Kenny Loggins’s 1984 song, “Footloose,” is easily one of the most popular and well-known songs of all time. The energetic beat of the song alone is cheerful and catchy, so its universal adoration isn’t a shock. In fact, the 80s tune is so loved that it has been apart of numerous weddings, dance performances, and singing acts.
When looking up “Footloose” performances on the Web, you’ll discover Blake Shelton’s cover, Kevin Bacon’s “Footloose” entrance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and Ricky Martin’s on-stage lip-syncing performance of the song. Although there are many performances to pick from to enjoy, one you’ll definitely want to watch is the Kentucky Vocal Union’s version.
The Kentucky Vocal Union, a Louisville-based group composed of 37 men, decided to perform “Footloose” on stage at the International Barbershop Chorus Competition in Portland, Oregon for the 2012 chorus finals. The contemporary barbershop chorus wouldn’t be lip-syncing, and no, they wouldn’t be covering the song in a similar manner as Kenny Loggins. Instead, they decided to sing a cappella while busting out their own choreography.
According to a mission statement on their website, “The Kentucky Vocal Union is committed to sharing excellence in a cappella singing through performance, fellowship, and community involvement.”
With both talent and passion, together, the group would be capable of putting on a killer show. However, the instance the three dozen-plus men set the stage in matching solid black outfits, nobody in the audience had no idea how unique their performance would be!
At the beginning of their performance, the men start off with a scene inspired by the movie, Footloose, where they appear cross about the law in their town banning teenagers from dancing. Shortly after their little act, the men in begin to sing, “Gotta get outta this town. Gonna need time to dance around…” before transitioning into Loggins’s “Footloose.”
Not long into the song, one of the singing men towards the front-center tears open his black button-up to reveal a white shirt in honor of the warehouse scene in Footloose where Ren takes off his sweatshirt while dancing. Slowly, more of the men in the group open their button-ups to reveal different-colored shirts. Eventually, all 37 of them completely slip off their button-ups as a symbol of rebellion.
You bet that the Kentucky Vocal Union received a big ’round of applause for their one-of-a-kind show! The men were so good that they took home a bronze medal. Way to go, guys!
All in all, the men put on an excellent act. Not only are they great actors, singers, and dancers, but they successfully referenced the movie and showed proper tribute to Kenny Loggins’s original song, all while still putting their own spin on the performance.
Check out the Kentucky Vocal Union’s version of “Footloose” below. It will blow you away!
