By Megan Foulk, Co-Deputy Music Editor
Following their sell-out success in 2022 and 2023, the university's award winning A Cappella ensemble 'The Bristol Suspensions' visited Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a seventh year, celebrating 10 years since the group's conception.
Returning from an international win at the Solevoci Contest for Choirs and Vocal Groups in Italy in May, the tenth Generation of Suspensions took to Edinburgh with their concert-style show 'The A Cappella Xperience', hoping to entertain a record number of Fringe fans.
A sixty-minute re-telling of the group's year of performances, ‘The A Cappella Xperience’ led the audience through award-winning arrangements, with hits such as Teddy Swims’ ‘Lose Control’, Raye’s ‘Black Mascara’ and one of the group’s most-streamed Spotify hits, Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande’s ‘Faith’.
Arranged by Musical Director, Third Year Maths student, Emma Stent, the ensemble demonstrated high-energy musical precision alongside creative and captivating movement, expertly choreographed by Third Year Anthropology student, Jess Edwards.
After two sold out runs at The Space UK venue in Edinburgh, the Suspensions moved to the prestigious Gilded Balloon Patter House, striving to grow their audience capacity. A hub of activity throughout August’s Fringe, the new venue boasted more than double the seats of their previous performance space, catering for a potential of 234 people every afternoon.
In conversation with Epigram, Tour Manager and Second Year Psychology in Education student, Aria Henry, explained the financial logistics of touring at Edinburgh Fringe - an arts festival notoriously expensive for its performers.
‘Since The Suspensions have become regular attenders of Edinburgh Fringe, the group is able to pay for our venue hire with the profits from our previous fringe show, as well as paid gigs across the academic year, such as Winestock for example. This also subsidises accommodation costs in Edinburgh.'
One of the greatest hurdles of the Fringe - due to its highly saturated market - is attracting audiences, something best achieved by consistent handing-out of flyers on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
Swarming with tourists and artists alike, Aria noted the difficulties in competing not only with other entertainment at the Fringe, but with the estimated fourteen other university A Cappella groups in attendance. Rivalling Bath’s ‘Aquapella’, Durham’s ‘Northern Lights’ and Oxford University’s infamous, ‘Out of The Blue’, to name a few, fringe-goers are spoilt for choice.
‘Whilst knowing your target audience can be really useful, it’s also important to remember to advertise to new potential fans. One audience member, a male in his late thirties, commented how grateful he was that his wife had accepted our flyer despite first refusing himself. Although he had never before considered watching A Cappella, he told us he enjoyed our show immensely.'
Flooding the historic capital with millions of people every summer, issuing 2,445,609 tickets over last year’s festival alone, even from the windy peak of Arthur’s Seat it’s difficult to catch a breather in Edinburgh in August. Yet amidst the chaos of performing and persuading punters on the mile, The Suspensions still managed to attend a show or two themselves.
'It felt only right to go and support Durham’s Northern Lights since they have been so successful at the ICCA's (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella) recently', noted Aria. Retaining their UK Championship for the last two years running, Durham are one of The Suspensions greatest rivals.
Looking to the future, The Suspensions hope to continue growing their audience, with bigger venue capacities and greater outreach at the Fringe year on year.
As they prepare for an influx of new singers, with auditions for The Bristol Suspensions Generation Eleven commencing in late-September, the ensemble’s success at Edinburgh Fringe demonstrates the wealth of opportunity available to students in university A Cappella.
Featured Image: Lucille Richards (AC Product)Did you see The Bristol Suspensions at Winestock 2024?
