Volume CXXXIII, Number 7 October 26, 2001 f

Meddies offer rich history, promising future
HANNAH DEAN
STAFF WRITER

Perhaps, like many people on campus, you may not know much about the Meddiebempsters beyond the facts that they have a strange name and membership has something to do with being male. When Jeffery Stanwood started the Meddiebempsters in 1937, it was an all male singing group, assembled with the intent of pursuing "song and Bacchic revelry," said Jay Basnight, a member and Public Relations officer for the group.

The Meddies all huddle up for a cozy group photo. (Henry Coppola, Bowdoin Orient)

Today, more than seventy years later, the Meddies are the second oldest continuously operating a cappella group in the country and have continued those pursuits lain down by their forefathers with no small amount of pride. In a way, the group is the last of its kind. As fraternities turned into social houses and a cappella groups took on more modern and percussion based tones, the Meddies have stuck steadfastly to tradition. Matt Loosigan, the financial officer for the group said that the Meddies are really "Bowdoin's last fraternity." The group has not only remained true to its established social structure, it has also remained rooted in more traditional styles of musical arrangements. Members have a real "appreciation for the history," according to Loosigan.

Each year, new members learn old Bowdoin songs and alumni drop in on rehearsals every so often to listen and reminisce. It is no wonder that the phrase "once a Meddie always a Meddie" has become a central pillar of the group's dynamic. The twelve young men that fill the ranks gather 3 to 4 times each week for rehearsals, which last an hour and a half each.

Although the time commitment is certainly substantial, the group's activities center around trying to "have fun and sing at the same time," said Loosigan. This mindset has led to the amusing antics that have become such an integral part of the group's performance style. Songs are often arranged and taught to the group by the singers themselves and the comedic aspects of a typical performance singularly complement the hard work that goes into learning parts and rehearsing.

Today will be the next display of the Meddies' talents, and the concert will be held in Hyde Plaza at the bonfire. Like all of the Meddies' performances, it will be one during which the group looks forward to "astounding you."

Future plans for the Meddies include a tour of California at the end of winter vacation, during which the group hopes to perform on the Tonight Show. This trip will be another addition to the history of impressive tours that the Meddies have been on. In 1948, the group traveled to Europe for a World War II USO tour to entertain the American military personnel. More recently, the Meddies toured Bermuda, the East Coast of the USA, and have performed the National Anthem for the Red Sox and the Celtics.