don't Know Me (2002)
  • XV - The Essential Other People's Songs Without Instruments (2003)
  • Jacked (2004)
  • Off The Dock (2006)
  • Varsity Sing Team (2007)
  • Better Than Coal: A Hullabahoos Christmas (2007)
  • XX-Dos Equis (2008)
  • Evicted (2009)
  • Morning Warriors (2012)
  • Open House (2014)
  • Rooftop Jukebox (2016)
  • Derobed (2018)
  • All Aboard (2022)
  • Washed Up (2024)

Awards and recognition

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CARA wins and nominations

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  • 2002: Best Male Collegiate Album Award for Xerox Nation; Best Male Collegiate Solo Runner-Up for Jeff Hall (Class of '01) on "All Out of Love"; Best Male Collegiate Song Nomination for "Everything You Want"
  • 2003: Best Male Collegiate Song Award for "Melt With You"
  • 2005: Best Male Collegiate Album Nomination for Jacked; Best Male Collegiate Solo Nomination for Russell Bloodworth (Class of '05) on "Cry Me a River"; Best Male Collegiate Song Award for "Cry Me a River"
  • 2008: Best Holiday Album Nomination for "Better than Coal: A Hullabahoos Christmas"; Best Holiday Song Nomination for "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"; Best Male Collegiate Album Nomination for "Varsity Sing Team"
  • 2019: Best Male Collegiate Solo Runner-Up for Avi Montañez (Class of '18) on "Can I Be Him"
  • 2023: Best Rock Album or EP for All Aboard; Best Lower Voices Collegiate Solo Runner-Up for Jalon Daniels (Class of '21) on "Youngblood"

Albums selected as "Top Picks" / "Honorable Mentions" by the RARB

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  • 2001: Xerox Nation selected as "Top Pick"
  • 2002: You Don't Know Me given "Honorable Mention"
  • 2004: Jacked given "Honorable Mention"

Album tracks selected for BOCA

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  • 1996: "What You Won't Do For Love" selected for BOCA Vol. 2
  • 1998: "Hands to Heaven" selected for BOCA 1998
  • 1999: "You Make Me Wanna" selected for BOCA 1999
  • 2005: "Hey Ya" selected for BOCA 2005
  • 2006: "Save a Horse" selected for BOCA 2006
  • 2013: "Something to Believe In" selected for BOCA 2013
  • 2015: "Sweater Weather" selected for BOCA 2015
  • 2025: "Something in the Orange" selected for BOCA 2025

Album tracks selected for Voices Only

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  • 2005: "Cry Me a River" selected for Voices Only 2005
  • 2010: "You Found Me" selected for Voices Only 2010
  • 2012: "Best Love Song" selected for Voices Only 2012
  • 2024: "Marry You" selected for Voices Only 2024

Album tracks selected for Spotify's "All A Cappella"

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  • 2012: "The Final Countdown"
  • 2023: "Jealous"

References

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  1. ^ "Hullabahoos History". Hullabahoos (home page). Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  2. ^ ""The Office" and LA". Hullabahoos. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  3. ^ Lee, Youyoung (April 9, 2004). "The Hullabahoos: Unrobed For Your Pleasure". Cavalier Daily. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  4. ^ Milberger, Michael (September 28, 2008). "College A Capella Groups Breaking Tradition, Hearts". ABC News.
  5. ^ Batten, Stephanie (September 20, 1999). "Hullabahoos take their show on the road". Cavalier Daily. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Kennedy Center: Millennium Stage Artist Details for The University of Virginia Hullabahoos". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  7. ^ "So you want to be a Hullabahoo?". Hullabahoos (home page). Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  8. ^ "Fall Roll 2014". Hullabahoos (home page). 10 October 2014. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
  9. ^ "Full Glottal Stop (album)". Hullabahoos (home page). Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  10. ^ "Virginia Gentlemen (home page)". Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  11. ^ a b Wood, Teresa (April 11, 2005). "Loud Robes". Cavalier Daily. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  12. ^ Jacob, Katie (January 2004). "Looking back at years of Bananas, Ravens". A&S Online. Archived from the original on 2006-08-28.
  13. ^ Rapkin, Mickey. "Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory". Archived from the original on May 25, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
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