Starting as a humble opportunity to mourn for the Sept. 11 attacks, Lighting of the Lawn has since become a beloved holiday tradition at the University. This year, that tradition featured a host of impressive performances, a fantastic light show and an overall aesthetically pleasant atmosphere.
While it was clear the light show was the event’s main draw, it was preceded by three hours of a cappella, choral performances and dance shows. In terms of quality, the performances ranged from mediocre to fantastic, so no single piece reached the lower end on the spectrum of showmanship. This is important, since such things have potential to derail an entire event’s flow.
Lighting of the Lawn certainly had its standout pieces, though. The Radio Music Society deserves recognition for differentiating itself from other performances by presenting a small orchestral ensemble, and playing beautifully in spite of wind that continually knocked music sheets from their stands.
The Virginia Belles also turned out a fantastic performance, most notably with a stunning rendition of Adele’s single, “Hello.” An elementary school a cappella group garnered intense cheers from the crowd with a near showstopping rendition of “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway musical “Rent.”
However, all vocal showings at the event were somewhat marred by poor sound projection. Even standing 25 yards from the stage, it was difficult to clearly hear the finer nuances of each performance. As a result, a lot of the vocal performances blended with one another, making it difficult to distinguish the details that made them unique.
The light show following the performances and poetry reading ended the show on an awe-inspiring note, with the now only-partially scaffolded Rotunda shining brilliantly along with the rest of the Academical Village. Three songs — “Geronimo” by Sheppard, “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon — were set to flashing and colorful LED displays, making the songs fun to listen to.
Overall, the 15th anniversary of Lighting of the Lawn was a success. Despite a lackluster sound system for the vocal performances, the quality of the various acts overpowered any negatives. The peaceful environment added to the sense of community intrinsic to the event as well, and the light show concluded the night with a visual crescendo. With such quality moments, it is easy to see why Lighting of the Lawn will undoubtedly continue to stake its place among prominent University traditions.
For News coverage of the event, click here and here.
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