A capella singing may seem like a niche
genre, made mainstream by the likes of Glee
and Pitch Perfect. But it’s clear that American five-piece
the Pentatonix are set to change that.
At this, their first ever gig in the UK, the self-confessed “choir
nerds” were overwhelmingly treated like superstars.
And rightly so. Originally started by school friends Scott,
Mitch and Kirstie (and later joined by Avi and Kevin), the singers rose to fame
on American talent show ‘The Sing Off’ – basically X Factor for choirs. Since then they’ve run a hugely popular
YouTube channel, released three albums and are now embarking on a European
tour.
As such, their setlist comprised songs from
throughout their career (despite a few disappointing omissions – their cover of
Gotye’s Somebody I Used To Know and
their recent Daft Punk medley especially).
Favourites from the ‘Sing Off’ like Let’s
Get It On and Video Killed The Radio
Star were performed alongside a medley of Beyoncé hits, Lorde’s Royals, original songs and Imagine
Dragons’ Radioactive that was
accompanied by Kevin on cello. Speaking
of which, the beat-boxer was allowed his own moment in the spotlight with his
own “cello-boxing” routine that was immensely impressive.
That said, all five members of the group
are incredibly talented. Their upbeat,
complex arrangements are full of personality and unique riffs and inflections
to ensure that each song has been moulded into their own style. This continued between songs, with plenty of
friendly banter – Avi and Kevin in particular making a hilarious double act,
particularly during the audience participation section.
Individually, their voices have their own
distinct character: Scott’s gravelly runs, Mitch’s pure falsetto and Kirstie’s
welcome femininity. Kevin’s beatboxing
is rich with interesting percussive effects, but Avi was clearly the audience
favourite. His bass voice is so
shuddering and low it quite literally shakes the floor – even his speaking
voice was enough to induce screams from the crowd. He even showcased some Mongolian overtone
singing – weird and wonderful in equal measure.
Together, though, their voices blend
perfectly. A real highlight was original
track Run To You – a gorgeous, intimate
ballad full of warm suspended harmonies that proved the group can do emotive
singing just as well as upbeat pop.
The crowd may have been full of musos and
choir geeks, but the Pentatonix are less a choir and more a pop group, their
performance as thrilling as any band gig.
More than anyone else they’re making a capella singing cool – and that’s
no mean feat.
5/5
Listen: 'PTX Vol II' is available now.