Is this the Mitch slap that started it all?

This perfromane is masterful. As well arranged and thought out as this is (which is extremely impressive), what gives it the feel it does is that this is 100% a plea and a fight of will to perform and continue on. Not only with Avis focus that was mentioned. They were all worn out after 2 months of filming with very few days off and continuous pressure, not to mention the toll on their voices. Scott lost his voice that same day (according to him he bawled over it which "can't have helped my voice") and was given shots by the doctor to even have a voice to use. When it looks like he's determined in this song, that is because he's literally using everything he has in him to get any sound out at all, much less the right notes. This performance is just a huge culmination of skill and will! And that's not even mentioning that Mitch was struggling with a lot of anxiety at this time. For him to take center stage like that on national tv showing off one of the things that used to get him bullied (his high voice). That is some serious grit for a 19 year old. Not only did he do it, but he did it without any wavering and such control. Just... wow

This was the last performance before it was opened up to fan/viewer voting to choose the winner. With everything on the line, the unleashed their secret weapon. Mitch's angelic voice.

I like the look Mitch gives the camera. In that moment he knew he was slaying it. I don’t know if someone told you this, but they were very tired and Scott was having problems with his voice, because he was so exhausted. Their last rehearsal went bad so it was in no way given that they would do really well in the actual performance.

Dog days is my favorite performance. It stands the test of time. What you didn’t mention (or know?) is Avi’s “overtone singing” which he features in the beginning of this performance, right around where you said “Avi, what are you doing?” 🤣. Everything else just makes this performance amazing-Scott’s relentlessness in the face of his laryngitis, Kevin’s unbelievable percussions, Kristy’s support all over the place, and most especially the heartbreakingly tender solo by Mitch. I could listen to it all day. They earned the win on this alone.

The Mitch slap heard 'round the world. Avi is doing "overtone" singing. Somewhere there is a video of him doing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" this way.

Every time I see this, when Mitch takes the lead I get shivers 🥰

this is where i truly fell in love with Mitch. I got SLAPPED!

The first official Mitch slap!! This one's my favorite and is so good!!

I really love this song. First time hearing it.

Yep - that's my reaction to Mitch in this as well - it's one of my favourite parts of any of their songs, covers or originals. Mitch proving to the 'detractors', he's here and he's amazing 🙂

The very first Mitch Slap

Would be cool to see a judges reunion today and play back their opening comments to see their reactions. They knew that they were seeing something special unfolding in front of them.

this was PTX putting their all into a performance and basically saying: this is who we are, love us or leave us. also, Scott had lost his voice so the fact that they did this well is astonishing! the very first Mitch Slap pretty much solidified them as winners. excellent reaction as always Sal ❤

when you consider the fact that the very first time all five of them sang together was the DAY BEFORE THEIR audition is just mind-blowing...the stars aligned

That is the one that gets you the most. Fabulous.

So young!!

I feel bad I was watching someone else’s video and saw this notification and had to click immediately. I can’t wait for this. It’s my favorite.

They recreated part of this song ( yep, the Mitch bit) at their recent Hollywood Bowl appearance together with Video Killed the Radio Star. It still sounds just as impressive!

Someone in the group stated later on that Scott was losing his voice that week. I think him pushing at the end with a little more rasp in his voice verifies that. It's like he pushed extra hard so his voice wouldn't break all because he knew what was on the line for them. I bet I've watched this a hundred or more times, and I still get full body goosebumps!

i really miss your more frequent ptx reactions. it feels like a lot of reactors forgot about them and only do a video once or twice a month. i know they haven't released much this year but there's still so much left for you to discover. hope to see you come back to them

Love this reaction. This is what I've been waiting for :) A beautiful moment with Mitch and this all performance was incredible.

So glad you finally got to this one (the last performance that counted). That first ever Mitch Slap still gives me chills every time.

So glad you were able to get to this one. Not sure if you're aware but Scott was having trouble with his voice. Mitch suffered with pretty significant anxiety. They were all exhausted after working pretty much nonstop over a couple of months. This, imho shows their professionalism and determination. The incredible talent was even more mind blowing considering their youth. The way Mitch took over that whole place was awesome and the look he gave toward the end of his solo, yeah he knew he'd totally aced it. Great reaction as usual loved the Mitch slapped face. Hope you'll be getting to some more PTX...esp with Christmas on the near horizon. If you do check out their Christmas music, it would be cool if you checked out both the official video and their live preformance of Carole of the Bells. It's an older one, Avi era. Some peeps call it "does Mitch freaking breathe". Incredible breath control and just a nice song.

Passion and execution ❤️🙌🙌

Hello Salvo G. Thank you for this one. Loved your reaction. The original Mitch slap here - and that slap was felt around the world. PTX excels again - Scott is so strong in this, Avi on that bass, Kevin beat boxing and bopping, Kirstie with those clean notes, and that fantastic set-up, all four of them turning their backs and giving Mitch the stage - literally - and he took it, and owned it and shone beyond measure with that beautiful voice. A moment in time. The judge asks "How much more new stuff can come out of them?" --- Excuse me? New stuff, creative stuff, perfect stuff - still coming out of PTX eleven years later. New album on October 28, 2022. Three more videos for you to react to for this Sing-Off Journey -1) the winner's performance 2) PTX guest performance on Season 4 (nice surprise there) 3) Superfruit with a critique of the Sing-Off Journey - Mitch and Scott are beyond hilarious and spot on with the critique of themselves. I would love to see these three judges react to PTX songs like The Prayer, Hallelujah, Bohemian Rhapsody and Can You Feel the Love Tonight.

THE BEST SONG!

This gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

This is my favorite performance of the season for sure....now you HAVE to watch when they come back on season 4 and sing I Need Your Love ❤️ it is great!

The 12th performance was "judges' choice" for all remaining groups rather than just requiring a specific category like the others were. I suspect that it's not just to surprise the audience with something that group might not think to choose but also so the judges could make a group go out of their comfort zone even more to see if the group cracks under pressure or if they can rise to an unexpected challenge.

Great reaction! After you have done the finale shows please please also look at the three times they returned as guests (a Christmas special immediately after this series, a performance on the next regular series, then another Christmas special). Aaaand Superfruit reacting to their Sing Off performances a few years after. Very funny hearing Mitch & Scott's comments on their own performances once they have been 'pro' for a while. I think you'd enjoy it! (There is also a sweet Superfruit episode recorded the day after they win their first Grammy, and another when they receive their actual engraved Grammies in the post and 'unbox' them.)

A decade later Mitch would go up an octave on his solo 😂

Yup❤

It is insane how good they were from the beginning with them being so young. When they are that good that young it is obvious what they were born to do.

This is the last judged performance. There were three groups left at the end of this episode and the home audience voted to choose the winner. The final episode has various performances including each of the top three groups doing a song by themselves and another with one of the judges (though Shawn does not perform and Pentatonix performs with the host, Nick Lachey.) One group is eliminated halfway through and the winner revealed at the end. "Eye of the Tiger" is Penatonix's "swan song", sung after the announcement of the winner

Props were not given to Scott. I love his voice. He did a great job leading this song.

The "what is Avi doing" comment at the beginning, it is called overtone singing. He did it several times throughout the competition and I don't think the judges knew what it was. Your reaction was pretty much the same as mine when I saw this during the broadcast. The judges did not coach them, but Ben Braum was involved with helping the groups with arranging. All groups, not just them. He is still an integral part of PTX. I so love this group.

As I'm sure some people said Scott literally had no voice during soundcheck. They were positive they would be going home as soon as this was over. Thank God the exact opposite happened. This is my favorite of the whole series. I just realized the other day how many of their arrangements have a moment where everything drops out and all you hear is Mitchs' voice.

Shallow and Mad World are a must

It's not listed on the Wikipedia page for season 3, but the week after the finale there was a special Christmas episode featuring groups from all three seasons.

Thank you!! Was waiting for this!! You Have To do "I NEED YOUR LOVE" when they return the following season to perform... they really show all their chops off in that one!! Truly a showcase of Sean the original Pentaholic as well... It was the performance that all the other Acapella groups were inspiring to be like. It's ICONIC.

“What are you doing Avi?” That was Avi doing his overtones.

Well...about damn time! But worth the wait, thank you. I agree this was the best (final and winning) number of the Sing-Off. You are the first reactor to mention Avi and what he was doing in the beginning (overtone singing). I think he utilized that skill three times during the competition...but NONE if the judges (or other reactors) ever picked up on it or commented. Thank you. There is a competition clip somewhere of him demonstrating this ability for other groups...and their (ohh $#!t) reactions. And some concert clips, too. It's really amazing. To hear it in the middle of a group number, you don't know what you're listening to. To hear him demonstrate alone...you still can't believe it! Great job! Thanks!

Please check out Cant Hold Us!! Scott, Mitch and Kirstie rap in the song. And your favorite Mitch, throws up a note that carries to the heavens!!!

The premise of this episode was the judges got to pick the music, as opposed to the group picking it.

This is so much better than the original.

You asked hat Avi was doing, you should check out his overtone singing. Search for it, it's crazy.

Finally! I can't tell you how long I've waited for this one!!!! So stoked ok have to stop typing because it's starting!! Yay!!!!! Love your channel btw

Great reaction. They were all incredible during this performance. I look forward to your reactions to performances 13, 14, winner's announcement and Pentatonix returns to the Sing Off as guest performers.

I would say out of all of there performances in this competition this was by far the best one. This was one the i was really excited to see your reaction to. Every choice made in the arrangement was meticulous and sounded amazing. The build in the beginning to the break in the middle with mitch and the crazy ending, the dynamics were just crazy!!!

Perfect. My favorite!

Absolutely their best performance! Avi's overtones, Mitch (of course)...perfection!

One of my favorite things is the reaction of the other groups LOL. Sara with her oh so prophetic statement of what's to come.

Game Set Mitch.....I mean Match....

Finally!!

Scott was sick and losing his voice? Totally can't tell. Masterful performance from all.

Recommend their live performance of I Need Your Love from their guest appearance on season four.

I find it so funny when you said cancel the show because after PTX won they actually did 😁. It took a pretty long hiatus, Plus fan petitions and uproar to get it back for one more season and that was the season that home free won, season 4. The final season. This is definitely a moment I can never forget. I watched The Sing-Off religiously from season 1 after I saw PTX they just energized the competition. I voted for them as many times as allowed back then. 😁 I never watched season 4 🤷🏿‍♀️ Thanks for your awesome reaction! ✌🏾❤️

I just saw this and thought this would be fun for you to watch if you havent seen it. "Drop the mic- Pentatonix vs Bel Biv Devoe. Its a Rap Battle. So fun. Lol

One of my all time PTX favorites. Perfection. Thanks for doing this. I’ve been waiting on you.

I hope you watch some of their return to the sing off performances. I like the “I need your love” performance as a guest on the next season. It is also fun to see them win and then sing Eye of the Tiger. Pentaholics, like me, have also watched all the opening numbers that have them singing with the other contestants, the behind the scenes interviews by Sam Tsui, who also starred with the trio in an episode of Bones, etc.

It was lovely watching you GET the brilliance of this performance. This felt like the moment they burst into the scene as the PTX we know today. As far as I'm concerned, this is the last performance of the season

Thank you. I do love this performance! I hope you can take time to react to a little of Avi's solo work. "When I'm a Fool", "Change on the Rise", or "I'm Only Getting Started" might be good starters? Thank you 😊.

By all accounts, they had had a disastrous rehearsal… they were all exhausted…Scott was losing his voice (and did lose it after the last note)…then Mitch came in with his spot on solo and they’ve never looked back!!! It was a foreshadowing of what was to come!!!

“You guys…….won.” 😂😂😂 Yes. I agree that you should go a bit beyond the end of the Sing Off and react to the 3 (?) times they returned. Also Superfruit’s Happy Little Pill is amazing (or Hip Hop Goes Broadway Parts 1 and 2 if you want to laugh).

I would love to see you react to Avis solo stuff so good!

Please react to their return to the Sing Off for the next seasons finale. They perform I Need Your Love.

Avi is not just a fabulous singer/songwriter, he is also an overtone singer. He can lend that ability even to having a whistle voice and can even use that whistle ability to make sounds like organ chimes which he did on one of their Christmas songs. He was doing some deep bass and flipped right up there to making organ chimes. Here is a video of some of his overtone singing. Avi Kaplan Overtone singing. (singing two notes at once) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g9N5faZnmry7iZ8.html

I watched The SingOff when it was first broadcast and to me it did not seem like a sure win for PTX. All the groups were good, and their sound was different from the standard, collegiate a capella. I think part of the reason the producers created the show was to expand the perception of the a cappella genre, but the home audience included a lot of traditional a capella fans who might prefer the collegiate sound of the Dartmouth Aires.

Thank you for finally reviewing this! I've been almost stalking your channel to hear your review on this song.

Of the final groups, PTX was the only one given a current song.

I think it was their best one of the sing off too. Scott, Kirsten, and Mitch were only 19 yrs old a this time

It's OK Salvo. For the same reason, I had forgotten where you were in the "Sing Off" series too, and had assumed you'd already finished it off. So when I saw this in my notifications just now, I was *pleasantly* surprised!

❣❣❣❣❣❣

Scot had laryngitis hours before this performance.

No matter how many times I see this video, it delights me anew when Mitch pops through with his solo and then Scott brings it home with so much passion. This one and the Marvin Gaye Let’s Get It On performance are my favorites. Loved your reaction, as always. Well done. Peace from Ohio …

FINALLY!

Don't you know that the record executive that excited to cancel their contract way back then wishes he had called in sick that day?

Avi's overtones!!

Overtone singing was what Avi was doing

When are you going to listen to Avi's solo music like Change on the Rise and video of I'm only getting started?

*elected