The BC Dynamics went retro on Saturday night with its MTV Café. It was a fun-filled night, with students and parents alike filling McGuinn 121 and cheering on the singers. The Dynamics started the show with a video filled with MTV references that introduced all the 17 members before they cozied up to the mics to begin their songs.
The group stuck mostly to the pop genre, but it incorporated hip-hop elements and cool choreographed routines. What made the performance different from most typical a cappella shows is that it played its own pre-recorded music videos after every few songs as a nod to MTV. The first one was a video for Justin Bieber’s “Sorry,” which paired the music with silly clips of the Dynamics dancing around and lip-syncing in the Plex while wearing neon retro workout attire. The next video was more of a pop culture reference to popular YouTube videos titled “Unexpected Compilation” and “People Are Awesome.” In the video, the members made their own version of these viral compilations around campus. The third and final video was a music video for Ariana Grande’s “Side To Side,” and it featured all the members lip-syncing on exercise bikes. The clever videos got a lot of laughs.
The Dynamics are replete with very talented soloists. Claire Fitzpatrick, MCAS ’20, demonstrated her particularly powerful voice in her performance of “Out of My Head” by Begonia, and Ian Goodman, CSOM ’19, executed a very unique vocal freestyle solo in his rendition of “The Way” by Sammy Johnson. Joe Palumbo, MCAS ’18, had one of the more memorable and impressive solos of the night. In his performance of Anderson East’s “All On My Mind,” Palumbo showed off his gritty, soulful tone and sexy minor-pentatonic melodies that really commanded the audience’s attention and praise. He was also the soloist for the final song of the night, sung alongside Dynamics alumni in attendance.
“It’s awesome to be a part of something that I know will transcend my four years here at BC,” said Palumbo. “Singing our last song with the alumni is always my favorite part of the show.”
Not only was there individual talent on display, but there was also plenty of talent as a group. As its name suggests, the group made good use of dynamics with crescendos, blending, and phrasing. It were able to execute its difficult arrangements with ease, including some complex chords present in their version of “Guilty” by Paloma Faith and a chromatic walkdown in their performance of “Woman” by Kesha. The beatboxing was strong and consistent, and there was also a captivating tempo change in “Girlfriend” by NAO when they transitioned it briefly in Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend.”
The show was an outstanding display of talent that showed that the Dynamics know how to be lighthearted and have fun, but can back it up with its music.
Featured Image by Melissa Rice / Heights Staff
