By Katherine Kelly
The Ramblers, Fordham’s all male a cappella group, is the oldest active club on campus, and they have been serenading students with song since 1893. The Ramblers recently held their annual fall auditions on Sept. 8 and 9 in the McGinley Music Room. This year 29 hopefuls auditioned and six new members were chosen, giving the Ramblers a total of thirteen songbirds.
“We really pride ourselves on being a great group of friends who also happen to share the common goal of making music and entertaining people,” said senior and President Anthony Tantillo, FCRH ’16. “I honestly can’t say what my college experience would have been like without the Ramblers, but I know these guys have made Fordham a really incredible place for me, and it’s crazy to think the friendships we’ve made singing together will last a lifetime.”
Every fall and spring, the Ramblers dazzle audiences with performances. As the Ramblers take their positions in an a cappella style horseshoe and the beatboxer takes hold of the mic, the audience perks up in their seats, ready to be entertained. Song selections include everything from “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” to “Rivers and Roads.”
The audience cheers as different featured soloists show off their talent with every song. It is hard to forget Habin Lee’s, FCRH ’17, “Ride My Pony,” which made the audience chuckle as the Ramblers teasingly thrusted their hips in unison. Another fan favorite is Justin “Skitch” Barker’s, FCRH ’17, solo to “American Girl.”
While Barker belted his heart out, the Ramblers bopped around on stage, making the audience happily jam in their seats. At the end of every show, it is tradition to invite all former Ramblers who are in the audience to join the current members onstage.
Together, Ramblers past and present sing “It’s Too Late To Turn Back Now” before met with uproarious applause by the audience. In addition to the spectacular singing at Ramblers’ shows, the audience loves the video clips weaved in between every few songs. The charismatic and sometimes goofy guys appear on screen in footage related to their show’s theme. This past spring’s show kicked off Spring Weekend with a Shrek-themed concert, where the Ramblers reminded the audience, “it’s never ogre.” Last fall, the Ramblers chose another film favorite as inspiration for their theme, entitling the show “Indiana Jones: Ramblers of the Lost Ark.”
When not singing on stage, the Ramblers can be seen at other performance groups’ shows, such as Expressions Dance Alliance, and heard at school-wide fundraisers and events, such as ASILI’s Taste the World, Mental Health Awareness Week Concert and Autism Speaks’ Light it Up Blue. The Ramblers also make special appearances on campus for holidays. During the Christmas holiday season, everyone knows that “the best way to spread cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” The Ramblers did exactly that this past December as they entertained those who passed through McGinley. The sound of angelic voices and the scent of cocoa made it hard not to stop and listen before entering The Marketplace. And let us not forget the Ramblergrams that playfully interrupt classes every Valentine’s Day. Friends, boyfriends, girlfriends and professors cannot escape being ambushed with song in lecture halls and hallways.
In addition to Fordham performances, the Ramblers have taken their talents to the public as well. In recent years, the Ramblers have become a hot commodity at weddings. The Ramblers have performed at the weddings of a Fordham alumna in 2010, Tantillo’s sister’s wedding in May 2014, and member Frankie Caruana’s, GSB ’16, cousin’s wedding this past summer. Sharing their talent with family and friends makes for a particularly special gift.
If you have not yet attended a Ramblers performance, doing so should definitely be added to your Fordham bucket list! The Rambler’s fall showcase will be held Dec. 4.
