Voiceplay is my favorite, and Warriors is one of my favorite Voiceplay songs! Other greats: Hoist the Colours, Carry On Wayward Son, the Wicked Medley, the Little Mermaid Medley, Queen in 5 Minutes, Dream On.
This is a departure from their usual completely a capella style. The violins added here do definitely add something though, so I think we can accept that most of the singing is unacompanied. Layne Stein is the vocal percussionist and here playes the main violin. The other violinist, playing pzzicatto (plucked) is J.None, normally baritone with a good range. The high tenor with beard is Earl Elkins Jnr, the bald tenor is Eli (pronounced to rhyme with belly) Jacobson, and the bass is Geoff (Jeff) Castellucci, who has his own channel of low bass covers. Earl and J.None have left the group since then, and the group has a new member, Cesar de la Rosa, who you can see in newer videos. The thing that sets them apart is their sense of fun, the theatricatlity, and their versatility. They cover many many different genres, unlike most acapella groups.
Everyone in VoicePlay is a complete beast. People always point out Geoff's 5ish-octave range, but Eli (bald guy) has one of the most malleable voices I've ever heard, and there's basically nothing Layne (beatboxer/violinist/baritone) can't do. As others have said, there are almost never instruments ... but not never-never.
VoicePlay is set apart by their arrangements. Usually Geoff (the bass) or Layne (the beatboxer) do their arrangements and they always manage to surprise us. Their theatrical style and their tendency to be silly also keeps us all coming back for more. Welcome to the rabbit hole!! Hope to see you check out more from these guys.
We are enthusiastic and loyal. Lots of good suggestions already. Pick your favorite genre and it should be there: Disney, pop, theatrical, a bit of rock, video game music (this was written for a League of Legends tourney), Country, even a classical orchestral piece. Subbed hoping you will dig deep into their work as well as Geoff’s solo channel.
VP always puts theatrical plots to their performances. This one shows them as survivors of an apocalyptic future taking shelter in a worn out building. You need to see their version of Dream On. It is considered a sequel to this production. By the time of Dream On, 2 survivors will be lost, but they pick up 2 more along the way.
This is the ONLY video where they kinda "violate" the a cappella rule that wants no real instruments to be used. 🙂 There's another video that they envision as a visual "follow up" to this one, and it's their cover of "Dream on" (Aerosmith). 🙂 Anyway... This is a somewhat old lineup for Voiceplay, they had a few changes since. In this video, they are: Layne Stein, one of the founding members, beatboxer (and baritone, but not here) and the first one to plat the violin; Geoff (pron. Jeff) Castellucci, the other remaining founder, bass. One of the smoothest and deepest voices around. Try ANY video from his solo channel... 😉 Eliezer (but everybody calls him "Eli", rhymes with jelly) Jacobsen, the bald tenor. Another extraordinarily talented singer. 🙂 J None, the other one playing a more classic violin, baritone. He left to join the Army, already joined as "featured singer" in a couple of videos and a few shorts. 🙂 Earl Elkins, high tenor, left a few years ago for personal reasons, there are speculation such reasons were consequence of an health scare he got when they were touring. Nowadays, Cesar de la Rosa, baritenor, joined the group, and there still is a vacant position. They usually perform with a featuring artist, Cesar was one of them and ended up being a permanent member. Welcome to their rabbit hole... 😁😁😁 You can explore their channel and pick songs at random. You just can't go wrong. 🙂 I personally would suggest My Mother Told Me, Hoist the Colours, The Dragonborn comes, Halo Theme, and on a more classic vein Carry on my Wayward Son, Can't help falling in love, Can't make you love me, In the Hall of the Mountain King (a creatively funny revisitation of a famous classical piece). But there are too many... And they're ALL good!! 😅 See you next time!
@@Katie-mb8zj Thank you for the correction... I often make this mistake. But it seem my memory can't retain the information. Well, you know what they say... "The symptoms of ageing are three. The first one is the loss of memory. The other two I can't remember..." 😉
Great reaction! I’m glad you found these guys. Pretty much anything you pick out of their videos list is going to be brilliant, so go for it! Also, Geoff, the bass, has his own solo channel and all the music there is amazing as well. Have fun!
Welcome to the phenomenon that is Voiceplay... As others have mentioned pretty much what you need to know.. All that is left for me to say is.... VP favs... Dream on, tennessey whiskey, we don't talk about Bruno... & everything else they've done. 😉... Geoff Castellucci.... Ghost riders in the sky, Shenendoah, way down, rains of Castemere.... & all the rest. Subscribing in anticipation. Xx 🇬🇧😁
Great reaction! I would love to see you check out more of VoicePlay's and Geoff's solo works, and don't miss the video they're premiering tomorrow (1/13!)
It is not the norm but it goes with this well. Layne is playing the violin and also doing beatboxing for this song. J None played a couple of line with his violin. RIght now he is in the US Navy, recruited for his vocal talents. Eli is a great high rock tenor. VoicePlay as well as Geoff Castellucci (bass) do all their own work for their music from arranging to costuming to staging, video and premix audio. They have no contracts with record studios and you can do your reactions without getting blocked. Follow this one with Dream On (Aerosmith). Geoff calls it Warriors 2, similar vibe but no violins. Earl the other high tenor on Warriors, had been with VoicePlay (Geoff and Layne) since middle and high school but left for personal reasons. Cesar De La Rosa became a member. You can hear him in Dream On. He did a great trial piece with VoicePlay called We're Good. Got him in as full member.
VoicePlay rarely uses instruments - you just happened to start with one of two that I know of :-) Please go back and listen - you spoke over one of the best drops in a cappella history - to Geoff's base at their minute 1:56 (your minute 4:11) -- it is ridiculous! Just a few of my faves: "Hoist the Colours" th-cam.com/video/vO8NEsx9m58/w-d-xo.html "Boy Bands in 5 Minutes" th-cam.com/video/uJ5tXYYftmw/w-d-xo.html "Carry on Wayward Son" th-cam.com/video/evG28VVz4dY/w-d-xo.html and "Halo Theme" th-cam.com/video/SLSzMDHyZ3g/w-d-xo.html
As others have mentioned, this is the only song (at least so far) they use an instrument on. Check out their "We Don't Talk About Bruno" for something fun. Definitely also check out Geoff's (the bass) solo channel. He is insanely talented. He does use instruments in his songs he but also harmonizes with himself beautifully ( his 5 octave range helps).
This is the only one they used an instrument for. Occasionally they'll use chains or something as part of the percussion, but if they do they always show it. If you don't see it, they did it with bodies and voices. Layne is the violinist/beatboxer and arranger for this one. Two of the singers are no longer with the group - the big guy w/ high tenor is Earl, and he left for personal reasons in 2020. J None, the first singer in this one, left in 2021 to join the navy. He says he'll be back, and has come back for several featured performances. The guy with glasses is Eli, (pronounced El-ee) and the bass is Geoff (Jeff). They're based in Orlando, they've all worked for Disney or Universal, and the theatrical aspect of performing is part of their DNA. For this one (as they often do) they used a story line that complimented the lyrics... you should check their cover of Dream On soon. They imagined that one as a sequel to this, a couple years on.... it's musically spectacular. (Check out Hall of the Mountain King - it's a classical instrumental piece and yeah they do it entirely with their voices, no lyrics... they put a story to it, and it's hilarious.)
Every day I look for new reactors to Voiceplay, you did not disappoint. The original group was formed in 1997, name changed to Voiceplay 10 or 11 years ago. Before the pandemic, they were touring all over the world. When everything shut down, they switched to improving their music videos. They are one permanent member short, still not touring. They have done a few private, corporate events, many for Disney. They have no label and welcome reactions, so you should be able to use the full screen without being blocked. Their cover of Hoist the Colours from Pirates of the Caribbean 3 is astounding, it had reactors dropping like flies. Check out their playlist, pick something that you recognize and go with that. I am very old and only know half (if I'm lucky) of the covers they do. Doesn't matter, they are outstanding. Subscribed in anticipation of more Voiceplay (and Geoff when you get around to his solo work).
Unfortunately, the copyright issues aren't caused by VP... but rather TH-cam. I am friends with tons of reactors and they tell me they get copyright claims even from doing the pro-reactor groups like VP... just because TH-cam has it in the all-gore-rhythm, unfortunately.
Please react to more VoicePlay!! There is Geoff whos is the low bass, Layne was the vocal purcutionist, Then you have Eli who is a tenor, J None(no Longer with the group) is also a Tenor, and the bearded one is Earl(no longer with the group) Loved the reaction. The do not normally use instruments, but this song truly calls for it. Like PTX using a violin and a cello at times
This is one of a handful of songs they've done that used one or more instruments. (Attention is another.) They frequently use body percussion (claps, stomps, finger snaps, etc.), and of course voices, sometimes with various electronic effects on the voices (most prominently in Still Alive and the Twenty One Pilots mashup). The guy who started the singing on this one, and played the pizzicato violin, is J-None, typically listed as baritone, who has lately been away singing for the US Navy (but has even so appeared in two full music videos and several shorts during the time he has been away). The other violin (all bow work) is played by Layne Stein, who is their main vocal percussionist and does about half of their arranging. The primary bass singer is Geoff Castellucci, who does most of the other half of their arranging and also has a channel of his own that is definitely worth checking out as well (he harmonizes with himself, usually with instrumental backup; this description does not do it justice). The bald tenor is Eli Jacobson (pronounced /ELL-ee/ because it's short for Eleazar), who often does their lighting effects. The other singer you see here is Earl Elkins, countertenor. The position that has changed out repeatedly, is baritone. Their *original* baritone left before they started putting stuff on TH-cam but came back as a featured guest for the Halo theme; after him, they had Tony Wakim (now of Patticake Productions), who can be seen in some of their older videos, most notably Phantom of the Opera. Recent videos will have Cesar de la Rosa, who sings baritone and also high tenor. They also *frequently* work with various and sundry featured guest singers, all of whom are ridiculously talented; these are always named in the video title; there are too many to list them all. And yeah, whoever does their makeup is mind-numbingly good. It's not so obvious here, because "normal but a little dirty" is not an especially difficult look to achieve; but if you watch very many of their videos, you will see what I mean. This is speculation on my part, but I suspect the reason they went with post-apocalyptic garb and violins here, is because that combination worked so well for the PTX/Stirling cover of Radioactive, also an Imagine Dragons song. PTX, in turn, presumably went post-apocalyptic because the lyrics of Radioactive pretty much require it, and used stringed instruments because that's what Lindsey Stirling does, and it was a nice chance to show off Kevin's cello skills while they were at it. VoicePlay does not normally copy PTX (and in fact there have been several times where their cover of a song has come out months *before* PTX's cover of the same song, and in most cases the VP version is better as well), but there's at least one other case where their video was clearly inspired by a PTX video (Sing / Just Sing). Some of the best things VoicePlay has done include In the Hall of the Mountain King, Hoist the Colours, If I Were a Rich Man, This is Halloween, Phantom of the Opera, and You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch. Good entry points to Geoff's channel include Sixteen Tons, Blackbird, House of the Rising Sun. You cannot go wrong with any of these. If you like comedy skits that involve singing, Road Trip and Chicken Song may also be worth checking out.
The a capella group Pentatonix bass singer often uses the cello. Voice Play raised the bar so Pentatonix caught on. They know a good thing when they see & hear it.
Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole. I fell in April and never looked back. Huldra Draco has a bunch of great videos on her channel she made about Voiceplay. I learned alot from them. Huldra has been a long time fan and is on the top tier/level on their patreon. I'm at the $5 tier.
You are now getting into my second major favourite artist. I alternate between Sabaton and the solowork of Tommy Johansson, one of the guitarists of that group and VoicePlay and the solo works of Geoff Castellucci, the bass you heard here Sprinkled in with the Bass Gang, collectively and their soloworks. I think you will like what more you chose to see from VP. Apart from the 'sequel' to this, Dream On, they have some another Imagine Dragon song, Enemy. I will also recommend Carrry On My Wayward Son. Welcome to this rabbithole.
Nice reaction. Instruments are occasionally allowed in acapella, although it's still a point of contention among purists. Pentatonix even used two, a cello and violin, in their cover of "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, also set in a post-apocalypse world. Having TWO instruments -- and strongly featured -- was rather controversial at the time. (This was 10 years ago and it's still polarizing.) Since members of VoicePlay are friends with members of Pentatonix, having Layne play violin might have been a direct nod to them and a bit of support, linking Imagine Dragons covers with breaking from acapella "norms." (By the way, that Pentatonix song would be a great one to react to.)
Since you liked Warriors, please listen/react to Voiceplay’s Nothing Else Matters (Metallica!) that just came out a few days ago. Nothing else matters except listening to it. Looking forward to you reacting to more (and more and more) Voiceplay. They sing every genre.
Never been a huge fan of A Capella but do occasionally listen to it. VoicePlay is OK, but nowhere near as good as Van Canto or Hellscore. Try Hellscore's cover of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" or Van Canto's cover of Saabton's "Primo Victorio (featuring Joakim Broden) to see what I mean. I did love the lyrics and vibe of the song, wonder what it would sound like if a metal group performed it. Good reaction and keep rocking.
You might want to check out their Friday release. It sounds like our tastes aren’t the same so you may not like it but several metal fans have been very enthusiastic on the Patreon page.
@@janetdw My musical taste (if I even really have one) is pretty eclectic (from Aaron Copeland to Zonaria). It's not that I don't like A Capella, it is just not my first choice to listen to, but there are several songs i do really like. I'll try it and see how it feels. Thanks.
@@janetdw Not a bad cover but not as good as some others I have heard. Sorry, gotta be honest. I felt they failed to capture the sorrow and despair of the lyrics. maybe too many harmonies, and too many variations in tonal quality. I feel a single voice would have served better. The start would have been better served by a single low voice to set the stage. But still a good listen. I return, did you watch Tommy Johansson's drop of AC/DC Thunderstruck?
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
Voiceplay is my favorite, and Warriors is one of my favorite Voiceplay songs! Other greats: Hoist the Colours, Carry On Wayward Son, the Wicked Medley, the Little Mermaid Medley, Queen in 5 Minutes, Dream On.
VoicePlay has been around since 1997; PTX formed in 2012, so VP in definitely not copying them.
Not to mention that VP are totally more artistic and theatrical in their performances...
This is a departure from their usual completely a capella style. The violins added here do definitely add something though, so I think we can accept that most of the singing is unacompanied. Layne Stein is the vocal percussionist and here playes the main violin. The other violinist, playing pzzicatto (plucked) is J.None, normally baritone with a good range. The high tenor with beard is Earl Elkins Jnr, the bald tenor is Eli (pronounced to rhyme with belly) Jacobson, and the bass is Geoff (Jeff) Castellucci, who has his own channel of low bass covers. Earl and J.None have left the group since then, and the group has a new member, Cesar de la Rosa, who you can see in newer videos. The thing that sets them apart is their sense of fun, the theatricatlity, and their versatility. They cover many many different genres, unlike most acapella groups.
Everyone in VoicePlay is a complete beast. People always point out Geoff's 5ish-octave range, but Eli (bald guy) has one of the most malleable voices I've ever heard, and there's basically nothing Layne (beatboxer/violinist/baritone) can't do. As others have said, there are almost never instruments ... but not never-never.
Reacting to VoicePlay is definitely a way to get new subs. Please keep going with them!
More to come. Thanks for watching!
VoicePlay is set apart by their arrangements. Usually Geoff (the bass) or Layne (the beatboxer) do their arrangements and they always manage to surprise us. Their theatrical style and their tendency to be silly also keeps us all coming back for more. Welcome to the rabbit hole!! Hope to see you check out more from these guys.
We are enthusiastic and loyal. Lots of good suggestions already. Pick your favorite genre and it should be there: Disney, pop, theatrical, a bit of rock, video game music (this was written for a League of Legends tourney), Country, even a classical orchestral piece.
Subbed hoping you will dig deep into their work as well as Geoff’s solo channel.
VP always puts theatrical plots to their performances. This one shows them as survivors of an apocalyptic future taking shelter in a worn out building. You need to see their version of Dream On. It is considered a sequel to this production. By the time of Dream On, 2 survivors will be lost, but they pick up 2 more along the way.
This is the ONLY video where they kinda "violate" the a cappella rule that wants no real instruments to be used. 🙂
There's another video that they envision as a visual "follow up" to this one, and it's their cover of "Dream on" (Aerosmith). 🙂
Anyway... This is a somewhat old lineup for Voiceplay, they had a few changes since.
In this video, they are:
Layne Stein, one of the founding members, beatboxer (and baritone, but not here) and the first one to plat the violin;
Geoff (pron. Jeff) Castellucci, the other remaining founder, bass. One of the smoothest and deepest voices around. Try ANY video from his solo channel... 😉
Eliezer (but everybody calls him "Eli", rhymes with jelly) Jacobsen, the bald tenor. Another extraordinarily talented singer. 🙂
J None, the other one playing a more classic violin, baritone. He left to join the Army, already joined as "featured singer" in a couple of videos and a few shorts. 🙂
Earl Elkins, high tenor, left a few years ago for personal reasons, there are speculation such reasons were consequence of an health scare he got when they were touring.
Nowadays, Cesar de la Rosa, baritenor, joined the group, and there still is a vacant position. They usually perform with a featuring artist, Cesar was one of them and ended up being a permanent member.
Welcome to their rabbit hole... 😁😁😁
You can explore their channel and pick songs at random. You just can't go wrong. 🙂
I personally would suggest My Mother Told Me, Hoist the Colours, The Dragonborn comes, Halo Theme, and on a more classic vein Carry on my Wayward Son, Can't help falling in love, Can't make you love me, In the Hall of the Mountain King (a creatively funny revisitation of a famous classical piece). But there are too many... And they're ALL good!! 😅
See you next time!
Small correction on J. He actually joined the Navy not army (two different branches of military).
@@Katie-mb8zj Thank you for the correction... I often make this mistake. But it seem my memory can't retain the information. Well, you know what they say... "The symptoms of ageing are three. The first one is the loss of memory. The other two I can't remember..." 😉
@@DavideBaroni they break the rule again briefly in the one that hits Friday. It is outstanding.
@@janetdw I can't wait! 🙂
@@janetdw shhh. 😉
My favourite VoicePlay song. I’ve subscribed to see more VoicePlay reactions please 😊 xx
Great reaction! I’m glad you found these guys. Pretty much anything you pick out of their videos list is going to be brilliant, so go for it! Also, Geoff, the bass, has his own solo channel and all the music there is amazing as well. Have fun!
Welcome to the phenomenon that is Voiceplay... As others have mentioned pretty much what you need to know.. All that is left for me to say is.... VP favs... Dream on, tennessey whiskey, we don't talk about Bruno... & everything else they've done. 😉... Geoff Castellucci.... Ghost riders in the sky, Shenendoah, way down, rains of Castemere.... & all the rest. Subscribing in anticipation. Xx 🇬🇧😁
Great reaction! I would love to see you check out more of VoicePlay's and Geoff's solo works, and don't miss the video they're premiering tomorrow (1/13!)
It is not the norm but it goes with this well. Layne is playing the violin and also doing beatboxing for this song. J None played a couple of line with his violin. RIght now he is in the US Navy, recruited for his vocal talents. Eli is a great high rock tenor. VoicePlay as well as Geoff Castellucci (bass) do all their own work for their music from arranging to costuming to staging, video and premix audio. They have no contracts with record studios and you can do your reactions without getting blocked. Follow this one with Dream On (Aerosmith). Geoff calls it Warriors 2, similar vibe but no violins. Earl the other high tenor on Warriors, had been with VoicePlay (Geoff and Layne) since middle and high school but left for personal reasons. Cesar De La Rosa became a member. You can hear him in Dream On. He did a great trial piece with VoicePlay called We're Good. Got him in as full member.
VoicePlay rarely uses instruments - you just happened to start with one of two that I know of :-) Please go back and listen - you spoke over one of the best drops in a cappella history - to Geoff's base at their minute 1:56 (your minute 4:11) -- it is ridiculous! Just a few of my faves: "Hoist the Colours" th-cam.com/video/vO8NEsx9m58/w-d-xo.html "Boy Bands in 5 Minutes" th-cam.com/video/uJ5tXYYftmw/w-d-xo.html "Carry on Wayward Son" th-cam.com/video/evG28VVz4dY/w-d-xo.html and "Halo Theme" th-cam.com/video/SLSzMDHyZ3g/w-d-xo.html
As others have mentioned, this is the only song (at least so far) they use an instrument on. Check out their "We Don't Talk About Bruno" for something fun. Definitely also check out Geoff's (the bass) solo channel. He is insanely talented. He does use instruments in his songs he but also harmonizes with himself beautifully ( his 5 octave range helps).
So far…hee hee hee
@@janetdw ssshhhhhhh
Very rare for VoicePlay to use instruments. Normally, they are 100% a cappella.
Can't wait to watch your journey through the VP rabbit hole. Welcome! Enjoyed the reaction!
Oh wow thats a blast from the past. They've come a long way since this one. :)
This is the only one they used an instrument for. Occasionally they'll use chains or something as part of the percussion, but if they do they always show it. If you don't see it, they did it with bodies and voices. Layne is the violinist/beatboxer and arranger for this one. Two of the singers are no longer with the group - the big guy w/ high tenor is Earl, and he left for personal reasons in 2020. J None, the first singer in this one, left in 2021 to join the navy. He says he'll be back, and has come back for several featured performances. The guy with glasses is Eli, (pronounced El-ee) and the bass is Geoff (Jeff). They're based in Orlando, they've all worked for Disney or Universal, and the theatrical aspect of performing is part of their DNA. For this one (as they often do) they used a story line that complimented the lyrics... you should check their cover of Dream On soon. They imagined that one as a sequel to this, a couple years on.... it's musically spectacular. (Check out Hall of the Mountain King - it's a classical instrumental piece and yeah they do it entirely with their voices, no lyrics... they put a story to it, and it's hilarious.)
VioLayne just might show up again soon. ;)
@@candilunsford2878 That would/will make me SO, SO happy!
@@Aurora-cv5to The 13th is their next release. Yeah, you’re going to want to see it ASAP. 😉
@@candilunsford2878 What fun! I always have an eye out for them on Fridays, so I'll def. be ready! Thanks for the tip!
@@Aurora-cv5to this one just might be their best. Of course, I say this every time. 😂
Every day I look for new reactors to Voiceplay, you did not disappoint. The original group was formed in 1997, name changed to Voiceplay 10 or 11 years ago. Before the pandemic, they were touring all over the world. When everything shut down, they switched to improving their music videos. They are one permanent member short, still not touring. They have done a few private, corporate events, many for Disney.
They have no label and welcome reactions, so you should be able to use the full screen without being blocked. Their cover of Hoist the Colours from Pirates of the Caribbean 3 is astounding, it had reactors dropping like flies.
Check out their playlist, pick something that you recognize and go with that. I am very old and only know half (if I'm lucky) of the covers they do. Doesn't matter, they are outstanding.
Subscribed in anticipation of more Voiceplay (and Geoff when you get around to his solo work).
Unfortunately, the copyright issues aren't caused by VP... but rather TH-cam. I am friends with tons of reactors and they tell me they get copyright claims even from doing the pro-reactor groups like VP... just because TH-cam has it in the all-gore-rhythm, unfortunately.
@@johndeeregreen4592 Interesting. I wonder why some reactors have no issues and others do. I would expect it to be the same across the board.
@@ilonadever8249, a lot of it has to do with the size of the channel. The larger the channel, the easier copyright claims get made.
@@johndeeregreen4592 Thanx!
Please react to more VoicePlay!! There is Geoff whos is the low bass, Layne was the vocal purcutionist, Then you have Eli who is a tenor, J None(no Longer with the group) is also a Tenor, and the bearded one is Earl(no longer with the group) Loved the reaction. The do not normally use instruments, but this song truly calls for it. Like PTX using a violin and a cello at times
VP #TheatreKidsOfACappella.
This is one of a handful of songs they've done that used one or more instruments. (Attention is another.) They frequently use body percussion (claps, stomps, finger snaps, etc.), and of course voices, sometimes with various electronic effects on the voices (most prominently in Still Alive and the Twenty One Pilots mashup). The guy who started the singing on this one, and played the pizzicato violin, is J-None, typically listed as baritone, who has lately been away singing for the US Navy (but has even so appeared in two full music videos and several shorts during the time he has been away). The other violin (all bow work) is played by Layne Stein, who is their main vocal percussionist and does about half of their arranging. The primary bass singer is Geoff Castellucci, who does most of the other half of their arranging and also has a channel of his own that is definitely worth checking out as well (he harmonizes with himself, usually with instrumental backup; this description does not do it justice). The bald tenor is Eli Jacobson (pronounced /ELL-ee/ because it's short for Eleazar), who often does their lighting effects. The other singer you see here is Earl Elkins, countertenor. The position that has changed out repeatedly, is baritone. Their *original* baritone left before they started putting stuff on TH-cam but came back as a featured guest for the Halo theme; after him, they had Tony Wakim (now of Patticake Productions), who can be seen in some of their older videos, most notably Phantom of the Opera. Recent videos will have Cesar de la Rosa, who sings baritone and also high tenor. They also *frequently* work with various and sundry featured guest singers, all of whom are ridiculously talented; these are always named in the video title; there are too many to list them all.
And yeah, whoever does their makeup is mind-numbingly good. It's not so obvious here, because "normal but a little dirty" is not an especially difficult look to achieve; but if you watch very many of their videos, you will see what I mean.
This is speculation on my part, but I suspect the reason they went with post-apocalyptic garb and violins here, is because that combination worked so well for the PTX/Stirling cover of Radioactive, also an Imagine Dragons song. PTX, in turn, presumably went post-apocalyptic because the lyrics of Radioactive pretty much require it, and used stringed instruments because that's what Lindsey Stirling does, and it was a nice chance to show off Kevin's cello skills while they were at it. VoicePlay does not normally copy PTX (and in fact there have been several times where their cover of a song has come out months *before* PTX's cover of the same song, and in most cases the VP version is better as well), but there's at least one other case where their video was clearly inspired by a PTX video (Sing / Just Sing).
Some of the best things VoicePlay has done include In the Hall of the Mountain King, Hoist the Colours, If I Were a Rich Man, This is Halloween, Phantom of the Opera, and You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch. Good entry points to Geoff's channel include Sixteen Tons, Blackbird, House of the Rising Sun. You cannot go wrong with any of these. If you like comedy skits that involve singing, Road Trip and Chicken Song may also be worth checking out.
The a capella group Pentatonix bass singer often uses the cello. Voice Play raised the bar so Pentatonix caught on. They know a good thing when they see & hear it.
Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole. I fell in April and never looked back.
Huldra Draco has a bunch of great videos on her channel she made about Voiceplay. I learned alot from them. Huldra has been a long time fan and is on the top tier/level on their patreon. I'm at the $5 tier.
They've only used an instrument in this song and in their cover of "Nothing Else Matters." Its the same instrument, and the same guy playing it.
a sort of (much later) sequel to this is Dream On which is also amazing ❤🏴
I never knew there was a vocals only version of this song. I love this song.
the bass is jeff castalucci
The guy, Layne, the main one on the violin (VioLayne) is also the beatboxer, and if you watch, you can see he is beatboxing AND playing the violin!
Actually other a capella groups have used real musical instruments such as Pentatonix who the bass singer plays the cello in some of their songs.
You are now getting into my second major favourite artist.
I alternate between Sabaton and the solowork of Tommy Johansson, one of the guitarists of that group and VoicePlay and the solo works of Geoff Castellucci, the bass you heard here
Sprinkled in with the Bass Gang, collectively and their soloworks.
I think you will like what more you chose to see from VP. Apart from the 'sequel' to this, Dream On, they have some another Imagine Dragon song, Enemy. I will also recommend Carrry On My Wayward Son.
Welcome to this rabbithole.
pentatonix does this too, theres usually a violin in imagine dragon covers
Nice reaction. Instruments are occasionally allowed in acapella, although it's still a point of contention among purists. Pentatonix even used two, a cello and violin, in their cover of "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, also set in a post-apocalypse world. Having TWO instruments -- and strongly featured -- was rather controversial at the time. (This was 10 years ago and it's still polarizing.) Since members of VoicePlay are friends with members of Pentatonix, having Layne play violin might have been a direct nod to them and a bit of support, linking Imagine Dragons covers with breaking from acapella "norms." (By the way, that Pentatonix song would be a great one to react to.)
VP did a version of “Tennessee Whiskey” that will blow your socks off!!
Since you liked Warriors, please listen/react to Voiceplay’s Nothing Else Matters (Metallica!) that just came out a few days ago. Nothing else matters except listening to it. Looking forward to you reacting to more (and more and more) Voiceplay. They sing every genre.
Never been a huge fan of A Capella but do occasionally listen to it. VoicePlay is OK, but nowhere near as good as Van Canto or Hellscore. Try Hellscore's cover of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" or Van Canto's cover of Saabton's "Primo Victorio (featuring Joakim Broden) to see what I mean. I did love the lyrics and vibe of the song, wonder what it would sound like if a metal group performed it. Good reaction and keep rocking.
You might want to check out their Friday release. It sounds like our tastes aren’t the same so you may not like it but several metal fans have been very enthusiastic on the Patreon page.
@@janetdw My musical taste (if I even really have one) is pretty eclectic (from Aaron Copeland to Zonaria). It's not that I don't like A Capella, it is just not my first choice to listen to, but there are several songs i do really like. I'll try it and see how it feels. Thanks.
@@alancarter41 hint: something in common with your recommendations!
@@janetdw Not a bad cover but not as good as some others I have heard. Sorry, gotta be honest. I felt they failed to capture the sorrow and despair of the lyrics. maybe too many harmonies, and too many variations in tonal quality. I feel a single voice would have served better. The start would have been better served by a single low voice to set the stage. But still a good listen. I return, did you watch Tommy Johansson's drop of AC/DC Thunderstruck?