REVIEW: Pentatonix brings the Christmas cheer to Wells Fargo Arena

First it was Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and now Pentatonix.

If you’re not feeling the Christmas spirit yet, you’re just a damn Scrooge.

A month after TSO rolled into town for their first show here in 15 years, the maestros of accapella — Pentatonix — took their turn Wednesday night for the second year in a row in front of a sold out Wells Fargo Arena. And while the delivery and volume were different, the results were the same: a night of straight-with-no-chaser Christmas cheer.

In the midst of their “Hallelujah Into Christmas Tour,” the quintet of Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Matt Sallee and Kevin Olusola did what they do best — vocalize. Backed by an array of digitized Christmas colors and winter themes displayed on a high-tech video screen, the three-time Grammy winners took the stage with their signature renditions of “Carol of the Bells” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow,” setting the stage for what would be more than two hours of performance. All the staples were there, of course, including “My Favorite Things,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” ” 12 Days Of Christmas,” and “Mary, Did You Know?”

The group, who recently starred in the Netflix movie “Meet Me Next Christmas,” also brought back the famous “Wheel of Christmas,” where the spin of a wheel determined which song they would sing next, including  an impromptu song just for Des Moines, which they later jokingly titled “Frostbite Goes to Singapore.” Olusola was once again a master on the beat box, and  later manned a cello while Sallee took to the drums for a straight-up hard rock version of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

But their bread and butter is, and always will be, that collection of voices that make the fivesome so beloved. Having been together for 13 years now, they’ve mastered the art of the octave.

After an intermission and wardrobe change, the group emerged dressed in all black and delivered a fantastic rendition of “Hallelujah”  before moving to a tiny stage at the far end of the stage for  the highlight of the show, a cover of Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal,” which was done with its usual harmonic beauty, snaps and beat boxing.

The performance was spot-on, and everything one would expect from a group that has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide and developed a reputation as one of the finest a cappella groups of their time. Do they use pitch correction technology to tighten up their vocal deliveries? Highly likely. Five human beings simply aren’t this pitch-perfect all the time. Which brings us to the question: Does it matter? For the thousands in attendance Wednesday night, the answer was a resounding “no.” They just wanted Christmas.

And that’s exactly what they got.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Photos and text by Darren Tromblay