Five guys, no instruments and a bare stage save for 5 seldom used microphone stands and 5 wooden stools – nonetheless, enough entertainment to pop a few seams on the evening. These guys are good! If you have the chance, see them. The lead man, is an Owen Wilson look-a-like, with a matching sense of humor and a voice any rock band would be happy to have fronting them. Another fellow sports a smooth Motown howl, then there's the solid boy-band voice, the tall cool vocal bass, and a guy with stereo pickups taped to his neck amplifying the low-end as he pops and split’s a tapping line of drum-sounding percussion.

The harmonies are rock solid. The arrangements tasteful, alive, passionate. The levels of echo/reverb ideal and the enthusiasm, professionalism and audience interaction just right. These fellows know how to entertain! Their "It's a Small World After All" piece played particularly well with this Southern California crowd. The crowd also enjoyed the "shamefully commercial" segment that highlighted the group's jingles including "Almond Joy" and "Folgers -- good to the last drop."

Their sound is so tight, so nicely mixed that you'd swear they must be lip-syncing, but as to alleviate that doubt, the five end their last encore number by leaving the microphones on the stands and singing unplugged. Simply a very fitting and sweet way to end a night of warm wonderful rock, jazz and R&B. Rockapella is A+ entertainment. See 'em.

This review based on the October 20th, 2007 show at Caltech, Beckman Auditorium. www.events.caltech.edu

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