Home Free Brings Country A Cappella to Cologne
Home Free, the American country a cappella group of five vocalists, played two German dates during their seven-concert European tour, stopping in Hamburg and Cologne.
The Cologne show found a fitting home at the Kulturkirche in Nippes, a venue well suited to the group’s vocal-driven music. The sold-out concert was split into two sets with an intermission.
The group took the stage at 8 PM without an opening act and launched the first set with Tom Cochrane’s “Life Is a Highway.”
Classic country covers such as “Ring of Fire”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “I’m in a Hurry (And I Don’t Know Why)”, “My Maria” and “Ain’t Going Down” showcased the group’s country roots. At one point, the group paused to challenge the Cologne audience to match the volume and energy of the crowd at their previous stop in Hamburg. The run of covers were extended with “Elvira”. “Man Of Constant Sorrow” and “Something to Talk About.”
Home Free’s performances are built on rich, complex vocal arrangements and tight harmonies, anchored by Tim Foust’s room-shaking low bass notes. Vocal percussion and beatboxing are another essential part of the sound. Adam Rupp gave a brief explanation and demonstration of how the various sounds heard throughout the show are created live on stage with electronic loopers. Occasionally an acoustic guitar was used, but no other instruments.
“Man of Constant Sorrow” and “Folsom Prison Blues” were both rewarded with standing ovations. Another Canadian song found its way into the set with Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which ended with a call for applause in remembrance of those who went to work and never returned home.
The evening also had no shortage of sea shanties. “Skull and Bones”, “Northwest Passage”, “Challenge the Sea” gave the country a cappella show a distinctly maritime flavour, and the sea shanty theme returned once more in the encore with the the wildly popular “Sea Shanty Medley”.
The audio mix was of high quality throughout, and the evening was every bit as funny as it was musical. While Home Free is a massively popular band, the concert had a casual, relaxed feel to it. The five singers chatted easily with the audience between songs, traded jokes among themselves and never let the show feel like a polished production. In the intimate setting of the Kulturkirche, it felt more like an evening among friends.
