We We to the Pentatonix: The World Tour 2020 in Auckland

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Pentatonix came back to Auckland!

The 5-piece a capella group was here in 2016, and performed and incredible show to a large audience at Spark Arena. This year was no different.

They’re opening act this year for the Australian and New Zealand leg of the tour (I think? Don’t quote me on that one) was Samantha Jade. She won the 4th season of The X-Factor Australia in 2012, and has four albums. I hadn’t actually heard of her before this tonight, but really enjoyed her music. She sang some originals as well as some covers.

Even though it’s not a Pentatonix concert where one would jump up and down in a mosh pit or get up and dance in one’s seats, the atmosphere was still upbeat and energetic, and it was a joy to watch and listen to these incredible artists. There’s something about an a capella group that just blows my mind; how is possible that you can do what you do? And all the beats and the sound effects in different songs … amazing!

A few years back one of the band member, Avi Kaplan, stepped down as the bass, but the group were soon joined by Matt Sallee, and this was his first trip to New Zealand. Sallee’s performance was amazing and he fits so well in with the rest of the group. Kevin Olusola, the beat-boxer and beat keeper of the group, also plays the cello. And when you combine beat-boxing and the cello together, you have something truly magical. I suspect he brings out his cello in most concerts, but he did it again this time, and played a superb version of the Game of Thrones theme song … while beat-boxing and looping. Seriously. Share some talent around, buddy! Incredible! Check out this video that he made in 2011.

What I found really interesting this time round was that instead of doing just a whole bunch of full songs, as per a ‘normal’ concert, they did a bit of an overview of their journey from where they start on YouTube back 2011. They performed snippets of some of the most popular songs from over the year (just a chorus and a verse, or just a chorus), and did a couple of their medleys too. Of course they sang full songs too, some covers as well as some of their own, but it was a really neat way to see the evolution of Pentatonix in that short-snippets format.

Last time we were standing, but this time they only had seats, and we were up in the stands, with a great front-on view of the stage. It did mean, however, that we were further away from the action, and therefore any phone photos are from a distance. Apologies!

Pentatonix only did one New Zealand show, but I’m sure that NZ will now always be a stop on their world tours.

Did you get to Spark Arena to see Pentatonix?