May Day, May Day!! (5-3-06)

Welcome to Halogen's Blog!

Halogen will use this space to let you know what's going on with the group, where we're going, and what we've got in the works. This will be THE place to go for the most up-to-date information on Halogen.

Why have a Blog, you ask, when we've got our regular website? Good question. Primarily, because it's easy to update and because each member can contribute his own perspective in this forum without us having to change up our official website all the time. To check out our website, just jump to www.halogensings.com and see what's happening. You'll find our projected schedule there, some photos, our guestbook, and some biographical info on the group.

Here in this Blog, Halogen members can post pretty much anything, whether it take the form of random musings, things we've recently learned from Scripture, updates on our families or on how new music is coming along.

Check here often to keep up with what we're doing and drop us a comment to let us know you stopped by!

Upcoming Events

Halogen will be singing at a Private Event next Saturday, December 11th. This will be our first gig since Ethan got his tonsils removed a couple of weeks ago; keep us in your prayers!!

Also, we've got a benefit concert, in conjunction with the group Southern Cross, coming up on January 8th, proceeds to benefit the Westminster Christian Academy Music Department. Come on out for a great evening - it should be a lot of fun.

Here's the BIG NEWS: We start the recording process for our next album in January!! That's right - you've all been waiting for it and now it's finally going to happen. God willing, you'll have your hands on our next album in Spring, 2005!!

I'll try to update this more as the new year begins to kick into gear - thanks for reading!!

Why a cappella?

When Halogen first started out, there were four of us, we were all on the taller side, and we were called 6'Four. Originally, we sang a couple of songs for a New Year's Eve party at the UAH Baptist Student Center - Holy City and Criminal on the Cross (by Acappella). People liked what they heard and we enjoyed working together, so we decided to keep doing it. The next gig we did was a talent competition - we sang those same two songs and ended up winning the thing. We've been singing steadily ever since.

Why a cappella? Because that's where we started and it's a style we've really grown in. Early on, we decided to stick with the a cappella sound. It's a versatile style and is infinitely adaptable. We can sing rock and roll, R&B, pop, country, gospel, choral - anything we want to sing - and all without having to carry or play a single instrument (other than our ever-present pitch pipe). Also, none of us play any instruments.

Sometimes it's tempting to put together a band and revamp our sound into something more 'mainstream' and acceptable, but we are of the opinion that, if people had the opportunity to hear us and hear our style, then they would embrace it. So far, we have not been proven wrong. People are constantly surprised to find themselves tapping their feet or grooving to the beat of our music. They hear the word "a cappella" and see some guys standing up there, dismiss us immediately as a barbershop quartet with an extra guy, and go on to the next item requiring thought. Then, when we start singing, they do a double-take. We like that. We hope to continue to surprise people, and we hope they continue to be pleasantly surprised.

There will be more on this subject in the future, I'm sure; so keep an eye out.