PENTATONIX

I don't care what I've said in previous posts, but what happened this past Thursday night topped every list I've ever made.

Covent Garden shopping area

The original plan was to tell you about how funny Book of Mormon was and how you should definitely see it.  I was also going to mention how Covent Garden is completely decked out for the holidays, and that Piccadilly Circus now has a huge snow globe in the center, with Xmas lights everywhere, but you know what?  None of that seems all that significant now.

Thursday afternoon.
This week in my research seminar class, we all had to bring in what we had written so far for peer criticism and suggestions.  We mostly covered introductions and basic opening arguments for the rest of the paper.  My GA (graduate assistant) selected mine as the "citation and footnoting authority," as well as the model to follow.  Woah!  I like praise as much as the next person, but usually when it's written as a comment in the margin of a draft I've submitted.  I was expecting lots of criticism because it was the first draft that I'd produced since ceasing active research.  Nevertheless, I left class feeling encouraged and ready to have a great night!

Thursday night.
After a very quick dinner and swift costume change for warmer weather, I embarked on yet another Sardine Travel Hour adventure.  This time to the O2 Academy (concert venue) in Islington, north-central London, to see Pentatonix perform!*  When I arrived at the Angel Tube station, I was so excited that I was practically running through the station to find the exit.  Little did I know when I mounted the escalator on the left side (the "fast" lane) that Angel station has the tallest escalator of any Tube stop in London.  Yeah ... ask me how I felt at the top!  Stepping onto the sidewalk outside the station entrance was a breath of fresh air, but only until my contact lens decided to shrivel in my eye.  In all my wisdom, I tried to put it back in right there on the windy sidewalk.  After a few tries, I was getting really worried about not getting a good spot in line outside the concert venue, so I went back inside the station, found a mirror and popped my super dry lens back in.  At that point, it was like being shot out of a canon - my shoes chewed up the concrete underneath my feet, and I was surprised to find that the line for general admission was not terribly long.  Yay!

L-R: Avi (bass), Kirsty (alto), Scott (baratone), Mitch (tenor), Kevin (percussion)

Being the person with the "exotic" accent is shockingly new to me, but it definitely helps spark conversations.  I was quickly adopted by two Brits, Jeremy and Rachel, who were there to see Pentatonix for the first time.**  Accepting their invitation was the best decision I've made yet.  We had a great time at the concert (Pentatonix is SO SO SO great live) and decided to unwind at the pub across the street afterwards.  Meanwhile, Jeremy was chatting with Mitch (member of Pentatonix), via direct messaging on Twitter, and casually suggested that they join us for a drink.  The three of us didn't expect anything, but after 45 minutes or so who should walk into the pub but Mitch, Scott, Avi (the Pentatonix tenor, baritone, and the deepest bass on the planet, respectively), and some of their tour people (one of whom was from Horsham, Pennsylvania, just 10 minutes from my own hometown)!!  Kevin, the vocal percussionist, joined a little later.  Kirsty was the only member who didn't join us.***

IS THIS REAL LIFE?

L-R: Mitch, me, Scott, Jeremy, and Rachel

I honestly still cannot believe I spent an evening chatting and bar hopping with the members of Pentatonix!  It was so surreal, especially because these guys are my age.  But, the craziest and most shocking thing about this whole encounter was this: throughout the night, each member came up to me, and after establishing that I was not British, they each said

"Hey, are you that girl from Boston?!"
"I ... uh ... yeah, I go to school there and have seen you guys perform there twice already! ... How did you know Boston?"
"All the Brits here are telling us about this girl from the States who has seen us a bunch of times already, and, also, Boston is probably our best US audience, which is why we do two shows there every time we tour."
"Wow, well, you guys are really good, and what I want more than anything is to be that girl in the chair!"
"We can definitely make that happen!"

Let me explain, during each of their performances, a lady is selected from the crowd to sit in a chair on stage while Pentatonix serenades her with Marvin Gay's "Lets Get It On"!  I want to be that person so badly.

We all said goodnight around 2am, which is when their tour bus was leaving for Manchester.  (There is a good chance we'll be hanging out with them again after their second London performance on Monday).  At that point, Rachel, Jeremy, and I just looked at each other in disbelief.  I'm pretty sure (and sincerely hope) that we'll remain trans-Atlantic friends for a while, not just because of this incredible thing that we experienced together, but also because they are really fun people.  And, as it turns out, they bought tickets to see Jude Law in Shakespeare's Henry V the same night in I did!****

Still in utter disbelief!  Thanks for reading!



* Pentatonix is the a capella group that won the sing-off (a capella competition show).  If you don't know them, find their stuff on YouTube!  They are incredible and I could go on and on about their technical skills for ever.
** "Jeremy" and "Rachel" are pseudonyms for privacy
*** I think someone said she was taking an online class, and was doing work before they headed out to Manchester for their next show.
**** I'm pretty sure Jeremy is still in disbelief over this coincidence.