Out of the Blue (Oxford University)
Encyclopedia
Out of the Blue is an all-male a cappella
group at University of Oxford
in England
. The student-run group sings an eclectic mix of songs, focusing on covers of modern rock and pop hits.
Since its foundation in 2000, Out of the Blue has enjoyed success both nationally and internationally. The group regularly performs at both private and public functions in Oxford and the surrounding area, has toured the UK, Ireland
, the USA, and Scandinavia
, and has received critical acclaim for their performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Out of the Blue has also produced nine studio albums, been crowned UK Champions of A Cappella three times, has competed at the finals of the ICCAs
on three occasions, and come second in that competition twice.
, Derek Smith, in October 2000. Derek had previously been a member of The Harvard Callbacks whilst studying as an undergraduate in Harvard University
. After distributing posters to many of Oxford University's colleges
advertising auditions, Out of the Blue was formed and became Oxford's first all-male a cappella
group.
The original ten-strong group debuted at G&D′s ice cream cafe on Oxford’s Little Clarendon Street; this has become the traditional venue for the group's maiden concert each academic year. In their first year they performed a series of local gigs, collaborating with fellow Oxford-based group The Oxford Belles
, which climaxed with an end-of-year garden concert in New College
cloisters to an audience of over two hundred: a highlight of the year for the nascent group.
The most notable events in the group's second year was their private performance for Bill Clinton
and the release of their first album, Out of the Blue. In March 2001 Out of the Blue embarked on its first overseas tour in Canada and the USA, and that summer performed at numerous Oxbridge
college balls including Trinity College
in Cambridge.
, and its first visit to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The group gave a total of eleven performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at C Venues
's C-1 auditorium on Chambers Street, the first to only nine audience members.
In the following years, following their success at The Oxford Playhouse
, the group upgraded to the 1800-seat New Theatre in Oxford for their end-of-year performance. This concert has become an annual event for the group, with the most recent concert taking place on the 30th of May 2011
Out of the Blue also currently perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every year. Out of the Blue earned Fringe Sell-Out Awards for their month-long runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 2006 to 2009, and in 2010 the group opted to expand into the more impressive George Square Theatre (C Plaza) where they performed to over 8000 audience members over the course of their twenty-five show run. This year, the group will be working with the Pleasance at the Fringe throughout August.
of America in 2003, the group visited the West Coast
in 2004 and have continued to alternate their annual American tours between the two seaboards. During their 2006 tour of the East Coast
of America, the group gave a guest performance at the finals of the ICCA
South Regional Finals, held at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. The following year they competed themselves at the ICCA
Finals at the Lincoln Center in New York, finishing second and so becoming the first group outside of the USA to be placed in the top three.
Out of the Blue have since returned twice more to the ICCA
Finals, once in 2008 and again in 2009. On the latter occasion the group was once more awarded second place and also the award for Outstanding Arrangement for Edmund Thomson Jones's Cold Water by Damien Rice
.
The group has also made radio appearances overseas:
’s main building on Chambers Street (C -1) and was given four consecutive Fringe Sell-Out Awards from 2006 to 2009. In 2010 the group relocated to the George Square Theatre (C Plaza) and performed to over 8000 audience members over the course of the festival.
The group’s performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have been recommended by the Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman
and received maximum five-star reviews from ThreeWeeks
, Fringe Review, Broadway Baby, The New Current, one4review, and Edinburgh Festival Magazine.
to be held in Europe. The group won the inaugural Western European regional competition in 2006, with Cambridge University’s Fitz Barbershop in second and Oxford University's In the Pink in third. Out of the Blue also picked up the award for Outstanding Soloist for Marc Vastenavondt's performance of Queen
's Fat Bottomed Girls
and the award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion for Johannes Terwitte's performance in Franz Ferdinand
's Matinée
.
Having won the Western European round, Out of the Blue was invited to compete in the ICCAs
Finals in the Alice Tully Hall
at the Lincoln Center, New York, on 29 April 2006. The group was awarded second place behind Brigham Young University’s Vocal Point
. This was the first time that a group from outside the USA had achieved a place in the top three of the ICCA Finals: a milestone for UK a cappella.
Out of the Blue was awarded second place in the Western European semifinal of the ICCAs
in 2007 behind The Oxford Gargoyles
, and was given the award for Outstanding Choreography.
In 2008, the Western European region of the ICCAs
expanded to include two quarterfinals, one held at the University of Oxford
and the other at the University of St Andrews
. Out of the Blue won both the Oxford quarterfinals and the semifinal, held at St Paul’s School, London, progressing to ICCAs
Finals at New York’s Lincoln Center for the second time in three years. Out of the Blue’s then-President, Calum Melville, also won the award for Outstanding Choreography.
, was established. In the first year of the VF-UK competition, Out of the Blue progressed from the Oxford round to defeat a cappella groups from St Andrews and Cambridge at the final in London. The group was, once again, invited to compete in the ICCA
Finals in New York, coming second and winning the award for Outstanding Arrangement for Edmund Thomson Jones's Cold Water by Damien Rice
.
In 2010, Out of the Blue won the award for Outstanding Musicality at the Oxford round of VF-UK and progressed to the final and picked up the Outstanding Song Award for Lady Gaga
's "Poker Face
".
. They performed a mash-up version of "Poker Face
" and "SexyBack
" for their first round audition, broadcast on 30 April 2011. They made it through to the live semi-finals where they performed a mash-up of "Jump (For My Love)
" by The Pointer Sisters and "Flashdance... What a Feeling
" by Irene Cara
. When the results of the semi-final were announced, and it was revealed that Steven Hall had beaten Out of the Blue to the last place in the top 3, the live audience booed the announcement and judges alike expressed outrage and confusion at the result. Jessie J
also expressed her support for the group, and her disappointment that they didn't progress in the competition. Hundreds of Twitter
users also voiced their disapproval.
(performance at Christie's
auction house on 18 February 2002). Out of the Blue has made donations to a number of charities, including the Maya Childcare Trust.
In August 2009, Out of the Blue visited Oaklands School, Edinburgh, to sing for its pupils. The school educates children and young people with severe, profound and complex learning difficulties, including pupils with significant physical and motor impairment and pupils with sensory difficulties. The group returned in August 2010 and August 2011 to perform at an assembly and an evening fundraiser.
, as well as donating some of its end-of-year profits. Helen & Douglas House
is a hospice that provides respite care for children and young adults with life-limiting conditions, and support for their families.
Helen & Douglas House
hosts an annual fundraiser, Childish Things, held in the New Theatre, Oxford. The New Theatre offers the venue free of charge, its staff work for free on the night, and the theatre also donates profits from the bar and ice cream sales to Helen & Douglas House
. So far the six iterations of Childish Things has raised a total of over £200,000. Out of the Blue has performed regularly at the event since 2007, alongside comedians such as Bill Bailey
, Jimmy Carr
, Rowan Atkinson
, and Rob Brydon
.
2000
Rajat Chowdhury
Stephen Doughty
Seb Falk
Philip Haines
Julian Harris
Johannes Haushofer
Joseph McAuley
Kyu Park
John Rendel
Derek Smith
2001
Seb Allen
Joshua Nassiri
Ben Sparks
Jason Dean
2002
Vishal Bhavsar
Ben Burnett
Andre Flemmings (BM 03/04)
Tim Lewis
Pedro Ruiz Castell
David Sclar
Tom Searle
James Smith (MD 03/04)
Angus Turner (PRES 03/04)
Adam Walton
2003
Ed Arnold
Edward Brightman (BM 04/05)
Darren Chadwick
Todd Crawford
Andrew Henderson (PRES 04)
Ron Hess
Michael Humphrey (MD 04/05)
2004
Simon Bello (PRES 05)
Matt Chinery (BM 05/06)
James Duboff
Tim Elton
Richard Holdsworth
Alex Martin
Shaun Melvin
Jason Ng (PRES 05/06)
Harry Shearer
Johannes Terwitte (MD 05/06)
2005
David Ehrhardt
Tom Gatten
Harry Martin (PRES 06/07)
Arden Moscati
Marc Vastenavondt
Ben Woodgates (MD 06/07)
2006
Phil Birkett
Deep Basu Ray
Mark Cartwright
Joe Hasell (MD 07/08)
Calum Melville (PRES 07/08)
Harry Smith (BM 06/07)
Will Stuart
Terry Tamm
Stephan von Perger
Jonathan Webb
2007
Laurie Cottam (PRES 11/12)
Jack Durtnall
Sean Genis
David Jones
Ben Millinchip
Scott Riseborough (BM 08/09)
Jack Stamp
Nick Thomas Peter (BM 07/08, PRES 08/09)
Edmund Thomson Jones (MD 08/09)
Chris Waite
2008
George Eddy
Benjamin Lindley (MD 09/10)
Tim Jones (PRES 09/10)
Tom Lyle
Laurence Osbourn
Nick Pritchard
Ben Wingfield
David Wisby
2009
David Brennan (PRES 10/11)
Dominic Fladrich
Harry Fox
Ben Holder
Alexei Kalveks (MD 10/11)
Matthew Lynch
Fergus McIntosh
Mark Smith (BM 09/10)
Grant Swanson
Danny Swift (BM 10/11)
2010
Nick Barstow (MD 11/12)
Christopher Bland
Selali Fiamanya
Nick Fletcher
James Kay
James Leveson
Ben Mullaney
Jonathan Soman
Ollie Stephenson (BM 10/11)
Dominic Stockbridge (BM 11/12)
Samuel Swinnerton
2011
Francis Gush
Patrick Lee
Callum Lovett
Jolyon Loy
Oliver Ralph
Sam Scarrow
Domhnall Talbot
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group at University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The student-run group sings an eclectic mix of songs, focusing on covers of modern rock and pop hits.
Since its foundation in 2000, Out of the Blue has enjoyed success both nationally and internationally. The group regularly performs at both private and public functions in Oxford and the surrounding area, has toured the UK, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the USA, and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, and has received critical acclaim for their performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Out of the Blue has also produced nine studio albums, been crowned UK Champions of A Cappella three times, has competed at the finals of the ICCAs
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
on three occasions, and come second in that competition twice.
History
Out of the Blue was founded by a postgraduate student at the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, Derek Smith, in October 2000. Derek had previously been a member of The Harvard Callbacks whilst studying as an undergraduate in Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. After distributing posters to many of Oxford University's colleges
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
advertising auditions, Out of the Blue was formed and became Oxford's first all-male a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group.
The original ten-strong group debuted at G&D′s ice cream cafe on Oxford’s Little Clarendon Street; this has become the traditional venue for the group's maiden concert each academic year. In their first year they performed a series of local gigs, collaborating with fellow Oxford-based group The Oxford Belles
The Oxford Belles
The Oxford Belles are an all-female a cappella group from The University of Oxford, England, though in recent years they have included students from Oxford Brookes University...
, which climaxed with an end-of-year garden concert in New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
cloisters to an audience of over two hundred: a highlight of the year for the nascent group.
The most notable events in the group's second year was their private performance for Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and the release of their first album, Out of the Blue. In March 2001 Out of the Blue embarked on its first overseas tour in Canada and the USA, and that summer performed at numerous Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
college balls including Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in Cambridge.
Regular Concerts
Out of the Blue achieved two firsts in 2003: its first performance at one of Oxford's largest venues, The Oxford PlayhouseThe Oxford Playhouse
The Oxford Playhouse is an independent theatre in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum.- History :...
, and its first visit to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The group gave a total of eleven performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at C Venues
C venues
C venues is the home of the largest theatre and new writing programme at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which is held annually in August each year...
's C-1 auditorium on Chambers Street, the first to only nine audience members.
In the following years, following their success at The Oxford Playhouse
The Oxford Playhouse
The Oxford Playhouse is an independent theatre in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum.- History :...
, the group upgraded to the 1800-seat New Theatre in Oxford for their end-of-year performance. This concert has become an annual event for the group, with the most recent concert taking place on the 30th of May 2011
Out of the Blue also currently perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every year. Out of the Blue earned Fringe Sell-Out Awards for their month-long runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 2006 to 2009, and in 2010 the group opted to expand into the more impressive George Square Theatre (C Plaza) where they performed to over 8000 audience members over the course of their twenty-five show run. This year, the group will be working with the Pleasance at the Fringe throughout August.
Further Afield
Having toured the East CoastEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
of America in 2003, the group visited the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
in 2004 and have continued to alternate their annual American tours between the two seaboards. During their 2006 tour of the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
of America, the group gave a guest performance at the finals of the ICCA
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
South Regional Finals, held at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. The following year they competed themselves at the ICCA
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
Finals at the Lincoln Center in New York, finishing second and so becoming the first group outside of the USA to be placed in the top three.
Out of the Blue have since returned twice more to the ICCA
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
Finals, once in 2008 and again in 2009. On the latter occasion the group was once more awarded second place and also the award for Outstanding Arrangement for Edmund Thomson Jones's Cold Water by Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
.
Other Performances
The group regularly perform in Oxford and have travelled extensively around the UK, performing at schools, weddings, parties and other public or private occasions.Prestigious performances
To date, Out of the Blue has performed at the following prestigious events:- Sing Up Lads!, The Sage Gateshead (31 January 2010)
- London A Cappella FestivalLondon A Cappella FestivalThe London A Cappella Festival is a series of concerts based at Kings Place, London, showcasing some of the finest a cappella acts from London and the surrounding area. The inaugural festival, in January 2010, was curated by the international a cappella outfit, Swingle Singers...
, Kings PlaceKings PlaceKings Place is a building in London’s Kings Cross area, providing music and visual arts venues combined with seven floors of office space, a home for The Guardian newspaper since December 2008 and the headquarters of Network Rail...
, hosted by the Swingle Singers (15 January 2010) - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, home of the NHL’s New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for their match versus Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
(2 April 2009) - Gleneagles HotelGleneagles HotelThe Gleneagles Hotel is a luxury hotel near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.- History :The hotel was built by the former Caledonian Railway Company and opened in 1924, originally with its own railway station...
, Scotland (unknown) - Whistler Ski Resort, British Columbia, Canada (March 2002)
- The London Rhodes Event, National Portrait Gallery (2 July 2003)
- Performance for THT/Lighthouse and Ralph LaurenPolo Ralph LaurenRalph Lauren Corporation is a luxury clothing and goods company of the American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. Ralph Lauren specializes in high-end casual/semi-formal wear for men and women, as well as accessories, fragrances, home and housewares...
, Christie'sChristie'sChristie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction house, London (18 February 2002) - Command performance for Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, New College, Oxford (28 October 2001)
Television appearances
Out of the Blue has appeared on British television on a number of occasions, including:- The Culture ShowThe Culture ShowThe Culture Show is a weekly BBC Two Arts magazine programme. It is broadcast in the UK on Thursday nights at 7pm, focusing on the best of the week's arts and culture news, covering books, art, film, architecture, music, visual fashion and the performing arts...
, Series 4, Episode 9, BBC2 performing "Poker FacePoker Face (Lady Gaga song)"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
" by Lady GagaLady GaGaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
(originally broadcast at 7pm on 19 August 2010) - The SlammerThe SlammerThe Slammer is a Children's Talent show that has been broadcasting on BBC One since 22 September 2006.Set in a fictional prison called HM Slammer, this programme follows a variety show format where “prisoners” compete, by performing to an audience, who decide which act should be released.The show...
, Series 1, Episode 8, CBBC1 performing "Dreaming of YouDreaming of You (The Coral song)"Dreaming of You" is a song by English band The Coral and is featured on their debut album, The Coral. Released on 29 October 2002, it was the third single taken from the album and charted at #13...
" by The CoralThe CoralThe Coral are an English band formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in England. The band first emerged during the early 2000s and found success with their debut album The Coral and follow up Magic and Medicine...
(originally broadcast at 4.55pm on 10 November 2006) - Central News, ITV1 (May 2006)
- South TodaySouth TodaySouth Today is the BBC's regional television news programme for East Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, West Sussex and the western fringes of Surrey...
, BBC1 (May 2006) - Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
, ITV1 (30 April 2011)
Radio appearances
Out of the Blue often appear on local radio stations in the Oxford area. Most recently:- BBC OxfordBBC OxfordBBC Oxford is the name given to the sub-opt out region serving Oxford and the surrounding areas. Its services include:*BBC Oxford News, the local news service called BBC Oxford on screen...
(26 February 2011) - Jack FMJack FMJACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
performing "Don't You Want MeDon't You Want Me"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group Human League, released from their album: Dare on 27 November 1981.It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording to date, and was the Christmas number one in the UK, in 1981, where it sold over 1,400,000 copies,...
" by The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
(4 June 2010) - BBC OxfordBBC OxfordBBC Oxford is the name given to the sub-opt out region serving Oxford and the surrounding areas. Its services include:*BBC Oxford News, the local news service called BBC Oxford on screen...
performing "Who Are YouWho Are You (song)"Who Are You", composed by Pete Townshend, is the title track on The Who's 1978 release, Who Are You, the last album released before drummer Keith Moon's death in September 1978. It was released as a double-A sided single with the John Entwistle composition "Had Enough", also featured on the album...
" by The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
(4 June 2010) - Jack FMJack FMJACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
(13 May 2009)
The group has also made radio appearances overseas:
- KUSCKUSCKUSC is a listener-supported classical music radio station broadcasting from downtown Los Angeles, California, USA. KUSC is owned and operated by the University of Southern California, which also operates student-run KXSC and San Francisco's classical station KDFC...
in Los Angeles, CA (22 April 2010) - Irish radio (February 2003)
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Out of the Blue has performed a 50-minute show annually at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2005. Until 2009 the group performed in the then-largest theatre available at C VenuesC venues
C venues is the home of the largest theatre and new writing programme at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which is held annually in August each year...
’s main building on Chambers Street (C -1) and was given four consecutive Fringe Sell-Out Awards from 2006 to 2009. In 2010 the group relocated to the George Square Theatre (C Plaza) and performed to over 8000 audience members over the course of the festival.
The group’s performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have been recommended by the Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
and received maximum five-star reviews from ThreeWeeks
ThreeWeeks
ThreeWeeks is a newspaper that covers the Brighton and Edinburgh Festivals in May and August respectively.It has covered the Edinburgh Festival since 1996 and the Brighton Festival since 2006.- Education Programme :...
, Fringe Review, Broadway Baby, The New Current, one4review, and Edinburgh Festival Magazine.
International Competition for Collegiate A Cappella (ICCAs)
Out of the Blue was instrumental in starting the first regional round of the ICCAsInternational Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
to be held in Europe. The group won the inaugural Western European regional competition in 2006, with Cambridge University’s Fitz Barbershop in second and Oxford University's In the Pink in third. Out of the Blue also picked up the award for Outstanding Soloist for Marc Vastenavondt's performance of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's Fat Bottomed Girls
Fat Bottomed Girls
"Fat Bottomed Girls" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, the track featured on their 1978 album Jazz, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
and the award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion for Johannes Terwitte's performance in Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
's Matinée
The Dark of the Matinée
"The Dark of the Matinée", also known simply as "Matinée" is a song by Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the fourth track on the self-titled album Franz Ferdinand on 9 February 2004...
.
Having won the Western European round, Out of the Blue was invited to compete in the ICCAs
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
Finals in the Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
at the Lincoln Center, New York, on 29 April 2006. The group was awarded second place behind Brigham Young University’s Vocal Point
Vocal Point
Vocal Point is a nine-member, male a cappella group at Brigham Young University. Founded by students in 1991, Vocal Point operates under the auspice of BYU’s School of Music....
. This was the first time that a group from outside the USA had achieved a place in the top three of the ICCA Finals: a milestone for UK a cappella.
Out of the Blue was awarded second place in the Western European semifinal of the ICCAs
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
in 2007 behind The Oxford Gargoyles
The Oxford Gargoyles
The Oxford Gargoyles is a mixed-voice jazz a cappella group from Oxford University, England. The group's repertoire is rooted in the jazz songbook but also extends to pop, soul, Latin and gospel numbers. The group was founded in 1998 and has been instrumental in the rise of collegiate a cappella in...
, and was given the award for Outstanding Choreography.
In 2008, the Western European region of the ICCAs
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
expanded to include two quarterfinals, one held at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and the other at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
. Out of the Blue won both the Oxford quarterfinals and the semifinal, held at St Paul’s School, London, progressing to ICCAs
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
Finals at New York’s Lincoln Center for the second time in three years. Out of the Blue’s then-President, Calum Melville, also won the award for Outstanding Choreography.
The Voice Festival UK (VF-UK)
In 2009 the UK's first nation-wide A Cappella festival, The Voice Festival UKThe Voice Festival UK
The Voice Festival UK is the only UK-wide festival which celebrates the art of unaccompanied singing.The Festival's central purpose is to increase the awareness and popularity of the a cappella art form in the UK, and to support the development of the existing UK a cappella scene, by recruiting...
, was established. In the first year of the VF-UK competition, Out of the Blue progressed from the Oxford round to defeat a cappella groups from St Andrews and Cambridge at the final in London. The group was, once again, invited to compete in the ICCA
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
Finals in New York, coming second and winning the award for Outstanding Arrangement for Edmund Thomson Jones's Cold Water by Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
.
In 2010, Out of the Blue won the award for Outstanding Musicality at the Oxford round of VF-UK and progressed to the final and picked up the Outstanding Song Award for Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
's "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
".
Britain's Got Talent
The group participated in series five of Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
. They performed a mash-up version of "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
" and "SexyBack
SexyBack
"SexyBack" is a song by American recording artist Justin Timberlake from his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds . It was released on July 7, 2006, by Jive Records as the lead single from the album...
" for their first round audition, broadcast on 30 April 2011. They made it through to the live semi-finals where they performed a mash-up of "Jump (For My Love)
Jump (for My Love)
"Jump " was the opening track of the Pointer Sisters' 1983 album, Break Out.Released prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics games, the song's video featured footage of athletes competing in track and field events. The song was the second of four Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles in a row for the sisters...
" by The Pointer Sisters and "Flashdance... What a Feeling
Flashdance... What a Feeling
"Flashdance... What a Feeling" is a song from the 1983 film Flashdance, written by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, and Irene Cara, and performed by Cara. Despite the title, the word "Flashdance" is never used in the lyrics; however, the line "In a flash, take a hold of my heart" refers to the...
" by Irene Cara
Irene Cara
Irene Cara is an American singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling." She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.She married Hollywood stuntman...
. When the results of the semi-final were announced, and it was revealed that Steven Hall had beaten Out of the Blue to the last place in the top 3, the live audience booed the announcement and judges alike expressed outrage and confusion at the result. Jessie J
Jessie J
Jessica Ellen Cornish , better known by her stage name Jessie J, is an English recording artist currently signed to Island Records. She began her career as a songwriter for artists including Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus. Her debut single, "Do It Like a Dude", was released in November 2010 and peaked...
also expressed her support for the group, and her disappointment that they didn't progress in the competition. Hundreds of Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
users also voiced their disapproval.
Charity
Out of the Blue has performed in aid of various charities since its inception in 2000, such as Oxfam's Afghanaid Program (performance at Oxford Town Hall on 19 November 2001), Terrence Higgins TrustTerrence Higgins Trust
Terrence Higgins Trust is a British charity that campaigns on various issues related to AIDS and HIV. In particular, the charity aims to reduce the spread of HIV and promote good sexual health ; to provide services on a national and local level to people with, affected by, or at risk of...
(performance at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction house on 18 February 2002). Out of the Blue has made donations to a number of charities, including the Maya Childcare Trust.
In August 2009, Out of the Blue visited Oaklands School, Edinburgh, to sing for its pupils. The school educates children and young people with severe, profound and complex learning difficulties, including pupils with significant physical and motor impairment and pupils with sensory difficulties. The group returned in August 2010 and August 2011 to perform at an assembly and an evening fundraiser.
Helen & Douglas House
In recent years, the group has visited Oxford-based charity, Helen & Douglas HouseHelen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, UK, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children, young adults, and their families.-History:...
, as well as donating some of its end-of-year profits. Helen & Douglas House
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, UK, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children, young adults, and their families.-History:...
is a hospice that provides respite care for children and young adults with life-limiting conditions, and support for their families.
Helen & Douglas House
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, UK, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children, young adults, and their families.-History:...
hosts an annual fundraiser, Childish Things, held in the New Theatre, Oxford. The New Theatre offers the venue free of charge, its staff work for free on the night, and the theatre also donates profits from the bar and ice cream sales to Helen & Douglas House
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults
Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, UK, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children, young adults, and their families.-History:...
. So far the six iterations of Childish Things has raised a total of over £200,000. Out of the Blue has performed regularly at the event since 2007, alongside comedians such as Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
, Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr
James Anthony Patrick "Jimmy" Carr is an English-Irish comedian and humourist. He is known for his deadpan delivery and dark humour. He is also a writer, actor and presenter of radio and television....
, Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
, and Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
.
Studio albums
- Rush (2011)
- Resound (2010)
- Childish Thing (2009)
- Redshift (2007)
- High Tide (2006)
- Freefall (2005)
- House Of Cards (2004)
- Third Addiction (2003)
- Unexpected (2002)
- Out of the Blue (2001)
Members
Out of the Blue is an Oxford University society and it membership consists mainly of Oxford University undergraduates, although it does accept members from outside the university. The group places no restriction on the subject or college: members study a range of subjects and belong to a range of Oxford colleges.Alumni
Alumni are listed in under the year in which they joined the group. (PRES: President; MD: Musical Director; BM: Business Manager)2000
Rajat Chowdhury
Stephen Doughty
Seb Falk
Philip Haines
Julian Harris
Johannes Haushofer
Joseph McAuley
Kyu Park
John Rendel
Derek Smith
2001
Seb Allen
Joshua Nassiri
Ben Sparks
Jason Dean
2002
Vishal Bhavsar
Ben Burnett
Andre Flemmings (BM 03/04)
Tim Lewis
Pedro Ruiz Castell
David Sclar
Tom Searle
James Smith (MD 03/04)
Angus Turner (PRES 03/04)
Adam Walton
2003
Ed Arnold
Edward Brightman (BM 04/05)
Darren Chadwick
Todd Crawford
Andrew Henderson (PRES 04)
Ron Hess
Michael Humphrey (MD 04/05)
2004
Simon Bello (PRES 05)
Matt Chinery (BM 05/06)
James Duboff
Tim Elton
Richard Holdsworth
Alex Martin
Shaun Melvin
Jason Ng (PRES 05/06)
Harry Shearer
Johannes Terwitte (MD 05/06)
2005
David Ehrhardt
Tom Gatten
Harry Martin (PRES 06/07)
Arden Moscati
Marc Vastenavondt
Ben Woodgates (MD 06/07)
2006
Phil Birkett
Deep Basu Ray
Mark Cartwright
Joe Hasell (MD 07/08)
Calum Melville (PRES 07/08)
Harry Smith (BM 06/07)
Will Stuart
Terry Tamm
Stephan von Perger
Jonathan Webb
2007
Laurie Cottam (PRES 11/12)
Jack Durtnall
Sean Genis
David Jones
Ben Millinchip
Scott Riseborough (BM 08/09)
Jack Stamp
Nick Thomas Peter (BM 07/08, PRES 08/09)
Edmund Thomson Jones (MD 08/09)
Chris Waite
2008
George Eddy
Benjamin Lindley (MD 09/10)
Tim Jones (PRES 09/10)
Tom Lyle
Laurence Osbourn
Nick Pritchard
Ben Wingfield
David Wisby
2009
David Brennan (PRES 10/11)
Dominic Fladrich
Harry Fox
Ben Holder
Alexei Kalveks (MD 10/11)
Matthew Lynch
Fergus McIntosh
Mark Smith (BM 09/10)
Grant Swanson
Danny Swift (BM 10/11)
2010
Nick Barstow (MD 11/12)
Christopher Bland
Selali Fiamanya
Nick Fletcher
James Kay
James Leveson
Ben Mullaney
Jonathan Soman
Ollie Stephenson (BM 10/11)
Dominic Stockbridge (BM 11/12)
Samuel Swinnerton
2011
Francis Gush
Patrick Lee
Callum Lovett
Jolyon Loy
Oliver Ralph
Sam Scarrow
Domhnall Talbot
External links
- Out of the Blue website
- Out of the Blue MySpace
- Helen & Douglas House website
- Boffins Got Talent, The Sun, 28 May 2011
- Return of Mr Nasty, The Daily Mail, 4 June 2011
- Britain's Got Talent, fourth semi-final: review, The Telegraph, 2 Jun 2011