Wednesday Video Spotlight: Winners Pentatonix perform on “A Sing-Off Christmas”
Following an intense 10 weeks of competition and last week’s exciting live finale of NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” featuring performances from the top three contenders – Urban Method, Pentatonix and Dartmouth Aires – Pentatonix was crowned the winner, beating out 15 amazing groups to land a record deal with Epic Records and a $200,000 cash prize. The finale episode drew its biggest audience of the season, attracting 6 million viewers, and according to a news release, Epic is pleased to announce the signing of the show’s third season winner.
Pentatonix is the talented Texas quintet made up of Scott Hoying, Mitchell Grassi, Kevin Olusola, Avi Kaplan and University of Oklahoma sophomore Kirstin Maldonado. Interestingly enough, Pentatonix only formed a few days before the filming of season three began. Hoying, Maldonado, and Grassi attended high school together in Arlington, Texas, and were already a trio, but needed two additional members to round out their sound and make them eligible to try out for “The Sing-Off.” The trio discovered Olusola on YouTube and Kaplan through a close friend, and just like that, Pentatonix was born.
Their unique name draws from music’s pentatonic five note scale, and as there are five members in the group, the name became a perfect fit. Pentatonix has rejuvenated a cappella through its groundbreaking style that includes mind-bending arrangements, thick bass and thumping beats which draw influences from several underground electro genres, including dubstep and garage house.
Following their win, Pentatonix performed live Monday on “A Sing-Off Christmas.” The all-star episode included performances of holiday and inspirational classics, featuring groups from all three seasons of “The Sing-Off,” with a special guest performance by Flo Rida.
In addition, Pentatonix is included on Epic Record’s festive holiday release, “The Sing-Off: Songs of the Season,” performing “We Three Kings.” The album was released on Nov. 1 and features multiple all-vocal groups from Season 3 of “The Sing-Off” performing one-of-a-kind takes on classic holiday songs. It is the follow up to last year’s highly successful holiday album, “The Sing-Off: Harmonies for the Holidays.” Fans can download all performances by Pentatonix from Season 3 of “The Sing-Off” on iTunes.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: OSU and OU marching bands perform “Amazing Grace” at Bedlam
As an Oklahoma State University alumnus, Saturday’s Bedlam football victory over in-state rival the University of Oklahoma had many highlights.
But one of them definitely came at halftime, when the Spirit of Oklahoma State University and Pride of Oklahoma marching bands joined forces to perform a graceful rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
The performance was in memory of OSU women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke, assistant coach Miranda Serna and OSU alumni Olin and Paula Branstetter, who were killed last month in a plane crash on a recruiting trip.
Since today is the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, spotlighting this rendition of “Amazing Grace” also seems like a fitting way to remember those who died on that fateful day.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Tickets for Flaming Lips’ New Year’s Eve Freakout #5 now on sale
Tickets are now on sale for The Flaming Lips’ New Year’s Eve Freakout #5, the Oklahoma City-based psychedelic rockers’ annual hometown NYE spectacular, at www.ticketstorm.com.
Several significant changes have been made to this year’s event:
Now a two-night extravaganza, the fifth Freakout is set for 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31 and Sunday, Jan. 1 at the Coca Cola Bricktown Events Center, 425 E California.
The Flaming Lips and Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band will play both nights, with Ono performing at midnight “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” the famed holiday anthem she wrote and recorded with her late husband, John Lennon.
“In honor of our fantastical guests The Flaming Lips will perform some classic cover songs with Sean Lennon,” the Lips posted recently on Twitter (@theflaminglips).
In addition, Neon Indian will join the lineup for the Jan. 1 show, the Lips wrote on Twitter.
Tickets for this year’s Freakout are pricier than past years: This year, tickets are $100 for one night or $150 for both shows. All ticket buyers get into the afterparty at The Womb, Lips frontman Wayne Coyne’s new art gallery in downtown OKC.
“The after party at the Womb will go till sunrise and will feature naked movies inside the Womb room and New Fumes from Dallas doing paranoid soundscapes and Star Death and White Dwarfs playing an electric sunrise,” the band posted on Twitter.
Even with two shows, this year’s Freakout is bound to be a much more exclusive affair, not only because of the higher ticket prices but also because of the lower ticket availability. The Bricktown Events Center seats approximately 1,500, compared to 8,000 to 10,000 at the Cox Convention Center, where the Freakout took place the past four years.
“The new venue The Coca Cola events Center in Bricktown is a much cooler venue than the old Cox Center which became increasingly less accommodating to the beautiful Flaming Lips Fans,” the band posted on Twitter, citing cheap and easy parking and good but inexpensive food and drink vending at the Bricktown Events Center.
The Cox Convention Center won’t be empty on New Year’s Eve: The OKC Barons hockey team will face off against divisional rivals San Antonio at 7 p.m. Dec. 31.
For those who want to get an idea of the sheer spectacle of The Flaming Lips New Year’s Eve Freakout, check out these fan-shot YouTube videos from previous years:
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: “Basketball Never Stops” with Kevin Durant
I know it’s part of Nike’s “Basketball Never Stop” ad campaign, but I still love this video of Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant shooting hoops around the OKC metro area to the tune of Sam Cooke’s “Good Times.”
Of course, I like it even better now that we will get to Thunder up again very soon, with the NBA’s salvaged season due to begin Christmas Day.
According to NewsOK, the Thunder will play a pair of exhibition games against the Dallas Mavericks in December prior to the Dec. 25 regular season start.
Let the good times roll, indeed!
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Kelly Clarkson covers Carrie Underwood on VH1′s “Unplugged”
In this Wednesday Video Spotlight, check out Kelly Clarkson performing fellow “American Idol” winner and Checotah native Carrie Underwood’s heartbroken ballad “I Know You Won’t” on “VH1 Unplugged.”
Clarkson also performed several songs from her new album “Stronger” on the show.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Behind the scenes of “CMA Country Christmas” with Miss Piggy
In this video, Miss Piggy takes viewers behind the scenes of the “CMA Country Christmas,” airing at 8 p.m. Thursday on ABC.
The Muppet diva will perform a special duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Oklahoma-born and bred singer/songwriter/musician Vince Gill during the Country Music Association’s concert special.
Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles will host the two-hour holiday extravaganza with performances from “American Idol” runner up Lauren Alaina, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Sugarland and Keith Urban.
I got the chance to talk to Miss Piggy during the recent junket for her new movie “The Muppets” in Los Angeles. To read my feature on her, click here.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Rascal Flatts performs on “Today” show
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The newest members of the Grand Ole Opry, superstar country band Rascal Flatts, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney, kicked off a special Thanksgiving week all-star lineup Monday on NBC’s “Today” show as part of the Toyota Concert Series on the plaza in Rockefeller Center.
The band performed its hits “Why Wait” and “Life Is a Highway” and were joined by Natasha Bedingfield on their smash duet single “Easy,” from the Flatts’ 2010 album and Big Machine Records debut, “Nothing Like This.” The single was co-written by Bray native Katrina Elam.
Additional “Today” show performers who performed this Thanksgiving week were,Carole King on Tuesday and Justin Bieber today. “Today” airs from 7 to 11 a.m. weekdays on NBC (KFOR-4 in Oklahoma City).
Rascal Flatts will be on TV again next Wednesday, Dec. 1 when the “CMA Country Christmas” airs on ABC, and they will compete for several prizes at the Monday, Dec. 5 American Country Awards on Fox.
Plus, the band expects to put out a new album in April.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Previewing “CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill,” debuting Thursday
Together they have earned more than 35 Grammys, sold more than 125 million albums, and performed in front of as many, if not more, music lovers all over the world. Now world-renowned musician Sting and Oklahoma country legend Vince Gill will be making music history in the newest episode of “CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill,” premiering at 7 p.m. Thursday on Country Music Television.
After a five-year absence, CMT took its critically acclaimed series “CMT Crossroads” back to New York City for an invitation-only taping featuring two of music’s biggest superstars. Sting and Gill will perform their classic hits and selections from both of their highly anticipated new releases out this fall.
Check out Gill and Sting’s recent AP interview by clicking here.
And check out these videos for a preview of what’s to come with the show’s Thanksgiving debut:
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Kyle Roberts and Defining Times’ “Limelight” music video
The ever busy, always creative Kyle Roberts, owner of the Oklahoma City-based film company Reckless Abandonment Pictures and a videographer for NewsOK, has debuted another eye-catching, ear-tickling project.
Kyle and crew shot the entire music video for OKC band Defining Times’ ethereal song “Limelight” with the new GoPro HD Hero 2 camera. Kyle used several homemade gadgets to aid him in making the video, even strapping the GoPro to the back of his SUV while pulling Defining Times frontman Chase Kerby on a skateboard.
He filmed Kerby at three times the speed of the original song and later slowed it down in post-production. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the video here:
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: New Devon Ice Rink part of Downtown in December, launching Friday
In this NewsOK video, host Angi Bruss checks out the new Devon Ice Rink at the renovated Myriad Botanical Gardens, which is part of Oklahoma City’s holiday festival Downtown in December.
Presented by Devon Energy, Downtown in December is a 50-day holiday extravaganza with attractions ranging from ice skating and snow tubing to light displays and visits from Santa Claus. The festivities officially kick off at 5:15 p.m. Friday with the lighting of the 32-foot-tall SandRidge Christmas Tree on the Bricktown Canal off Mickey Mantle Drive.
Look for my preview on Downtown in December, along with info on a couple of other new places in the metro area where you can skate during the season, on Friday here at BAM’s Blog, on NewsOK and in The Oklahoman.
-BAM
