The Bluestockings and Route 9 Shine During Homecoming

This Saturday, Oct. 26, a cappella groups Route 9 and the Bluestockings presented a joint Homecoming show. The performance, hosted at the Ford Hall event space, proved so popular that, minutes before the groups took the stage, people were crowding next to each other in the back and bringing in chairs from outside of the room. The music had not even started, but the room was filled with what could only be described as joy.

The “premiere event” of Homecoming weekend, as one of the Route 9 singers described  it while the group took the stage, began with the group of men singing and harmonizing to the word “it,” revealing as they all joined in the singing that “it [was] Jackson [Hersom ’27]’s birthday.” The audience applauded the sweet warmup of the group.

The first song presented by the group was “See You Again” by Tyler the Creator ft. Kali Uchis. Their performance included all the viral features — refrains of “la la la” and “okay okay okay” — of the piece along with the unique a capella harmonies and techniques, featuring many solos accompanied by beatboxing and even impressions of wind instruments.

Route 9’s second song was none other than “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure, a great choice to emphasize the warmth of the space created between the audience — friends, old and new, parents and siblings, and loved ones. The performance would not be complete without the soft harmonies of the singers, the solo by James Knowlton ’25,  their humorous dancing, and, of course, kissing sound effects.

After “Friday I’m in Love,” the Bluestockings girls came to the stage to excited applause, and their first song was the perfect mood-setter for the soulful group: “Warwick Avenue” by Duffy. The piece was carried by the stunning solo of Galle Blaustein ’28 and the soothing vocals of the group.

The second song performed by the group was “Here” by Alessia Cara, featuring a powerful solo by singer Faith Omosefe ’26. The piece was completed by the full and luscious harmonies of the group and was even accompanied by some beatboxing.

The inviting music carried all throughout Ford and outside. After the Bluestockings left the stage to welcome Route 9 for their final song, the show had a quick interruption. The request, to almost no one’s surprise, was to ask the audience members to shuffle their seats forward to make room for more people who joined the crowd partway. We were all eager for more.

The last performance by Route 9 invited the group’s alumni in the audience to join the current members on stage for their classic song, “The Longest Time” by Billy Joel. The performance was engaging, to say the least. The singers’ rhythmic snaps soon invited claps from the audience, and the event space was filled with cheers as they presented their well-practiced harmonies and performed funny skits of romantic encounters in the background, going as far as to actually shave Knowlton’s beard as he sang a short solo and bring out a hand-held vacuum cleaner to pick up the remains after the song.

The closing piece of the event was the classic “Blue,” an original piece by the Bluestockings, inviting, as per usual, their alumni to join them. The dynamic song was presented with stomping, shifting solos, and spotlights, as well as the group’s phenomenal skills.

The show concluded with a wave of applause from the audience and a heartwarming reunion of the performers with their family and friends after the show. When interviewing Bluestockings singer Ellia Masenior ’27, she said that the best part of being part of the a capella group and the performances they organize is the “incredible community” they foster. And, after watching this performance and their connection with everyone who supported them, these words ring bright and true.