It's not just a concert, it's a hullabaloo.
Nico Rhodes's Hullabaloo show will fill up the Port Theatre stage to capacity this week with a mass choir, a seven-piece band, a local who's-who of soloists, and some surprises.
This kind of variety show had been on Rhodes's mind for a couple of years, and he decided it was time to see if it could be done.
"I just thought it was a really great way of simultaneously celebrating this incredible artistic community that we have and also providing some top-tier, A-list musical entertainment for people," the artistic director said.
Rhodes wants to get across that this is "not grandma and grandpa's church choir," it's outrageous, funky and contemporary, made up of 100 singers who bring a range of experience.
"They're already surprised at how good they sound and what they've accomplished and I can't wait for them to hear and feel what that's like in the space with all the bells and whistles. It's going to be unreal."
The show's featured soloists are Jona Kristinsson, who will sing motown and disco, Buwa, singing musical theatre, gospel and pop, Joshua Holloway with an '80s revue, and Tai Williams with a folk-jazz-pop set. Featured musicians are cellist Alexandra Lee and mandolin and guitar player Brad Shipley.
For those wondering how classical cello will fit into the middle of this kind of concert, Rhodes says, "just wait for it." Hullabaloo is a "mish-mash" of genres, he acknowledged, but to him, music done well is a good time.
"Whatever genre it is, I've definitely made sure that it's a song or a piece or an arrangement that people are like, 'oh, that thing.' Nothing way out there," he said. "But the whole journey is going to be a roller coaster."
He hopes Hullabaloo gets people hyped up about their community and introduces them to some musicians and singers they haven't heard before, while making sure the show is "a really uplifting and great time."
The concert is being billed as a party, and Rhodes said that's a theme right from the opening number, Celebration by Kool and the Gang.
"The idea is from go, we're going to be letting loose," he said. "If people want to hoot, holler, cheer, dance in their seat, move around, yes. This is just maximum expression, maximum celebration."
WHAT'S ON … Hullabaloo happens Friday, June 20, at 7 p.m. at the Port Theatre. For ticket information, visit http://porttheatre.com.
