Outside of their families, I think Shawn Stockman proudly holds the #1 card in the PTX fan club. They came back on season 4to perform,and afterwards Shawn popped up on stage with hugs for all,like a proud poppa.
When I was watching this season while it was broadcast, none of the groups stood out to me at first. Pentatonix was just one of several good groups doing perfectly serviceable performances. But when this song showed up on my tv, I literally sat up on the couch and said, “What was THAT?!” That’s when I became a Pentaholic, and I’ve never turned back.
That's cool you mentioned this, because it's exactly what I was thinking about these groups too. In fact, up until this point, I thought the best A Capella group in the Sing-off competition was NOTA who won the show's first season. I love "Video Killed the Radio Star" and when they performed it, I was sold on them right there; All 5 were so adorable together, I just fell in love and cheered them on.. Yes, that was my Pentaholic conversion moment and, like you Kathy, I haven't turned back since!
Interesting side note, if you watch Kirstie’s right foot after they come down the stairs you will see her start to step on Scott’s foot and almost lose her balance. She recovers immediately but it’s just an example of the little things that could ruin a performance if you can’t take them in stride but she did and everything worked great. I feel this performance was where the group finally gelled and they just get better and better from here!
Yes, that comment from Ben Folds was an outtake from the previous show's commentary. If you listen critically you can tell that the judges' comments are edited. Especially with Shawn, sometimes one sentence seems to have nothing to do with the previous one; that's because they cut the comments for length. I suspect that by the 4th performance it was already becoming obvious that PTX was--at least--one of the top 3 contenders, so they gave us a little more "negative" stuff to avoid giving us the impression that they were "favorites." What Ben Folds said here makes sense if you listen to Ke$ha's original--she just kind of talks (or as Shawn said, "sing-talks") the first part of the song, and PTX invented a melody so they could sing it instead of talking. Ben says that that decision "didn't work FOR ME." He didn't say it was bad; just that he didn't like it. Now, on the following week's show, they put in an additional comment about "the appeal of the song being abandoned" when they made that choice. Translation: Ben would have liked it better if they had kept the sing-talking and not made up a melody. Notice though that he also said several good things about their arrangement, and that he loved it from the breakdown all the way to the end. You'll see (trust me!) that all 3 judges are PTX fans. How could they help it? They just kept getting better and better!
Actually, because they were eliminated the prior week, Sonos didn't have an opportunity to arrange this song. It's the one they were going to do had they made it to Guilty Pleasures week. So this arrangement was all PTX. And it worked out for their benefit, and ours. 🙂😊
Pentatonix as a five-piece group had been together for less than a month before the shows started being recorded, and for less than 24 hours before the audition, but it should be remembered that the original Trio (Kirstie, Scott & Mitch) had been performing together since they were children...so the core of the group was much more experienced together than the producers of the show made them out to be. All part of the "this is TV so we need to find drama where there isn't any for ratings" credo of TV shows. I've worked in TV production since the mid-80s, so I've seen all the tricks...and been guilty of it myself more times than I care to admit.
They gelled really quickly as a group. Imagine this: * Week 1: "E.T." was arranged by Scott and Ben Bram * Week 2: "Love is My Drug" and "Pieces of My Heart" were arranged by PTX and they received some criticism. * Week 3: "Video Killed the Radiostar" were arranged by PTX and they used the criticism to better themselves and they've found their sound already! Re: Mitch's lower register in the show - In a Superfruit video where Scott and Mitch reacted to their Sing-off performances, Mitch commented how low his voice was. I wonder how he would react to it now, considering that he's now singing in his lower register more. Here's an interview with Ben Bram that I watched yesterday and he talks about PTX at minute 22:11. I learned that their audition songs were arranged by Scott and Ben too, and that when they first met the day before the audition, they've already learned their parts (Scott and Ben probably sent out sheet music for the arrangement), so I guess what they did before the audition was practice the arrangement. They prepared three songs, but in the audition was requested to do one more, so they had to improvise on that one. The interview - th-cam.com/video/FLxnTE8vk2Y/w-d-xo.html
The crowd noise at about the 9 minute mark…one of the reasons why they wear their ‘in-ears’ is so they can hear each other clearly to stay on track. I also think it cues them and keeps time/tempo.
I was 20 years old at the time. This was the decade of my generation, the first real year of adulthood, now it is just a memory. Enjoy your youth, do every good thing you have the opportunity to do, it goes by way too fast.
I love your reactions to these! They are just fantastic, and they keep getting better and better from here!!! I am a huge Mitch fan and adore his high voice, but he has such a smooth lower voice. Melts me every time!
Scott, Kirstin, and Mitch have been friends for a long time. They sang together, a trio, and even posted videos together. To participate in Sing-Off they needed 5 members. Kelvin and Avi were added and they practice the day before the audition. They were able to grow as a group and as performers because they listened to the comments and took them to heart. They were lucky enough to get people who gave them constructive criticism. If you check many of their best practices in music arrangement can be traced back to that show.
i cannot believe how good they were especially because they were so new at that point!! i am also just patiently waiting for when jc's moon river is gonna upload because i am so excited for it. loved your reaction, as always :-)
It's great that, though they didn't want to be eliminated themselves, they didn't want anyone else to leave either. I was right about BYU Vocal Point, they were on this season and finished 5th, though one reactor who saw the show when it aired thought they should have been third. I didn't see the show so he may be right. There were a lot of good groups though and with these type of shows it only takes one weaker performance to be eliminated. And I'm sure that each group that got eliminated picked up ways to make their group better.
😀👏Great reaction Please react to The Trio which is Scott Kristie and Mitch performing "Telephone" in their choir concert in high school and also This is the video that Avi saw a few months before being asked to see if he wanted to join them in singing for The Sing-Off (Which Avi replied yes I would LOVE to sing with these kids)... being that he's only like a couple of years older than them which made me laugh but he considered them kids. The other Trio video before PTX is Firework by Katy Perry If you get a chance please react to these two videos 👏👏(There are more, but these are really good)
Trevor Horn and Geof Downs were The Buggles. Horn and Downs went on to join the band, Yes and write and produce most of the biggest hits in the 80s and early 90s. He still does concerts on what they call the Rewind circuit in England. As his principal vocalist he usually has a remarkable guy named Matt Cardle, ( previously the lead singer of a band called Seven Summers) who happens to be my favorite singer of all time. This is Trevor and his band performing The Power of Love with Matt on vocals. th-cam.com/video/8lO_1d1J7pM/w-d-xo.html. I'd love to see you and your wife react to some of Trevor and Matt's other songs.
Nice reaction. Thanks. The judges' critical comments were from the second performance but somehow they were mentioned at the beginning of this fourth performance. They did well on the third performance.
The second and third performance were in the same week. So the judges' comments that week were mentioned the very next week before the fourth performance.
While they may have known each other before, you can see where the relationship between Home Free (Tim Foust) and VoicePlay (Geoff Castalucci) comes in, as they were in the same season. Geoff has arranged Elvira for Home Free and Tim and Rob have popped into a couple of videos with VoicePlay. Also, Avi crosses over into Home Free's cover of Ring of Fire after their season is over. It's amazing that the acapella world is so small. And then Home Free acquires Chance out of Street Corner Symphony, although I don't remember which season they were on (?maybe with Pentatonix or earlier).
Street Corner Symphony came in second place in Season 2, the year before PTX’s win. The winners that season were Committed, who have since gone into Christian music, mostly, and done pretty well for themselves. I saw them a few years ago in a PBS folk music show. Interesting connection on the first three TSO winners-Nota and Committed, the first two winners, both had come out of Seventh Day Adventist colleges, and Kevin in PTX is also Seventh Day Adventist! When Season 4 started, a bunch of us fans online were all, “Where’s the Seventh Day Adventist member-that’ll be the winner!”
Once you finish these videos, react to qhen Pentatonix returns to the Sing Off and sings I Need Your Love... they basically stick it to the producers 😂 Don't let us have Mitch shine and use his upper register? He starts off the song. Won't show Avi wiggling his hips? Its part of our choreography now. Such a fun ride.
There was no mention of PTX borrowing Sonos' arrangement. I don't think that was what happened. I think the significance of the fact that this song was Sonos's pick was NOT that it was already arranged by Sonos, but that the song was already cleared for copyright for the show, so when Sonos couldn't use it, PTX was free to pick it for the week. No need to go through the process of clearing copyright like what would've happened if they pick a completely new song. In these talent shows, contestants were usually given a list of songs that were already cleared for copyright, or they had to prepare a list of songs for each week, so if one song couldn't clear, they would go down the list until they get to the song that they manage to clear.
You are right about them being a bit out of sync for a minute. The trio knew each other so well, but it took them until the next week to finally trust Avi and Kevin to lead them in the beat and timing. After the 5th performance, they were so much tighter. Great reaction - looking forward to the next one.
Also, there is a video of Mitch & Scott going back and critiquing themselves for the first 5 or 6 Sing Off performances. They both mention his "Masc. Mitch" voice, which was lower and not as clear. There is one performance, late in the show, where he gets to use his beautiful high tenor. You'll know when you see it. After you get through all the performances, it would be fun to see your reaction to their reaction.
Next one is really good as well, my opinion is from the next one on is where they separated themselves from the rest and there was little doubt who would win.
Outside of their families, I think Shawn Stockman proudly holds the #1 card in the PTX fan club. They came back on season 4to perform,and afterwards Shawn popped up on stage with hugs for all,like a proud poppa.
When I was watching this season while it was broadcast, none of the groups stood out to me at first. Pentatonix was just one of several good groups doing perfectly serviceable performances. But when this song showed up on my tv, I literally sat up on the couch and said, “What was THAT?!” That’s when I became a Pentaholic, and I’ve never turned back.
That's cool you mentioned this, because it's exactly what I was thinking about these groups too. In fact, up until this point, I thought the best A Capella group in the Sing-off competition was NOTA who won the show's first season.
I love "Video Killed the Radio Star" and when they performed it, I was sold on them right there; All 5 were so adorable together, I just fell in love and cheered them on.. Yes, that was my Pentaholic conversion moment and, like you Kathy, I haven't turned back since!
I can't wait for you to watch Born To Be Wild, Let's Get It On, & Dog Days Are Over
Dog Days are Over was my absolute favorite that made me love them, but then I fell for Home Free
This is the song where they really started to gel as a group. Amazing to think they had only been together for about a month at this point
"Was that an outtake?" you asked. I always get the feeling that the judges said more to them than what made the TV edit.
I've been binge watching your reactions to the sing off. I love how you always clap at the end of the performance.
Interesting side note, if you watch Kirstie’s right foot after they come down the stairs you will see her start to step on Scott’s foot and almost lose her balance. She recovers immediately but it’s just an example of the little things that could ruin a performance if you can’t take them in stride but she did and everything worked great. I feel this performance was where the group finally gelled and they just get better and better from here!
Yes, that comment from Ben Folds was an outtake from the previous show's commentary. If you listen critically you can tell that the judges' comments are edited. Especially with Shawn, sometimes one sentence seems to have nothing to do with the previous one; that's because they cut the comments for length. I suspect that by the 4th performance it was already becoming obvious that PTX was--at least--one of the top 3 contenders, so they gave us a little more "negative" stuff to avoid giving us the impression that they were "favorites." What Ben Folds said here makes sense if you listen to Ke$ha's original--she just kind of talks (or as Shawn said, "sing-talks") the first part of the song, and PTX invented a melody so they could sing it instead of talking. Ben says that that decision "didn't work FOR ME." He didn't say it was bad; just that he didn't like it. Now, on the following week's show, they put in an additional comment about "the appeal of the song being abandoned" when they made that choice. Translation: Ben would have liked it better if they had kept the sing-talking and not made up a melody. Notice though that he also said several good things about their arrangement, and that he loved it from the breakdown all the way to the end. You'll see (trust me!) that all 3 judges are PTX fans. How could they help it? They just kept getting better and better!
Actually, because they were eliminated the prior week, Sonos didn't have an opportunity to arrange this song. It's the one they were going to do had they made it to Guilty Pleasures week. So this arrangement was all PTX. And it worked out for their benefit, and ours. 🙂😊
Pentatonix as a five-piece group had been together for less than a month before the shows started being recorded, and for less than 24 hours before the audition, but it should be remembered that the original Trio (Kirstie, Scott & Mitch) had been performing together since they were children...so the core of the group was much more experienced together than the producers of the show made them out to be. All part of the "this is TV so we need to find drama where there isn't any for ratings" credo of TV shows. I've worked in TV production since the mid-80s, so I've seen all the tricks...and been guilty of it myself more times than I care to admit.
This is the performance that really made me a fan.
They gelled really quickly as a group. Imagine this:
* Week 1: "E.T." was arranged by Scott and Ben Bram
* Week 2: "Love is My Drug" and "Pieces of My Heart" were arranged by PTX and they received some criticism.
* Week 3: "Video Killed the Radiostar" were arranged by PTX and they used the criticism to better themselves and they've found their sound already!
Re: Mitch's lower register in the show - In a Superfruit video where Scott and Mitch reacted to their Sing-off performances, Mitch commented how low his voice was. I wonder how he would react to it now, considering that he's now singing in his lower register more.
Here's an interview with Ben Bram that I watched yesterday and he talks about PTX at minute 22:11. I learned that their audition songs were arranged by Scott and Ben too, and that when they first met the day before the audition, they've already learned their parts (Scott and Ben probably sent out sheet music for the arrangement), so I guess what they did before the audition was practice the arrangement. They prepared three songs, but in the audition was requested to do one more, so they had to improvise on that one.
The interview - th-cam.com/video/FLxnTE8vk2Y/w-d-xo.html
The crowd noise at about the 9 minute mark…one of the reasons why they wear their ‘in-ears’ is so they can hear each other clearly to stay on track. I also think it cues them and keeps time/tempo.
This song was the first video to be broadcast on the MTv Network on August 1 1981 @ 12 :01 EST.
Cool to know
I remember a bunch of friends stayed at one of our rich friend's place to watch this debut
I was 20 years old at the time. This was the decade of my generation, the first real year of adulthood, now it is just a memory. Enjoy your youth, do every good thing you have the opportunity to do, it goes by way too fast.
I love your reactions to these! They are just fantastic, and they keep getting better and better from here!!! I am a huge Mitch fan and adore his high voice, but he has such a smooth lower voice. Melts me every time!
Scott, Kirstin, and Mitch have been friends for a long time. They sang together, a trio, and even posted videos together. To participate in Sing-Off they needed 5 members. Kelvin and Avi were added and they practice the day before the audition.
They were able to grow as a group and as performers because they listened to the comments and took them to heart. They were lucky enough to get people who gave them constructive criticism.
If you check many of their best practices in music arrangement can be traced back to that show.
i cannot believe how good they were especially because they were so new at that point!! i am also just patiently waiting for when jc's moon river is gonna upload because i am so excited for it. loved your reaction, as always :-)
Omg this song takes me back to when I was a kid and first time watching the original on MTV. I feel old now lol
When you're through watching all of these performances, you should watch Super Fruit reacting to these videos. It's hilarious.
It's great that, though they didn't want to be eliminated themselves, they didn't want anyone else to leave either. I was right about BYU Vocal Point, they were on this season and finished 5th, though one reactor who saw the show when it aired thought they should have been third. I didn't see the show so he may be right. There were a lot of good groups though and with these type of shows it only takes one weaker performance to be eliminated. And I'm sure that each group that got eliminated picked up ways to make their group better.
I was never a fan of this song until they did this. Epic.
😀👏Great reaction Please react to The Trio which is Scott Kristie and Mitch performing "Telephone" in their choir concert in high school and also This is the video that Avi saw a few months before being asked to see if he wanted to join them in singing for The Sing-Off (Which Avi replied yes I would LOVE to sing with these kids)... being that he's only like a couple of years older than them which made me laugh but he considered them kids. The other Trio video before PTX is Firework by Katy Perry If you get a chance please react to these two videos 👏👏(There are more, but these are really good)
Trevor Horn and Geof Downs were The Buggles. Horn and Downs went on to join the band, Yes and write and produce most of the biggest hits in the 80s and early 90s. He still does concerts on what they call the Rewind circuit in England. As his principal vocalist he usually has a remarkable guy named Matt Cardle, ( previously the lead singer of a band called Seven Summers) who happens to be my favorite singer of all time. This is Trevor and his band performing The Power of Love with Matt on vocals. th-cam.com/video/8lO_1d1J7pM/w-d-xo.html. I'd love to see you and your wife react to some of Trevor and Matt's other songs.
I enjoy this performance ❤️
One of their fan channels made a fan video of them that was great.
Nice reaction. Thanks. The judges' critical comments were from the second performance but somehow they were mentioned at the beginning of this fourth performance. They did well on the third performance.
The second and third performance were in the same week. So the judges' comments that week were mentioned the very next week before the fourth performance.
They only got together together the day before the audition.
While they may have known each other before, you can see where the relationship between Home Free (Tim Foust) and VoicePlay (Geoff Castalucci) comes in, as they were in the same season. Geoff has arranged Elvira for Home Free and Tim and Rob have popped into a couple of videos with VoicePlay. Also, Avi crosses over into Home Free's cover of Ring of Fire after their season is over. It's amazing that the acapella world is so small. And then Home Free acquires Chance out of Street Corner Symphony, although I don't remember which season they were on (?maybe with Pentatonix or earlier).
Street Corner Symphony came in second place in Season 2, the year before PTX’s win. The winners that season were Committed, who have since gone into Christian music, mostly, and done pretty well for themselves. I saw them a few years ago in a PBS folk music show. Interesting connection on the first three TSO winners-Nota and Committed, the first two winners, both had come out of Seventh Day Adventist colleges, and Kevin in PTX is also Seventh Day Adventist! When Season 4 started, a bunch of us fans online were all, “Where’s the Seventh Day Adventist member-that’ll be the winner!”
Once you finish these videos, react to qhen Pentatonix returns to the Sing Off and sings I Need Your Love... they basically stick it to the producers 😂 Don't let us have Mitch shine and use his upper register? He starts off the song. Won't show Avi wiggling his hips? Its part of our choreography now. Such a fun ride.
Mmm Avi Hip Wiggling. #imdead
Well sex appeal was a problem for a few people. And the final "surprise" in the performance.
I AM INFINITELY EXCITED FOR LOVE LOCKDOWN NEXT! 😍 I hope you react to the studio version of it! I love it so much!
Nobody puts Baby Mitch in a corner.
There was no mention of PTX borrowing Sonos' arrangement. I don't think that was what happened.
I think the significance of the fact that this song was Sonos's pick was NOT that it was already arranged by Sonos, but that the song was already cleared for copyright for the show, so when Sonos couldn't use it, PTX was free to pick it for the week. No need to go through the process of clearing copyright like what would've happened if they pick a completely new song.
In these talent shows, contestants were usually given a list of songs that were already cleared for copyright, or they had to prepare a list of songs for each week, so if one song couldn't clear, they would go down the list until they get to the song that they manage to clear.
Good point on that
You are right about them being a bit out of sync for a minute. The trio knew each other so well, but it took them until the next week to finally trust Avi and Kevin to lead them in the beat and timing. After the 5th performance, they were so much tighter. Great reaction - looking forward to the next one.
Also, there is a video of Mitch & Scott going back and critiquing themselves for the first 5 or 6 Sing Off performances. They both mention his "Masc. Mitch" voice, which was lower and not as clear. There is one performance, late in the show, where he gets to use his beautiful high tenor. You'll know when you see it. After you get through all the performances, it would be fun to see your reaction to their reaction.
Next one is really good as well, my opinion is from the next one on is where they separated themselves from the rest and there was little doubt who would win.
Are you gonna get to Geoffs new song anytime soon? you're usually one of the first so just checking