Happy Holidays!

By Steve | Published: December 18, 2009

Hi everyone! Merry Christmahanukwanza to ya! On behalf of DoubleShot! I’d like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season.

December has been filled with auditions for a new guy, private gigs, radio promotions and recording our first holiday CD. On a whim, we all decided that it would be cool to record a holiday CD or at least make a start to one. Unfortunately, we thought of this less than 1 month before Christmas.  After brainstorming the possibilities, we decided that it would be awesome to record the tracks then give them away for FREE on our website. So now, we have the SIX SONGS OF CHRISTMAS promotion. Starting tomorrow (Saturday the 19th) we will release ONE track per day on our website. You can just listen to the song or download the .mp3 at no cost! It’s our gift to YOU! All we ask in return is that you spread the holiday love. Send the link to friends, family, co-workers, ex’s, dogs, ex dogs… whoever!

You can expect some of our usual holiday rep to be released as well as a few surprises! If you feel as though you might forget, or want to know when we are playing live near you, it’s always a good idea to sign up for our mailing list and/or text alerts (it’s on the homepage).

Nate looking exhausted

Nate looking exhausted

Mike needs a few more mics

Mike needs a few more mics

Our Audio-Tech, "Beardy"

Our Audio-Tech, "Beardy"

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Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It’s been a while!

By Steve | Published: October 17, 2009

Hi, everyone, it’s Steve!  It’s been a while since we have blogged here so I’m gonna get it started here with this entry.

First of all, if you’re here, you have probably noticed our new site. We hope you like it! If you have any problems or suggestions, feel free to contact the webmaster… He’s a real nice guy…

Anyway, THANKS to everyone who came out to our Amalfi Show last night!Amafi It was a ton of fun as usual. Believe it or not, 50% of the band was battling some kind of cold or flu. There’s something about making rocking harmonies and having an awesome crowd that makes those symptoms go away for a few hours. It’s back to bed with lots of hot tea and tissues for me.

I wanted to tell you about a few exciting things that are happening with DoubleShot! right now. Next month we will be beginning our audition process for a new performer. If you love to sing and want to get paid to do it, check out this page!

On top of lots of new songs we are currently working on, we are also working on putting together a “show” that will be similar to what you are used to seeing but a bit more… organized. We think you will really enjoy what we are planning and we hope to have it ready in early 2010.

We are also planning for a new CD, new sounds and effects and new venues so keep up with everything by getting on our mailing list! It’s all happening VERY quickly!

Oh yeah, check out the article I wrote for the Contemporary A Cappella Society’s website on technology in rehearsals! Click here to read!

Musically Yours,

Steve

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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Sweeps Weekend & Our Next Show

By Mike | Published: April 10, 2009

To all of our Pittsburgh area supporters – 

This is Mike writing — most of you know me as that big guy who makes all the funny drum sounds with his mouth.  This is my first time chiming in on the new blog.  And I am what you’d call verbose, so while I won’t post on here all the time like some people, I will almost always be writing something pretty lengthy.

First, I wanted to take just a moment and write to all those of you on our mailing list. We received many calls and messages online following this past weekend, and I want to thank everyone for their many words of congratulation and support.

Second, a little recap:

We had three great shows last weekend, starting off before we hit the road at the Shadow Lounge where we got to see so many of our friends and make some new ones. We debuted our newest arrangement, Renegade by Styx, and we introduced everyone to our new guy, “D” (Diondre Johnson), by starting out our second set with him. (You’ll hear even more from D at our April 24th Club Cafe show!)

On Saturday it was off to the Mid-Atlantic Harmony Sweepstakes, where we had a great set (you can see the footage here) in front of a sold-out crowd of over five hundred at the legendary Birchmere.

Our showing at the Sweeps drew another great response from the crowd and an even better one from the judges — in what were apparently two of the closer judging and audience decisions in recent years, we finished as the First Runner-Up and received our second consecutive award in DC for Best Original Arrangement. DoubleShot! wants to extend our congratulations to 2009 Mid-Atlantic Champion MAXX Factor who will be advancing to the 2009 National Finals, as well as 2009 Mid-Atlantic Audience Favorites Cameron Station.

Our weekend concluded with us hosting the A Cappella Showcase Chorus concert in Frederick, MD which was another great time. I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention some greetings and thanks to our German friends vocaldente who we’ve now shared stages with five times over the past year. These guys are simply fantastic and they provide great inspiration to our act about what guys who love to sing can accomplish.

So that was the weekend. Our next show is Friday, April 24th at Club Cafe at 7:00 p.m., and we hope to see you guys all there. You can get tickets at this link or by contacting your favorite DoubleShot! dude. And that includes D, if he’s already replaced your existing favorite. We’re not offended. He’s an awesome guy.

That’s it for me for now — I’m working on my second post as we speak, but hopefully this gets me into the blogging mix.

See you all April 24th,

Mike (aka “Mike Y.”, “Yan”, “Yanny”, “That Beatbox Guy”, “The Human Beatbox”, “The Drummer”, “The Big Guy Who Makes Funny Sounds with his Mouth”, etc.)

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Posted in Men, Mike Yanchak, Past Concerts, Topics, Upcoming Concerts | Leave a comment

A Few Random Thoughts from Sweeps Weekend '09

By Dave | Published: April 10, 2009

After nearly a week of reflection, contemplation, and relaxation…of my voice that is, I’d like to share a few of my favorite moments from last weekend’s Sweeps/Showcase experience:

● On the road to D.C., Mike, Steve, and I had to stop 20 minutes after our first bathroom break because we were all chugging water the entire ride.

● My phone, which has turn-by-turn navigation, lost power right before we had to exit the George Washington expressway, mere miles away from the Birchmere. Of course, we had no clue how to get there, so we drove around Arlington Cemetery for a few minutes until Steve finally located the directions on his iPhone. What did we do before those things?

● Joking around with Skyline while Ted Donat went over the rules.

● Pretending to hand Maxx Factor our lunch money after we heard their sound check. They got a chuckle out of that one.

● Shooting the breeze with Megan Gee hours before the show.

● “Blogging” back stage.

● Then actually blogging back stage.

● Watching Vocaldente’s performance while the judges deliberated. Despite having seen them several times before, they are still very, very funny, and very, very good.

● Milling about with the audience during the afterglow. The Maxx Factor ladies mentioned that they are good buddies with “Shooter McGavin”. They immediately jump up 100 points on my “coolness” meter.

● Hanging out with good friends after the afterglow at Murphy’s Pub.

● Rocking out to Guitar Hero at Tara and Jeep’s place, who were gracious enough to provide lodging for me and Mike on Saturday night. Unfortunately Jeep was not present for the show.

● Having breakfast with my aunt and uncle from Baltimore (and Mike too) who came to see the A Cappella Showcase Chorus concert on Sunday.

● Spotting my aunt, uncle, cousin-in-law, and his little 2-year old daughter in the audience.

● Forgetting part of the 2nd verse in “I’m a Believer” and mumbling nonsense into the mic for 5 seconds, then straining to hit the notes as I tried to ramp the ending.

● One of the guest groups at the Showcase concert had a singer named Dave Wilson, who just so happens to be really funny, incredibly smart, and strikingly handsome.

● Watching Vocaldente perform at the Showcase. Did I mention they are very, very funny and very, very good?

● Hanging with the Showcase Chorus and Vocaldente at the afterglow. Two favorite moments: singing “Thriller” and seeing the look of glee on Vocaldente’s faces, and singing “It’s Alright” while the entire room sang along.

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Posted in Dave Wilson | 2 Comments

On our way home

By Steve | Published: April 5, 2009

Hey DS! Blog readers,

Man, I am pooped. Getting to live like a rockstar all weekend was definitely cool but it really takes a lot out of you! I don’t know how Vocaldente does it every night and still sound as good as they do.

We are on our way home… A little later than expected. I am sitting in the backseat this time and Dave and Mike are in the front. I feel kinda bad for having my noise-canceling headphones in but I really just want to give my voice a rest and listen to some great music (Jason Mraz, currently).

Can I just mention that Dave is a fantastic driver?

We are all very excited to have placed second at sweeps. The group that won is called MAXX Factor. They are a group of four ladies who sing barbershop style music. Their harmonies were incredibly tight and they added some humor in between their songs, which is nice for barbershop. I forgot to mention that they placed fourth in the international womens barbershop competition… So they really deserved it.

Our new version of “Joy to the World” received the best original arrangement award. That kind of threw us of as we have spent so much time arranging and rearranging Streets and I Don’t Want to Be. Hey, we’re not going to complain!

Anyway, see everyone back in Pittsburgh…  I’m going to try to rest a little on the way home and continue to hold my bladder so Dave doesn’t get mad at me!

Musically yours,
Steve

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Posted in Random, Steve Donnelly | Leave a comment

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