The Tufts Beelzebubs are no strangers to television, having appeared on Good Morning America and last December's reality show "The Sing−Off." And the student a capella group will make its next foray onto the small screen on Monday in the documentary "Who Needs a Band? The College Acappella Craze," premiering at 8 p.m. on New England Cable News (NECN).
NECN Executive Editor Iris Adler directed the documentary, which followed the Beelzebubs during the 2008−09 school year, beginning with their Sept. 1 "O−show" in Goddard Chapel. Adler also filmed the Bubs, an all−male group, in other concerts at Tufts and during the recording of their 2009 album, "Play the Game."
"I think [Adler] just wanted to share a joyful, soulful musical story, and she did," NECN News Director Tom Melville said. "I think that she encountered a magnificent cultural phenomenon in the whole a cappella craze on college campuses and encountered a terrific group of young men at Tufts, and just wanted to tell their story."
The documentary also portrays the Tupelos, an all−female a cappella group from Wellesley College, throughout the same year.
The film covers the history of a cappella since the 1960s, as well as its adoption of pop songs and human beat−boxing techniques during the 1990s, according to a press release from NECN.
Melville said that the a cappella movement on campus interested NECN because of its growing popularity.
"It is a really wonderful, growing movement, as I see it. That was part of what attracted us to it," he said.
Adler was also drawn to the Beelzebubs because of the group's long history, according to Melville.
"It seems like there's a great connection among the generations of Tufts students who have been part of the Bubs, and they stay in touch with each other," he said. "I think the history of it was a big part of the draw."
Beelzebubs president junior Eli Seidman said that the Bubs' initial apprehensions about starring in a documentary were put to rest after Adler spoke with them about her vision for the film.
"She put us right at ease and told us not to worry," he said. "The whole time, I completely trusted her."
Matt Thomas (LA '09), former president of the Beelzebubs, said that Adler contacted him during summer 2008 to discuss the Beelzebubs' possible involvement in the project.
"I know the director cares about her subjects. I've seen her other work," Thomas said. "It's someone who appreciated what we were doing, so I felt comfortable that we weren't going to be portrayed in a sort of negative light."
Melville said that Adler's documentaries usually tell broad stories through the lens of particular character studies.
"She's very talented at finding great stories and great characters," he said. "She's produced so many wonderful documentaries. There's tremendous varieties in the stories she's produced."
Thomas said that the filming process was not invasive.
"I wouldn't say it was different having the cameras there. A lot of it was when we were performing," he said. "You never really know how people are going to react when they're in front of the camera, but I think we just kind of acted like ourselves."
"It was actually a lot of fun to film," Seidman said. "It was before we knew about ‘The Sing−Off,' so we were really excited to be filmed."
Seidman said that he hoped that viewers of NBC's "The Sing−Off" would enjoy the documentary.
"The timing worked out really well because we do have a bigger fan base now, and I think there will be a crowd who will be interested and want to see it," he said.
Thomas said that the documentary was exciting because it would help spread the Beelzebubs' music to a wider audience.
"It's nice to see that people have a real interest and care about what you're doing, because it's a big part of your life and it's a big part of everyone's life at Tufts," Thomas said. "Every Bub spends quite a bit of time practicing, performing, traveling, doing this, because it's something that's really fun and really special."
Neither Seidman nor Thomas had been aware of the documentary's release date before being contacted by the Daily.
"I didn't know it would be so soon," Seidman said. "I'm really pumped to watch it and see what it ends up looking like."
"This small subculture of ours is becoming much more well−known, and it's really cool to just have a little part in that," Thomas said.
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This article originally misattributed Matt Thomas' quotes. This mistake was corrected on March 11, 2010.
