What Happens in Vegas – Courtesy of Shotwell Photography. Used with permission.
The Indianapolis Men’s Chorus, under the leadership of Artistic Director Greg Sanders, continues to demonstrate remarkable growth as a performing arts organization. This was particularly evident in its recent Sunday presentation of What Happens in Vegas at the Warren Arts Performing Arts Center. Making this particular concert distinctive was the participation of Dan Nix and his 17-piece Big Band, which performed alongside 96 singers in IMC’s most ambitious presentation yet. The two groups together produced a spectacular, all-enveloping wall of sound, making the event fully immersive.
What Happens in Vegas – Courtesy of Shotwell Photography. Used with permission.
In a welcome message within the printed program, Sanders and IMC Executive Director Stephen McCoy, IMC’s leaders, promised “a bigger sound, a bolder energy, and a sense of spectacle that transforms the stage in a whole new way.” The visionary duo not only delivered but also exceeded their creative goals in capturing the very essence of the Las Vegas experience, which is engineered to be unlike anything else — a place of over-the-top excess where time doesn’t exist.
The program offered an impressive array of performances, with several notable highlights. Among my preferred Act 1 moments were renditions of Poker Face, featuring Cait Harrington, Brian Cassano, Aaron Munson, IMCSwing, and the IMC; It’s Not Unusual, showcasing Edric Mitchell and the IMC; and Tribute to Adele, with soloists Trevor Barnes, Drew Hedges, and Jared McElroy and the IMC.
What Happens in Vegas – Courtesy of Shotwell Photography. Used with permission.
Act 2 opened with The Dan Nix Big Band, accompanied by the IMC instrumentalists: pianist Matthew Richardson, drummer Cassius Goens, bassist Conner Green, and guitarist Joel Tucker. Their performance of Rock This Town showcased a level of virtuosity and musicianship comparable to leading acts in Las Vegas. Other memorable performances included Crazy in Love featuring Brian Cassano, Patrick Kuntz, Aaron Munson, JJ Piel, and the IMC; Pop Bros with Edric Mitchell, Endy Andrahi, Jonathan Riley, Josue Reyes, Art Young, IMSwing, and the IMC. Perhaps the most thrilling highlight of the concert was Joe Martin’s powerfully moving vocal rendition of My Way.
Deserving of high praise is Jared Norman, who was responsible for the show’s eye-catching, splashy choreography.
The production values of What Happens in Vegas were superb, comparable to Las Vegas shows, due to the work of Lighting Designer Matthew Cunningham, Sound Designers Miles Hall and Matt Kraus, Video Designer Zach Rosing, and Costume Designers Tony Sirk and Jeffery Cooks.
