The Royal Pitches have no lack of talent. Their voices demand attention, captivating the entire audience and shining brightly in a lackluster lecture hall — all without a microphone.
The Royal Pitches, UB’s all-treble a cappella group, presented “The Royal Pitches Unplugged,” a concert in the style of MTV’s “Unplugged” series, on Saturday in Norton Hall.
The Royal Pitches are made up of music kids, so naturally they warm up with no shoes on, wear sweatpants over their dresses and sing “Seasons of Love.” Their performance of that track from “Rent: The Musical” showcases five first-year Pitches: Becca Dawson, Sabrina Nicosia, Ajalay Christopher, Sierra Howard and Maci Greco.
“I was super nervous at the first concert, but now I feel a lot better,” Howard, a freshman sociology major, said. “It just feels fun now.”
But while other Pitches nervously prepared for one of their first concerts, others were preparing for their last.
“I remember freshman year, my senior friends leaving. They were getting ready with their senior songs and senior speeches,” Katie Daugherty, a senior media studies major, said. “I’m getting emotional because this is my last unplugged, and these girls mean everything to me.”
Both Daugherty and sophomore business administration major Lauren Sirianni named “Run to You” as their favorite song of tonight. The piece is slow and intimate. Its lack of solos allows the singers to connect with each other and invite the audience into their performance.
The intimacy of “Run to You” is matched by the powerful vocals featured in songs like Ava Max’s “Kings and Queens” and “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics. Clean cut-offs, captivating soloists, well-done arrangements and vocal percussionists give the audience chills and leave them wanting more.
“There’s so much growth between your very first concert to now,” Sirianni said. “We bring the best out of each other, whether it’s working together on arrangements or working together as a group.”
The group's spring attire wasn't the only thing captivating the audience. The Pitches’ growth is evident in their perfect blend and ability to let soloists and the rest of the group shine in each song.
“We’ve made such a good bond, it feels like a family,” Howard said.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article referred to Becca Dawson as Becca Lang. We regret this error.
Sarah Owusu is a news editor and can be reached at sarah.owusu@ubspectrum.com
Sarah Owusu is an assistant news editor at The Spectrum. In her free time she enjoys reading, baking, music and talking politics (yes, shockingly). She'll also be her own hairdresser when she needs a change.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
