Making the movie “Pitch Perfect” come to life on Colorado State University’s campus, Mainstreet A Cappella is one of CSU’s primary a cappella student groups. Founded in 2012, Mainstreet is a dynamic vocal ensemble that performs covers of songs from a wide range of genres, including pop, jazz, R&B and contemporary hits, combining powerful harmonies and choreography to bring their music to life and captivate their audiences.

Mainstreet takes on their name from Fort Collins’ previously named Main Street, now College Avenue, and chose red and black as the group’s signature colors.

“They liked it because it was classy, and it was a fun pop of color,” said Allison Lydic, Mainstreet’s club president. “And I feel like it’s just evolved during the ages to be more badass. It’s like semi-formal, but with a badass red kick to it.”

Mainstreet implements these colors into their brand, as they wear black outfits with pops of red on heels, belts, cardigans and other accessories. Pops of red can also be found on their social media and marketing, making Mainstreet recognizable. 

Mainstreet earned many accolades within the a cappella world when they competed at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. They were semifinalists in the West regional ICCA in 2025, 2024 and 2021, then placed first in the 2024 Acappellooza. This group continues to gain momentum, as they placed first at the 2025 ICCA quarterfinals held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, even beating rival One Note Stand from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

More recently, they competed at the ICCA semi-finals in Phoenix, where they had a chance to advance to the finals in New York. They did not advance this year but shared the memories they made on Instagram and through story takeovers.

This year’s competition piece included contemporary hits and pop, such as “Bird Set Free” by Sia, combined with moving choreography. The harmonies and soloists create beautiful sounds, but the group can tell a story by combining movement with music.

“It was just really important to me to create something that we could connect to performing and that the audience could connect to,” said Anna Morris, the choreographer of the piece. “So trying to keep a consistent storyline between all of the songs just made sense.”

Beyond competitions, Mainstreet’s visual identity is just as distinct as their sound. On their website, there’s an option to book a performance. Still, they hold showcases and public show-offs of their competition routines and occasionally perform at local Fort Collins venue The Lyric in the Mothership Theatre.

While Mainstreet is known for its competitive edge, what truly sets them apart is the community that exists within the group. Behind the harmonies and choreography is a close-knit team that supports each other both on and off the stage. Their comfort level onstage is evident, not just in their musical precision but in the way they exchange glances of encouragement and pride.

“It’s a great group of awesome people and beautiful hearts,” Morris said. “You can tell we can hear our voices because we see each other in such an intimate way.”

Offstage, their bond is just as strong. Whether they’re perfecting a performance or just hanging out, Mainstreet A Cappella is more than just a singing group; they are a family built on genuine connections and shared passion.

“The expression of music is a fundamental part of who we are as a species,” said Luke Marshall, a Mainstreet alumnus. “It’s part of our DNA. It’s in our souls. Like, I really truly believe that music is fundamental to who we are as people.”

With such a close-knit group, earning a spot in Mainstreet sets a challenge. Auditions are held at the beginning of the fall semester of each year to recruit new talent. Mainstream expects 60-70 people to audition, with approximately five spots available. Prospective members can expect to undergo vocal warmups to test range and perform 30 seconds of a song without backing tracks and potentially receive a callback.  

“The biggest thing we tell people is, ‘Bring a song that makes you feel awesome,’” Morris said.

The members of Mainstreet have a wide variety of majors and backgrounds, like early childhood education or economics, so there isn’t a requirement to study music. But because the objective of this club is singing and performing, it is recommended to have some sort of musical background.

“I would say a third of us are music — or less — are music-related majors,” said River Brooks, the vice president of Mainstreet.“The rest of us are nonmusic majors, might not even have minors at all, so a lot of us don’t study music here at CSU. We do, almost all of us, have a background in (music).”

A capella is often overlooked or considered a niche in the “Pitch Perfect” films. Still, Mainstreet proves that a capella is alive and thriving and is an exciting opportunity for students at CSU. This group not only fosters a tight-knit community for students but also provides a platform for them to share, create and compete their musical passions.

Through harmonies, choreography and storytelling, Mainstreet showcases that a cappella is more than just a performance; it’s an expression of art and transformative for the college experience. Whether performing locally or competing on collegiate stages, Mainstreet continues to share this musical tradition of a capella.

Reach Aubrey Means at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.