Parsa Lotfi / Photo Editor
On Wednesday April 9, Pentatonix (PTX) hit the Buffalo stop on its tour, in honor of its third-year anniversary. For the show, they gave the audience a tour down memory lane. The concert was a stroll along the path that led the group to its place today, covering both elements of the group as a whole and delving into the history of each member.
PTX began the show with its high-energy song “Daft Punk,” a mix of Daft Punk hits including the recent “Get Lucky.” The group continued in a high-energy direction for another couple of songs and then began exploring its own history. PTX performed songs that touched upon its rise to fame on the third season of The Sing-Off. The group rode the tidal wave of energy as the audience cheered for all these familiar hits.
Next, PTX dug farther into its backstory. The group’s three lead singers, Scott Hoying, Kirstie Maldonado and Mitch Grassi, grew up together in Arlington, Texas. They performed their entry song for The Sing-Off, “Telephone”, exposing their roots as a group. Then came the addition of Avi and Kevin to the group. Scott explained how he met Avi, the man with a voice that could shake the ground, through a mutual friend, and his disbelief at Avi’s claim that he could sing two notes at once. Avi quickly jumped in to show off this impressive and unique skill. As everyone fell in love with Avi, Kevin quietly set up his cello in the back, getting ready for his part of the story.
When the early PTX found that it lacked rhythm, it sought out a beatboxer. The audience listened, mesmerized as Scott explained how the group went on YouTube, searched “beatboxer,” and found the artist we know as Kevin. At this point, Kevin stole the show, showing off his personal talent, playing cello and adding a beat of his own. The talent was extraordinary.
After learning about how the group came together, it was time to explore how the group reached where it is today. Again, PTX executed this wonderfully, taking the audience through their time in The Sing-Off, performing the songs that got them to their initial record deal. These songs included covers of songs from Beyonce and Katy Perry, as well as some original compositions. Finally, the experience reached its end. PTX closed out its show with the same enthusiasm and energy they began with, thrilling the audience and leaving it looking forward to the future of a spectacular group.
Lotfi is a member of
the class of 2016.
