Five O'Clock Shadow
Benefit for Mapendo International and Its African Refugee Rescue Missions

With Special Guest Sean Altman

An all-vocal rock band from Boston, MA, FOCS began in 1991 as a traditional a cappella group. Since then an eclectic mix of 21 members has comprised multiple generations of the quintet. Over the years FOCS released 4 cassettes (back when people actually bought cassettes) and 5 CDs, and gradually morphed into a rock band. But they still leave the instruments off the stage, because they're a vocal group at the core. FOCS has toured extensively at home and abroad, including 3 tours of Japan. Numerous TV appearances include VH-1's "//break.through/", ABC Monday Night Football, FOX News, WB's Morning Show, A&E, ESPN, PBS, and many more. Five O'Clock Shadow also has a long list of distinguished clients like Panasonic, Clear Channel Entertainment, Mohegan Sun, and The New England Patriots. And through their Vocal Challenge program FOCS has presented workshops and concerts to thousands of music students from coast to coast.

Sitting there in the crowd you'll think you hear electric guitars, keyboards, electric bass and drums, but unbelievably, all the sounds originate with the guys' voices. One of them simultaneously performs vocal bass and drums with his mouth. As the band tours, they attract thousands of fans and curious concertgoers a year. Initially, the fans may come for the novelty, but they end up staying for the music. As the guys in FOCS like to say: "Come and see what your ears won't believe".

With members hailing from prominent music schools such as Berklee College of Music in Boston, Five O'Clock Shadow is also a strong advocate for music education. With the assistance of a committee of educators, FOCS has developed their own educational program they call the "Vocal Challenge." Bringing masterclasses and clinics to students of schools and colleges nationwide, FOCS uses their contemporary style of music in an exciting new way to inspire interest in vocal music.

Artists with whom Five O'Clock Shadow has shared the stage include:

James Brown
Sister Hazel
Edwin McCain
Blessid Union of Souls (by special invitation)
Aaron Neville
Boston Pops
Patti LaBelle

Five O'Clock Shadow has appeared on national television throughout the U.S. and Japan. Most notably, out of over six hundred bands that were reviewed, FOCS was one of only nine asked to appear on VH-1's "//break.through/", a prime time special featuring undiscovered artists. Other TV appearances throughout the U.S. include the ABC Monday Night Football "Wonders of the World" Half-Time Show, A&E, ESPN, PBS, FOX News, WB's Morning Show, and many more.

"These guys take the 'art form' of a cappella music to a new, jaw dropping level... what 'true' alternative means."
-Instant Magazine

"the crowd was bouncing in their seats from the moment the five-piece band hit the stage, and several held up signs that declared their devotion...."
-Albany Times Union

www.focs.com

Sean Altman is the only three-time winner of the Contemporary Acappella
Society's "Original Song of the Year" award, and has also been awarded
the "Best Male Vocalist" prize. In 2005 he was named "Best Male
Artist" by the International Acoustic Music Awards. For eleven years,
Sean was lead singer, arranger and composer for Rockapella, with whom
he released nine CDs and starred in the five-year PBS-TV series "Where
In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?", for which Sean wrote the popular
theme song. He leads The GrooveBarbers (comprised primarily of former
Rockapella members), produces the vocal groups Minimum Wage and Kol
Zimra, teaches seminars on song writing, and performs around the globe.
www.seanaltman.com

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