Student groups ranging from Greek life to academic clubs performed in front of a packed Akin auditorium on Monday night as part of the Wild West Show Homecoming Lip Sync Competition. The three teams chosen as the winners will perform at the Homecoming Bonfire tomorrow night.
There was a common theme of wild west showdowns as boys were pitted against girls and cowboys dodged suction-cup-tipped arrows fired by Indians.
Landon Whitlock, freshman in kinesiology, said he performed with MSU Cheer as a last minute addition to their act.
“I only had about maybe an hour or two to practice,” Whitlock said. “I thought I kind of goofed it up for us, but it was fun though.”
Whitlock said his experience as a cheerleader helped him and his team perform.
“We have to go on beats, you know, and if not, things get messed up,” Whitlock said.
While MSU Cheer had the benefit of experience, some groups still braved the packed audience of more than 400 students.
Drew Richard, junior in marketing, said it was fun to be partnered with a sorority for the performance. Richard’s fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, is paired with Chi Omega for the duration of homecoming.
“Girls just like to have fun,” Richard said, “but it was hectic trying to get everyone together to practice.”
Richard said that despite feeling nervous, it was ultimately fun to represent his fraternity at the competition.
“It was kind of nerve-racking at first, but once you got in there you start to have fun,” Richard said. “The hardest part was just getting up there at first.”
Tyler Browning, freshman in kinesiology, is also a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and performed alongside Richard.
“The theme was wild west so we decided to throw a little bit of competition in there,” Browning said. “Every human being loves competition, so we decided to do a little boys versus girls dance competition.”
Browning said they practiced their cowboys and Indians routine about every other night, which the crowd seemed to appreciate.
“It was awesome, everyone was cheering and our guys were acting a fool,” Browning said. “Everyone was really supportive.”
Jeffery Hickson, sophomore in radiology, said he wasn’t nervous about performing with the radiology club.
“I basically just walked out and rocked it,” Hickson said. “I was like, oh well, I don’t know any of these people.”
The radiology club performed a straightforward dance routine while other groups made use of elaborate props to tell a story. The Alpha Psi Omega and University Singers teamed up for their performance. At the end of their act they held up signs reading “Midwestern, beat West Al’rbama!” appropriately misspelled to fit their “Redneck Cabaret” theme.
While more than 400 students showed up to watch the lip sync competition, anyone who missed the show can see the three winners perform again at the bonfire tomorrow night at 9:15.