Hamilton alumni, students, and parents filled the Chapel on Saturday, April 14 for The Hamiltones’ 30th reunion concert. Founded in 1988, The Hamiltones were the first co-ed a cappella group at Hamilton College.

The concert began with performances by the current Hamiltones group, then recent alumni joined, followed by alumni from as far back as 1995. Eventually, around forty current and past Hamiltones were on stage, resembling a small choir. As more and more alumni gathered on stage, the more power and beauty came to an already beautiful sound. No current member or alumni wore shoes during the performance, a Hamiltones tradition.

First, the Hamiltones covered “Madness” by Ludacris. Soloists Morgan Perry ’21 and Kelly Collins ’21, alto and soprano voices respectively, harmonized beautifully together. Then, Olivia Melodia ’18 performed her senior solo, “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. Not only was Melodia’s solo voice impressive, but her arrangement was intricate and stunning. Next, The Hamiltones sang the Beatles’ “Oh Darling.” Soloist Collins’ power on the choruses was remarkable.

Alumni began to join the current Hamiltones on stage for Walk the Moon’s “Iscariot.” This group number echoed gorgeously throughout the chapel. The next song, “Toxic” by Britney Spears, featured student and alumna soloists Julia Smith ’18 and Sarah Hooper ’16. Smith’s lovely soft voice on the opening verse, combined with Hooper’s bold and powerful runs on the choruses, made “Toxic” a highlight of the concert.

Next, the group performed a “Boy Band Medley” which included NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” and “Bye, Bye, Bye” as well as the Backstreet Boys’ “Larger Than Life.” This number brought a fun, energetic vibe to the concert and featured soloists Hooper, Annie Sher ’18, Kate Brouns ’17, Nico Sarmiento ’13, and Matt Dickstein ’17.

Also, Adam Gwilliam ’15 joined the Hamiltones’ talented beatboxer John Dorer ’19. A difficult task for two beatboxers, Dorer and Gwilliam coordinated well on this and the next few songs. Christopher (Melo) Albino ’20 soloed on the next song, “Who Knows Who Cares” by the Local Natives. Albino’s smooth tone was a pleasure to listen to.

At this point, all of the alumni remained on stage for the rest of the concert. The Hamiltones then performed “Send Me On My Way” by the Rusted Root. The voices of soloists Caroline Sullivan ’20, Mary Meinke ’12, and Katie Conroy ’16 blended marvelously together. The next song, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 was another highlight of the concert. Not only were soloists Sullivan, Brouns, and Emily Archer ’13 fantastic, but the group’s energy was palpable. For the last chorus, all of the Hamiltones except for the soloists ran around the chapel, effectively livening up the space.

Alumnus Dom Veconi ’15 conducted the next song, “Lonesome Road” by James Taylor. The Hamiltones then sung “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap, a standard in their repertoire. The emotion of the group was beautiful, as some alumni began to tear up when singing. The fun energy returned with the next song, “Up the Ladder to the Roof,” by The Supremes. The energey of the soloists — Dorer, Sarmiento, and Joe Shapiro ’12 — was contagious. The Hamiltones ended their set with “Seven Bridges Road” by the Eagles. Their beautiful harmonies and fun dance moves made for a perfect ending to an excellent concert.

Overall, the Hamiltones’ 30th reunion concert was a joy to experience. As Hamiltones member Kelsey Brush ’20 said, “It was incredible to see how the personality of the group has been maintained all these years, this a cappella reunion really felt like a family reunion.”