“Unplugged” is the name of the quartet’s new program presented at the Lustspielhaus LaLeLu. Which is a bit misleading, as the a cappella troupe, founded 27 years ago by jazz students from the Hamburg Music Academy, always sings without accessories, but necessarily into microphones. What is meant is the concentration on the musical. LeLeLu started out with parodic number evenings covering all genres, albeit charged with imitations of politicians and real satires, which is unusual for the industry. With programs like “The thin years are over”, which dealt with the midlife crisis, one even found the form of a piece.
So now it should all be about the music, and the Lustspielhaus performance quickly made it clear why the show, originally intended only for selected small clubs, ended up in the Elbphilharmonie (released as a live recording): Hardly any a cappella group brings it vocal extra class with such clever arrangements, funny ideas and nonchalant moderation. Whether they conjure up jazz standards like “You Go To My Head” so orchestrally that you don’t miss a backing band, hijack pop songs comedic, stage a wild percussion number on suitcases or shine with their own pieces, that’s up to Leonard Cohen borrowed “LaLeLu-ja” anthem all real listeners.
A vocal tour de force where everyone can contribute something personal. Bass Tobias Hanf, for example, a trembling “Ring Of Fire”, baritone Frank Valet a “Somebody I Used To Know” more poignant than the original, colleague Jan Melzer a grandiose Elvis parody in Low German or mezzo-soprano Sanna Nyman with world music. At LaLeLu in this form, you can certainly look at the German counterpart Manhattan transfer think. And at the latest with the brilliant medley from their parodic Corona podcasts, they tear everyone out of their seats.