Nine voices, no instruments, no backing track — just the sound of bodies in a room. That is the whole proposition with Straight No Chaser, and it is why the a cappella group’s Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center date on Saturday, June 20, is worth the drive into the Berkshires. The Beach Bash Tour rolls into Great Barrington with a setlist built from decades of summer songs — and the curtain goes up at 8:00 PM.
About Straight No Chaser
Straight No Chaser started as a college a cappella group at Indiana University in 1996, then found a second life a decade later when a video of an old performance went viral on YouTube and turned into an Atlantic Records deal. Since then they have built a career most touring bands would envy — two RIAA Gold certifications and a list of collaborators that includes Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. Not bad for a group with zero instruments.
The Beach Bash Tour leans into exactly what the name promises: warm-weather songs spanning the last several decades, stitched together with the choreography, comedy, and audience back-and-forth the group is known for. Baritone Steve Morgan has described the show as “kind of like Glee and Pitch Perfect, all mixed up together” — which, if you have seen them, is about right. The night typically closes with an unamplified a cappella moment: no mics, no cues, just nine guys and the natural acoustics of the room. In a 681-seat theater, that is the kind of thing you feel in your chest.
About Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
The Mahaiwe is a restored 681-seat theater on Castle Street in downtown Great Barrington, Massachusetts — about an hour east of Albany through the southern Berkshires. It is a genuine destination room, intimate enough that every seat feels close to the stage. Great Barrington is walkable and worth arriving early for, but summer weekends fill up fast, so leave yourself a few extra minutes for parking before the 8:00 PM start.
Tickets
Reserved seats are $55, Preferred $75, and Premium $95, with Mahaiwe members saving $5 per ticket. If you are 30 or under, tickets are just $15 — available at the box office or by phone at 413-528-0100, Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 PM. All prices are subject to processing fees. Grab your tickets here.