It’s that time again to round up your friends and head to a concert put on by our talented and entertaining student a cappella group, the MadHatters. Many people may think of “Alice in Wonderland” when hearing the name and while they may not be insane, the Hatters have some tricks up those jacket sleeves.
This crew of 13 singers and one beat boxer has been around and is forever changing. They are a fun bunch to see, with new original songs and covers coming out as you are reading this article. Every spring these guys put on the dancing shoes for a sold out crowd at the Orpheum Theatre located at the end of State Street.
The MadHatters have been around since 1971, when they were dubbed the first established a cappella group on the UW-Madison campus. Since then, the group has grown in popularity throughout the entire community and has performed all over the country. This group of guys is tight; they have found a great balance of school, singing and shenanigans. On campus these guys perform at athletic events, sorority houses and also sing at many local charity events.
Since the group began they have been releasing studio albums on a pretty consistent basis. State Street was their first-ever studio album released in 2002. They recorded this in collaboration with the all-girl group, Tangled Up In Blue, here on campus. Afterward they released No Jacket Required in 2003; this was a really cool album with classics like “Hooked on a Feeling,” and was recorded live. Friday After Class came after these as the second studio album in 2005, which was followed by other studio albums: Not For Credit, Random Play, Cheer on Tap and All Nighter. All of these have helped to grow the MadHatters’ now large following on campus and within the community.
There are two seniors among this bunch of guys who deserve some recognition. These two have been providing timeless memories and a lasting experience for the others, both new and old in the group. Owen Downs and Jake Wolf joined the group their sophomore year and are sad to say this is their last large home concert.
I had some time to sit down with these fellows as we discussed life as a MadHatter. Downs and Wolf can be heard as the basses of the group and sometimes switch up roles when needed. Both had previous experience in choir but never expected to find such a dedicated group of guys when coming to campus.
These two told me their favorite experience in the MadHatters was a trip to the White House. Owen gave me a nice glimpse of the experience: “It was very humbling to have such high officials recognizing our group of singers … and the rap battle we engaged in out on the street was just absurd.” Downs and Wolf were a delightful duo and will be graduating this spring.
You can find all these angelic voices online or on CDs but a cappella is really something that needs to be heard in person. Their most recent album speaks to this because it is a compilation EP of all the classic songs we now hear during UW-Madison athletic events. They put their own little spin on “Sweet Caroline,” “Jump Around” and many others in the most recently released "Red, White & Blazers: The Gameday Collection" EP. Over time the group has received awards and recognition but that’s not what keeps the group together.
When asked why they don’t compete Will Hoverman, a freshman in the group, said, “We provide entertainment for our audiences and make memories along the way, so awards and competitions come secondary to that.”
Keep an eye out for their upcoming studio album, and don’t miss out on the final show of the year. They just might be performing a cover of “Uptown Funk” and a few other popular songs if you’re lucky. Tickets are selling fast online and range from $15-25. The show is at the Orpheum Theatre beginning at 7 p.m. this Saturday.
