Inspired fire: FireHazards celebrate five years

On a typical Saturday afternoon, a series of mysterious vibrations from the music room steadily dismantles the lazy lull of the Wilson College building. Inside, a circle of singers, close and focused, as if drawn towards some invisible campfire, performs strenuous rites of warm-up worthy of an athletic team.

At the circle's core stands (or rather, hops and jumps) a gravity defying figure in pigtails and a T-shirt threatening, "don't MAKE me get my flying monkeys!" With infectious urgency, Liz Bailey '04, musical director of the FireHazards, skips and finger-clicks her group through its sizable repertoire in preparation for "Five Years of Flame," the group's big fifth-anniversary bash.

The 'Hazards are not one of the campus' mainstream a capella groups — and they themselves claim the odd distinction of being its "most unrehearsed" — yet what they may lack in experience they certainly make up for in sheer exuberance.

"The 'Hazards are all about spirit and love and acceptance," explains Bailey, speaking with the same speed and energy she brings to rehearsals. "It's nice, you know, it's about . . . events for the soul." She cringes in mock shame. "Oh, god, don't write that!"

Schmaltzy it may sound, but the group wears its extra-musical role both lightly and passionately. "The group was started by two gay guys [both members of the class of 2000] with the aim of making the campus more gay-friendly through music.

"And initially it was just kids from Pride, but if you compare where we are now to where we were — there's a huge difference," says Bailey. "You know, the most common question people ask is, 'What percentage of your group is gay?' I don't know! I haven't asked and I'm not going to ask people, 'Are you gay?'"

Regardless of sexuality, the 'Hazards are certainly interested in homosexuality on Princeton's notoriously conservative campus, and the group often serves as a discussion forum for members' concerns. When posters advertising safe gay sex were inadvertently removed last October, angering many LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) students, the FireHazards spent rehearsal time discussing the issue.

They have also created a close rapport with the administration, such as the Dean of Religious Life, SHARE coordinator Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis and the LGBT student services coordinator Debbie Bazarsky, who have provided much needed "financial and emotional support."

Despite the group's close affinity to the LGBT community, some on campus remain confused. "We had one kid come up to us once and say, 'Did you ever realize that you have the same colors — the rainbow — as Pride? Maybe you should, you know, talk about that."

Most people, however, make more of a connection between the groups than exists. "People used to think that if you joined us, well, you must be gay, but we're not a gay a capella group. It's gay people, straight people, everyone just singing together and having fun," says Bailey, "We don't discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or singing ability!"

Being audition-averse means that the 'Hazards are not part of the rotational arch system (the clique of selective, traditional a capella groups that co-host Thursday night performances in the campus arches), but it's clearly no impediment to musical success.

"If you're not exactly Tigertones material, we'll beat it into your head 'til you are . . . Or you could, you know, sing quietly," quips Arthur Dudney '05. Modesty aside, the group is keen to impress at "Five Years of Flame."

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The trisected show — which also includes guest performances by the New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus and the Spruce Street Singers — reveals a group with commendable artistic range, not to mention sartorial flexibility. They perform the first third as 'a Princeton a capella group' (smartly dressed sophistication); their second incarnation, one they adopt every Halloween, is the Rocky Horror Picture Show (vamps in black leather); the third, in a rainbow of outfits, showing their 'true colors.'

"Rocky Horror is a big catch for us for every year . . . People join — then they can't leave!" says Dudney. Another highlight on the group's calendar is the interfaith Christmas caroling down Prospect. Apart from the fun of the festivities, Bailey notes that the caroling is also an opportunity to gently "tell the religious community: It's okay. We don't bite!"