Episode 2 The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone

# If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it... #

'The human voice stripped bare.'

# Oh, oh, oh... #

Hallelujah!

'I think there's nothing more beautiful.'

Oh!

# Standing in a crowded room and I can see your face... #

'With no instruments or backing, this is singing a cappella style.'

# Push your arms around me... #

'Everything is done,

'the harmonies, the melodies, the bass lines, the drums,'

everything with the human voice.

I find that incredibly exciting.

Up and down the country...

ordinary people are making extraordinary music...

with just their voices.

Now, in a brand-new contest, I'll be helping

the most promising amateur singing groups become Britain's best.

Great!

Hundreds of gifted groups applied from across the UK,

each with their own unique sound.

# Whoo! #

'And I picked eight.'

Yes, yes, yes.

'Who are pushed to achieve a cappella excellence.'

Just be FREE!

Come on! Let's go.

I worry that it's not setting the world on fire.

I think you've got your comfort zone. We're well out of it right now.

Each week, these eight groups will compete to stay in the contest,

performing live at top venues across the country.

Nervous.

They'll need to sing to impress a specially selected jury

of a cappella experts.

Their votes decide who stays...

I loved it. Great rhythm, natural, freely-produced singing.

..who goes...

I hated this.

Absolutely hated it.

..and ultimately who will be crowned my overall winner.

Probably one of the best things I've done in my life.

If we went through, I would be speechless.

That audience have been regally entertained.

You see groups like this excited and ready to go, it makes my blood pump.

It's going to be so much fun.

Last week, four groups from the south of the UK

sang to stay in the contest.

But the jury's votes spelt the end of the line

for female barber shop act Spinnaker Chorus.

Immensely proud of the girls. Oh, going to cry. Sorry.

Don't cry, cos we'll all go!

This week, it's a new heat.

Four more groups, this time from the northern half of the UK,

are arriving in Liverpool to begin their battle to stay in the contest.

I'm very excited about all the groups.

It's a fantastic range of different styles within a cappella.

First in the door, YesterYear - a barber shop act who go way back,

with a humour and camaraderie that shines through in their singing.

Whatever the challenge is, we shall meet it and succeed.

-Oh?

-OOHING

Won't we, chaps?

At the other end of the spectrum are teenagers Flight Of The Phoenix,

who got together just three weeks ago

and are yet to perform in public.

I think it might be a bit of a challenge -

obviously they've had more experience than us.

They look like they've been together for 25 years or something,

I don't know. I feel a bit, ooh...

I feel a bit worried about it, a bit anxious.

From Birmingham, The Sons Of Pitches,

a pop a cappella act who dream of going pro.

# Dum-dum-dum, dum... #

THEY LAUGH

We don't want a cappella to be this niche thing

that only people who do a cappella enjoy.

We're trying to make it a bit more mainstream.

-We're not looking for world domination.

-Yet.

-Yet.

We just want to spread the reputation.

Bringing up the rear and representing the proud tradition

of university a cappella are Glasgow students Choral Stimulation.

# Tony's got a head like a basketball

# Has a head like a basketball. # THEY LAUGH

Someone once described us as a drinking group

with a serious singing problem.

As we just got more into it, the music just got better

and better and better.

Four groups have arrived today, but at the end of this heat,

only three will be left standing.

I think there's a great variety - everything from very traditional

barber shop to bang-up-to-the-minute young kids doing modern a cappella.

That's what excites me.

'It's time to set them their first challenge.'

Showtime.

Hello.

CHEERING

Hello!

Hello and welcome!

Very exciting.

Right here, right now is where this competition begins.

You're going to be going head-to-head

with people that you see across from you today.

You're all smiling now.

In three weeks' time, you are going to be performing on this very stage

in front of 300 people.

You will each perform one song of my choosing.

Would you like to know what you're going to be singing?

-ALL: Yes!

-OK, good.

YesterYear, you are more of a traditional barber shop outfit,

but with a cheeky rock and roll glint in your eye,

so I've got a song for you that I think embodies both spirits.

MUSIC: Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley

# We're caught in a trap... #

'At this stage,

'I'm choosing songs that play to each group's vocal style.

'Elvis' Suspicious Minds is a great fit for YesterYear,

'a group who like to bring a dash of comedy

'to old-school barber shop.'

The grandads of my four groups from the north

hail from the East Midlands and are led by musical director Martin.

We choose folk songs, pop tunes.

# Take a long ride on my motorbike... #

We are an entertainment group.

That's what we do.

They've spent the last 25 years

performing at amateur singing competitions.

Their secret weapon is comedy compere Len.

The average age of YesterYear is just over 67 years.

It was a little bit more, but biggish Rob joined,

so he brought our average age down.

But our average weight went up.

THEY LAUGH

# With suspicious minds... #

-Good song?

-ALL: Yeah!

-Excited?

-ALL: Yes!

Confident about arranging?

-ALL: No!

-Not exactly.

We'll work on that. It'll be fine.

OK, the next group, Choral Stimulation.

Interesting name.

Would you like to know what your song is?

THEY AGREE

MUSIC: Mr Blue Sky by ELO

Yes! ELO.

ELO's prog-rock epic Mr Blue Sky should play to this group's talent

for intricate arrangements.

# Mr Blue Sky, please tell us why

# You had to hide away... #

Good song?

-It's good.

-Absolutely love it.

-Really good.

Is it not like nine minutes long?

It is quite long.

You might not want to do the extended outro

-that goes on for two minutes.

-That's the best bit!

We're going to skip straight to that.

You're not going to go avant-garde jazz?

Probably stay pretty true to the track,

cos it's just such a well-written song.

Right, well, good luck, be creative.

Cheers.

-Next, Flight Of The Phoenix.

-Yeah!

Wesley, can you do the drill sound?

Do we want to hear the drill sound?

-ALL: Yeah!

-Do the drill sound.

DRILL BEATBOX

# Well, I don't know how

# And I don't know why... #

Teenagers Flight Of The Phoenix were put together just three weeks ago

by beatboxer Wes.

I went to college with a load of musicians.

I thought, "Well, actually, if I get a group together,

"maybe it might actually work."

Whilst Wes is the linchpin,

they're all blessed with individual musical talent.

They're all amazing singers on their own. Together, they're really good.

It gives me goose bumps.

# Will I see someday before the end...? #

But they're more used to singing with instruments than without.

# Oh, darling, my heart's on fire. #

APPLAUSE

As much as we're friends, we don't know

if we're going to gel as musicians, so everything could just go wrong.

Flight Of The Phoenix, I've given you a song that is both melodic

and modern and will give you a chance to develop as performers.

MUSIC: Counting Stars by OneRepublic

Tune!

'I'm hoping this folk-influenced hit by OneRepublic...'

You know it?

'..will showcase this group's gifted soloists as well as Wes's

'skills as a beatboxer.'

# We'll be counting stars... #

HE BEATBOXES

What do we think?

-Yeah, we like that one.

-Yeah?

You're welcome. Not a daunting choice for you?

-No.

-It's one of my favourite songs.

-It's one of your favourite songs.

What is it about that song that you like?

It's just, like, the tune.

It's mint.

It's mint. I'd agree.

It's an entertainment song, and this cannot be reserved.

You've really got to go for it.

OK, the final group - The Sons Of Pitches.

Hey!

I think you've got many assets,

but one of them in particular is your sense of vocal percussion.

So, should we have a listen?

MUSIC: Move by Little Mix

'The Sons Of Pitches' style is modern and playful.

'Little Mix's move has plenty of scope for the percussion

'and synth sounds that come naturally to these guys.'

# Hey, get your back off the wall

# Don't you get comfortable... #

-Good song?

-Yeah, awesome.

It's got so much shape - like the build-ups and the drops.

-It's just... Yeah, perfect for us.

-Good.

I am genuinely very excited to see what you come up with.

Show off what you are able to do.

Best of luck. Thank you very much.

APPLAUSE

The groups now just have three weeks before they'll be

back in Liverpool and singing to stay in the contest.

The tricky thing with this tune will be keeping it interesting

the whole way through, because it does just go, "Dum, dum, dum, dum..."

So there's a really, like, rising bassline.

I think we can definitely work our magic

with a bit of Little Mix.

They all seem to have a wealth of arranging ability,

which unfortunately we haven't.

But we'll come up with a novel twist on the song.

Hopefully we won't show our confidence, but really we'll

be, like, the dark horse of it and really, like, come out of nowhere.

I'm really excited. I think they're fantastic groups.

I want to create a wonderful show.

I want this place to really rock with a cappella.

HE MAKES DRILL SOUNDS

And that's about as good as my drill sound gets.

Over the course of this contest, I'll be pushing the groups

to strive for the gold standard set by the genre's leading artists.

This means success will depend on more than just singing.

The groups must produce inventive sounds...

..create imaginative arrangements...

# Well, my friends, the time has come... #

..and stage it all with wit, conviction

and eye-catching choreography.

# Tsamina mina, eh eh

# Waka waka, eh eh

# Tsamina mina zangalewa

# This time for Africa... #

In Derbyshire, YesterYear are feeling the pressure

of pulling this sort of performance together in just three weeks.

It would normally take us

about six months to get a song from scratch up to performance-ready.

Make sure you're on the off-beat there.

We get there in the end. Tortoise and hare, you know.

As most of the group no longer work,

they can lavish time on their passion.

But for some members, like Frank, singing is more than just a hobby.

I went through a bad stage health-wise.

Singing has brought me back, if you like.

It's given me a hell of a boost.

Frank's love of a cappella kicked in late

after he was forced to retire aged just 52 due to heart problems.

'It's been my saviour, really.'

There's a hell of a camaraderie.

We sing hard, but we always go for a drink afterwards.

Ah. It's heaven.

# Do-do-do-dooo

# Doo, do-do, doo

# Doo, doo, doo... #

Len, YesterYear's oldest member, no longer sings,

but acts as the group's compere and chief wit.

# Love you so... #

I'm 81 years of age, but I don't feel 81 years of age.

These guys keep me on my toes. We have a laugh.

I have a saying that a day without laughter is a day wasted.

After a week rehearsing, I'm keen to hear what sort of treatment

YesterYear have given a classic Elvis track.

I'll be interested to see how they're doing,

because they were quite frightened, YesterYear,

of actually getting hold of a song and making it for themselves.

Surprise.

CHEERING

We're hoping that he'll think we've done quite well with it.

Fingers crossed!

Hello.

-CHEERING

-How is everyone?

-THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER

-Musically?

OOHING

I think we're waiting, really, for a bit of inspiration from you.

Oh, right, OK.

The pressure!

Look, I will do my best. Shall we have a listen?

-# Why can't you see

-Dum, dum-dum...

-# What you're doing to me?

-Dum, dum-dum...

-# When you don't believe a word I say

-Dum, dum-dum...

# We can't go on together

# With suspicious minds... #

-QUIETLY:

-# With suspicious minds... #

# And we can't build our dreams

# On suspicious minds... #

Well done. Look, it's good scaffolding, I think.

Very good. You're going to be up against vocal percussionists.

HE BEATBOXES

Does anyone beatbox here?

No. It might be worth considering that you can make a...

-STACCATO:

-# Dum, dum-dum. #

You're very sort of... I can hear the barber-shopping.

-ELONGATED:

-# Dum, dum-dum

# Dum, dum-dum. #

Which obliterates everything. You need to think, "I am a bass guitar."

-STACCATO:

-# Dum, dum-dum... #

-HE IMITATES DRUM

-# Dum, dum-dum... #

-HE IMITATES DRUM

And a bit of that is going to go a really long way,

cos you've suddenly got some high frequency sounds.

OK, here we go. Ready? One, two, three, and...

# Dum, dum-dum

-# Dum, dum-dum

-Bara-rampa

-# Dum, dum-dum

-Do, do-doo

# Dum, dum-dum... #

Just improvise.

# Do, do-do, do-do

# Do-do, do, do... #

You do that.

# When you don't believe a word I'm saying... #

Great!

I felt like there was more groove that time.

That's grooviness we get.

Daddy at the disco.

-That's the look.

-Thanks.

I was trying to be kind.

You're freer than you think you are, so throw away the shackles.

It's thrown a spanner in the works today, making us think differently,

-which we're not used to.

-This is vocal a cappella.

It's a different style, so each one of you is an instrument.

Keep on it, stay on it.

It's been like a bit of a bombshell, quite honestly.

He suggested that perhaps we could put some beatbox in it,

and that's a big "No" from me, I'm sorry.

I think they're always used to doing things by the book.

I don't think that's what this song needs. It needs to be fresh.

It's vocal a cappella, it's supposed to be fun.

There's one old habit that I don't mind YesterYear hanging on to.

# Drinking all night

# Got into a fight... #

'The post-rehearsal pint.

'But, down the pub, group leader Martin drops a bombshell.

'His daughter is getting married on the same day

'as the contest performance in Liverpool.'

You have quite an integral part in the piece, don't you?

Every cog is important to the machine, isn't it?

-Yes.

-But you're having to leave your daughter's wedding.

Yeah, but, you know, she understands. Mrs P, she also understands.

You say that... She perhaps understands less.

-This is a...

-Excuse me, you're married.

-I get it, I understand.

-We don't need to go any further.

Say no more. There's no backup, is there?

-No.

-Great.

I'll be singing.

-You'll be singing.

-I think that's against the rules.

We can do this, people. Teamwork. Come on. Knuckle down, we can do it.

I have faith in us.

From the oldest, to the youngest and newest group in the contest.

Flight Of The Phoenix, six teenagers who met at music college in Salford.

"We'll be counting stars."

Then it repeats and it goes, "Yeah, we'll be counting."

# Stars. #

A cappella is a new musical challenge for them,

and their first job is to decide who is singing which part.

I feel quite privileged, actually,

cos I only thought I was going to do the high bit.

I came in this morning, "Yeah, you're doing it all."

I'm like, "OK."

Newly appointed soloist Cathy lives with her family

and works part-time at the local burger bar,

alongside her mum, Amanda.

Oh, yeah!

Today, they're shopping for Cathy's performance outfit.

You trying them on?

Try them on? No, I'll go.

You need to try them on.

I don't like trying them on.

Although Cathy's been singing since she was small...

-I like it.

-Yeah, it's really nice.

..Liverpool will be the first time her mum's seen her perform on stage.

I've seen recordings, but she's never actually let me watch her live.

I'll probably cry.

Please don't cry. It'll make me awkward.

The mastermind behind newly formed Flight Of The Phoenix

is 18-year-old beatboxer Wes.

You all right?!

You all right?

I'm good, thank you.

What's on for tea? I'm starving.

After his mum and dad separated five years ago,

Wesley ended up living at his Nana Ann's.

Stick t'kettle on.

Now, it's a home from home.

Don't break it.

He had it pretty rough. He was only 13 when his parents split up.

There was no room for Wesley, so I took him in.

I've just done everything for him, everything I can,

cos that's what I'm here for.

Get these in the oven.

If my nana hadn't been here, I don't... I don't even really know.

Even when I became homeless, this is like my home.

This is the home place where I was.

I had my laptop, loads of clothes in bin bags, every day I used to

sit on this couch and make tunes and block myself out from the world.

Put some drums behind it.

He just loves his music.

It gives him something to go forward in his life.

HE BEATBOXES

What are you beatboxing to t'bird for?

HE BEATBOXES

He drives me mad with the beat-bopping.

-SHE BEATBOXES

-Whatever it is.

SHE BEATBOXES, SHE LAUGHS

It will beatbox.

I think Flight Of The Phoenix are the dark horses in this

because they're very young but they've got bags of potential.

Hello! If it isn't Flight Of The Phoenix.

How are you? Very good to see you.

Everyone OK?

THEY AGREE

What about you girls?

It's not hit me yet.

You're in denial.

OK, wake up.

I'm really looking forward to this. Let's have a listen.

HE BEATBOXES

# Lately I've been

# I've been losing sleep

# Dreaming about the things that we could be

# Yeah, we'll be counting

# Stars

# Everything that kills me

# Makes me feel alive. #

Hey! Good.

You really come to life when you sing, doesn't she? It's good.

My worry with it is

it's just shakiness about the harmony.

We've got a lot of tune, a lot of percussion,

and then the harmony is there, but I'm just searching for it.

Just try those chords, just the chords on their own.

# Oooh

# Oooh

# Oooh

# Oooh. #

Yeah. Is that totally together? Is that totally blended?

Is everyone coming off at the same time? Is everyone in tune?

You need to be a unit. You need to be like this.

# Oooh

# Oooh. #

If you do that, you can just do it with your eyes.

That'll make a massive difference. Try it.

# Oooh

# Oooh

# Oooh

# Oooh. #

Bit more girl.

# Oooh

# Oooh

-# Oooh... #

-There you go. Did you hear that?

# Oooh. #

We all took a breath at the same time.

As soon as you said, "More girl," then it sounded better.

Yeah, it's called blend.

If you're listening to the overall sound rather than just yourself,

then you'll be fine. Good.

-Sorry?

-HE ATTEMPTS TO BEATBOX

HE BEATBOXES

Really weird.

There's some real moments of thinking,

"Yes, this has got legs, this is really good."

We've got great, great little soloists there.

I just hope they can keep the train on the rails.

We've got all the parts, it just needs to be together as one.

Glued together.

We need to rehearse and rehearse.

I'm just worried that my band's not going to get to the right

standard, but I just want to get it 100% perfect.

That's what I'm hoping for, hopefully.

Scotland - home of the brave,

and Glasgow University group Choral Stimulation.

-# Get down on it

-Bah-bah-bah

-# Get down on it

-Bah-bah

-# Get down on it

-Bah-bah-bah... #

The group has a "work hard, play hard" approach.

# Oh! #

But, right now, most of them are working harder than they'd like.

I'm in my final year of study.

I'm in the middle of my exams.

I had seven this month.

It's really hard to study and balance it all,

because Choral Stimulation is such a big part of my life

that I want to be at the rehearsals

and then I want to go out for the drinks afterwards.

Obviously that's a lot more appealing than my revision.

This year, most of us are leaving, so we're just trying to

squeeze every moment out of it we possibly can.

Sound-engineering student and Belfast boy Tony

has been playing guitar and piano since he was a nipper,

but he's been the group's musical director for less than a year.

I've never arranged a cappella music prior to this year.

When I first started doing it,

I didn't go to college for three weeks.

Honest to God, I just stayed in

and figured out how to arrange vocals for ten people.

I love doing it. I really like doing it a lot.

With a little help from his keyboard for now,

Tony's been working hard to put together the group's arrangement,

but progress has been slow.

How long were you up for last night, then?

-Four in the morning. I only got the intro bit done.

-Eh...

It's glamorous.

'Given Tony's appetite for complex arrangements,

'I can't wait to find out how he's reworked Mr Blue Sky.'

Hello.

Hello. Hello. How are you? How is it going?

What are you going to do?

So I think I said to you we were going to really stick

to the original as much as we can.

You did, very sensible plan.

We're not doing that.

-OK, you've thrown that plan out.

-That's been scrapped.

-I think you said no avant-garde jazz.

-Yeah?

-We've gone jazz.

OK, I'm fine with jazz.

-Cool. I think we said we were going to take the ending out.

-Yes.

We're going to start with the ending.

Start with the end. OK, so you've basically...

I'll just get my coat.

Talk me through your ideas, then.

So, like I said, we're going to start with the end,

the big, epic ending.

# Ah, ah. #

That'll be nice, so as by the time it gets round

to the main resolution, we're going to go...avant-garde jazz.

HE IMITATES DRUM

OK, I get it.

# Sun is shining in the sky

# There ain't a cloud in sight... #

Nice.

Is it going to hang together and have you got time to pull all

this off in the rehearsal time as well?

That remains to be seen.

You've now got two weeks left before we perform it.

How many of the group know it?

The short answer is no-one.

-No.

-No, just no-one.

-No, it's all in your head.

Tony is really clever and very creative.

I know that they want to show what they can do,

but you have to balance that with what you can achieve in the time.

They have got a huge amount of work to do.

It means I might not sleep much for two nights,

but that's OK, I'm used to that.

Maybe drink less. MAYBE drink less, I don't know, we'll see.

Suburban Birmingham, home to the Sons Of Pitches.

I'm looking forward to this.

They've got a very exciting song, very up-tempo song.

They're a very slick group, very polished.

These best buddies began singing together two years ago.

Messi. No!

We're all from different musical backgrounds. We've got people...

Me and Jamie did musical theatre when we were younger.

Joe was in a band a lot. Joe used to sing in church.

Mide played the clarinet.

HE BEATBOXES

The idea is just for us

to do something quite different with a cappella.

There's things like dubstep and drum and bass and things like that.

We try and put our own spin on everything.

# Don't believe me? Just watch

# Ooh, ooh

# Uptown funk... #

They're so bent on success, the three Joes rent a house together

which doubles up as their rehearsal space.

I guess we're not normal for guys of our age.

THEY BABBLE

We're not lads.

We're not crazy about going out and getting drunk.

We have jobs. I'm a teaching assistant at a primary school.

If you have a knack for something,

it means you do something really well and you're really good at it.

'I absolutely love it, but Sons Of Pitches is the priority.'

This is what we want to do.

We've kind of all put our lives on hold.

If we can make it into something where we can live off it,

then literally we would just be in heaven. It'd be great.

-Hello.

-Hello!

-How are you doing?

-I'm very well, how are you?

Come on inside. I'm very good. Please come in.

How has it been going?

I gave you this song, this Little Mix challenge.

We think it's going OK. There's a lot of ideas.

Good. I'm excited to hear it.

TONGUE CLICKS

# Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Hey, baby, tell me your name

# I got a fever for you

# I just can't explain

# But there's just one problem

# I'm a bit old-school

# When it comes to lovin'

# I ain't chasing you... #

Very well done.

Thank you. So far.

Both my excitement and my concern with you

is that you make a very impressive and exciting sound,

but that risks just being a lot of clever noises.

I think the whole thing could be softer.

It felt like it was all pretty much one dynamic.

I think you'll also find then the harmonies are actually easier,

because a couple of times you ran into some tuning issues.

Sounds like us. THEY LAUGH

Just start on, you know, mezzo piano rather than mezzo forte.

TONGUE CLICKS

QUIETER: # Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Mm-mm... # THEY EXHALE

# Hey, baby, tell me your name

-# I got a fever for you... #

-Don't build up.

-# I just can't explain... #

-Keep it.

# But there's just one problem

-# I'm a bit old-school... #

-There you go.

# When it comes to lovin'

# I ain't chasing you

# Ain't waiting

-# I'm on a roll... #

-Just hold on to it.

# You've got to let yourself go

# Whoa

# You know that I've been waiting for you... #

And I noticed you too.

Good. I mean, I think that can be more extreme then.

You can really let it go there.

I just think if you hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on and then...

Rah! Then suddenly bring it back down.

Dynamics are absolutely the best way to make

an impact on the audience, I think.

You've sort of hit the nail on the head in terms of dynamics.

We have a really bad tendency to just get excited by the song

and what we're doing arranging-wise.

You need these moments where you just go, look, actually we can SING.

I think you can, but I think that you need to work

three times harder at that stuff.

I'm quite taken with their sound.

It's very impressive,

but it could just sound like a collection of noises.

It needs to be a musical performance.

I think we have put a lot of work in.

But I think we've probably got quite a lot more to do.

It's now one week

until the groups return to Liverpool's Everyman Theatre

to perform in front of a live audience and, of course, the jury.

This carefully selected group cover a range of disciplines within

modern a cappella.

Keeping a keen eye on the groups' overall look as well as sound

is renowned director and performance coach Andrew Panton.

We want to see staging, we want to see choreography

and we want to see that wow factor.

Performer and producer Nick Girard is a leading light

on the international a cappella scene.

You really need to have all those voices be gelled, you need to have

everything sound nice and smooth and really delivered in a unified way.

They're joined by specialists from the worlds of vocal training,

musical theatre, pop, gospel and university a cappella.

In just seven days, this collective expertise will be used

to decide which groups go through and which act goes home.

Hungry to impress the jurors and stay in the contest...

# Ooh, ooh, ooh... #

..the groups are now cramming in rehearsals.

# You know that I've been waiting for you... #

And I noticed you too.

# No more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars. #

Up in Glasgow, Tony's worked through the night to ensure

Choral Stimulation finally have a complete arrangement.

# Hey, you, with the pretty face... #

But they're still cutting it fine.

I think it's pretty interesting to listen to,

but only if we pull it off.

Yeah, I'd say it's pretty tricky compared to what we've done before,

and we've got even less time to learn it.

# See how the sun shines brightly?

-# In the city... #

-Yeah, so much better.

'Tony's arrangement is jam-packed

'with every a cappella trick in the book.'

# Eh, ah

# Dah.... #

Yeah, that can be just a 10% more.

'But being preoccupied with their arrangement for

'so long has left Choral Stimulation little time for choreography.'

# Hey, you with the pretty face

ALL: # Welcome to the human race

# Hey there, Mr Blue

# We're so pleased to....

-GIRL:

-# Hide away for so long

# So long

# Ba, bah

# Ba, ba, ba-ba

# Ba, bah

# Ba, ba, ba-ba... #

It's mental.

Crazy town.

There's so much going on musically in that bit.

Suddenly everyone's everywhere.

Look, you're a very strong singer and if you're getting lost,

then something's wrong.

'I think they might have just kind of wrecked'

something really good by overcomplicating the dance moves.

HE BEATBOXES

In Salford, Flight Of The Phoenix have more than fancy footwork

to worry about.

Cathy was running extremely late.

She didn't get up till two o'clock in the afternoon.

It's kind of annoying. It's kind of like, "Oh, come on."

I missed it today because I fell asleep

because I was really tired because I was on a late shift.

Hopefully I'll just pick it up.

With just two days to go until show day,

I need to get them back on track.

# Lately I've been I've been losing sleep... #

I did it wrong.

OK, good. OK.

Let's start again.

# Dah, da-dah. #

Has that ever happened before?

-No.

-Could it happen when there's 300 people in front of you?

My advice is get it in your head right before.

# Baby, I've been I've been praying hard

# Said no more counting dollars

# We'll be counting stars

# Ah

# Yeah, we'll be counting... #

HE BEATBOXES

# I see this life

# Like a swinging vine... #

You forgot the "stars".

Great.

Oh, gosh. Look, I mean, what can I say?

It doesn't look like you know it.

Is that fair?

-Yes, that's fair.

-Why?

I'm not sure.

You've got to step up the work. The other groups are killing themselves.

They've given up on their lives to make sure that these are right.

I'm not getting that vibe from you.

I'm getting, "Hey, shall we turn up for rehearsal?"

"Yeah, sorry I'm a bit late." "Oh, hi, everyone."

You need to crank it up.

At the moment, in terms of energy,

you start and then somebody kind of goes...

And the energy just goes...

That just goes...round like wildfire.

It's really critical that you key yourselves up now

and that we put this sort of terror behind us.

Fff...

Ah!

I just...

I have never wanted to put an old head on young shoulders

more than I did in that session.

I just want to give them everything that I have learnt the hard way.

I know you can't. Maybe it's...

I just desperately want, maybe to a fault, I want them to do well.

While I play teacher with Flight Of The Phoenix, in Birmingham,

classroom assistant Joe Hinds has brought his fellow

Sons Of Pitches to work.

Who knew I would be this scared for a group of year threes?

They're keen to test out their performance in public

on Mr Hinds' class of eight year olds.

I reckon these guys are absolutely fine, they're not bothered.

I'm pretty nervous.

Yeah, it's going to be interesting. I'm excited to see their reaction.

I think it could be quite silly. I'm looking forward to it.

CHEERING

Please give a big cheer for Mr Hinds!

CHEERING

TONGUE CLICKS

# Mm-mm THEY EXHALE

# Mm-mm THEY EXHALE

# Hey, baby, tell me your name

# I got a fever for you

# I just can't explain

# But there's just one problem

# I'm a bit old-school

# When it comes to lovin'

# I ain't chasing you... #

CHEERING

Thank you so much, Year Three.

It's really good that we've seen Mr Hinds sing.

I liked the man that was doing the beatboxing.

He was amazing.

KIDS BEATBOX

See you later, guys. Bye-bye.

It's a resounding thumbs-up.

In Manchester, Flight Of The Phoenix are still trying to impress

a much tougher crowd.

Eyes up, eyes up, eyes up! The song is ending.

'Me!'

-# I've been praying hard... #

-Yeah!

# Said no more counting dollars

# We'll be counting stars

# We'll be counting... #

HE BEATBOXES

# Stars... #

Yeah, keep that energy up.

Guys, oh!

I just want to give you all a kiss. It's lovely. Mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah.

-Thank you.

-You're welcome. You're welcome.

All right, I'll see you in Liverpool.

It's a lot better now we've had a session with him.

-Yeah.

-He's sorted us out.

We've never had a performance ever,

so it's kind of, like, a bit worrying.

I'm a bit... Stressing out.

They're on a wing and a prayer, this lot.

They might pull off a miracle or they might just, you know, implode.

I don't really know which they're going to do.

The big day arrives.

My four northern groups are back to compete against one and other.

By the end of this evening,

one of these acts will be leaving the contest for good.

You have to do everyone.

I'm not going to be the only one that you do this to.

I'm really excited. I think it's going to be a great show.

It's going to be fun.

It'll be interesting to see which of the groups

will actually succeed in a show and which fail.

You know, I know that Choral Stimulation

is very over-complicated,

YesterYear is not technically perfect.

Sons Of Pitches is very much a particular kind of sound.

Whether they'll like that in the jury, I don't know.

Flight Of The Phoenix, they're so young, they're so inexperienced.

They're like the wild-card, I think.

-You all right?

-Hello, everybody.

-Hi.

How are you doing? I've come to wish you all the very best of luck.

He'll do it. He's my grandson, he will.

SHE EXHALES

I'm so glad you're here. I've just not stopped feeling sick all day.

Friends and family have turned up in support from all over the country.

But YesterYear are a man down.

Group leader Martin is still 100 miles away

at his daughter's wedding.

Are you on the road?

'I'm just about to leave, so I'll see you in a couple of hours or so.'

OK, that's great. Drive carefully.

'OK, bye.'

It should take two hours on a good run,

but we came up yesterday and it took us about three-and-a-half hours.

So he should have to go about 140mph, I think, to make it on time.

One hour till curtain-up and the jury arrive.

Above all else, they're looking to be entertained,

but they'll also be honing in on tuning, blend,

soloists and vocal percussion.

Vocal percussion, or beatboxing, can be really exciting.

Adding those other drum-like textures

can really, really elevate a performance.

They'll also reward good choreography

and confident, assured performances that engage the audience.

It's that look in the eyes that says, "I know who I am.

"I know why I'm here.

"And I know what I'm going for."

Based on what they see tonight,

the jury will decide which three acts will stay in the contest

and which group will be going home.

Helping to make sure that group won't be YesterYear is Martin,

who's finally made it to Liverpool.

We've jumped in the car and come straight here.

-No pudding.

-No pudding, even!

No coffee.

I've abandoned my new husband to come and see Dad perform tonight.

CHEERING

Let's hope we can do ourselves justice. Whatever will be will be.

With the jury in place, it's time to put on a show.

I'm nervous.

Scared but excited.

We're buzzing. Can't wait to get on there and do it.

We are nervous, but, like, good nerves.

Hopefully it's the right sort of nerves.

-APPLAUSE

-Hello, Liverpool!

Thank you very much.

Are you ready to hear the first of our groups?

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

All the way from Glasgow, Choral Stimulation.

Here they are!

CHEERING

IMITATING FEEDBACK

IMITATING WIND BLOWING

# Dum-dum-dum-dum... #

Good morning. Today's forecast calls for sunshine.

-GIRLS:

-# Ooh, ooh

-BOYS:

-Dum-dum-dum-dum...

-# Ooh, ooh

-Dum-dum-dum-dum...

-# Doh, doh

-Dum-dum-dum-dum...

-# Doh, doh

-Dum-dum-dum-dum...

-# Do, do, do-do

-Doooo

-# Do, do, do-do

-Doooo

-# Do, do-do-do, do

-Doooo

-# Sun is shining in the sky

-Da-dah

-# There ain't a cloud in sight

-Da-dah, da-dah

-# It's stopped raining

-Da-dah

-# Everybody's in the play

-Da-dah, da-dah

-# And don't you know

-Da-dah

-# It's a beautiful new day

-Da-dah, da-dah

-# Hey, hey, hey

-Dah, dah, dah, dah

-# Running down the avenue

-Bah, bah, bah, ba-ba

-# See how the sun shines brightly

-Bah, ba-ba, bah, bah

-# In this city

-Ba-ba

# On the streets where once was pity... #

(Going faster than they did in rehearsal.)

# Hey, hey, hey

# Bah-dum

# Hey, you with the pretty face

# Welcome to the human race

-GIRLS:

-# Creepin' over

-Dum-dum-dum-dum...

-# Now his hand is on your...

-Dum-dum-dum-dum...

-# Shoulder... #

-LAUGHTER

-# Never mind, I'll remember you this

-Ooh, ooh

-# I'll you remember you this

-Ooh, ooh

# Hey there, Mr Blue

# We're so pleased to be with you

# Look around, see what you do

-# Everybody smiles at you

-Mr Blue Sky

-# Ba, bah, ba-ba-ba-ba

-Ya-ya-ya-ya...

-# Ba, bah, ba-ba-ba-ba

-Ya-ya-ya-ya...

-# Ba, bah, ba-ba-ba-ba

-Ya-ya-ya-ya...

# Yah

# Mah... # BEATBOXING

# Ooh

-# Mr Blue Sky

-Ooh

-# Please tell us why

-Ooh

-# You had to hide away

-Ooh

-# For so long

-Ooh

-# Where did we go

-Ooh

-# Wrong?

-Oooh. #

CHEERING

Very good.

Next up, Flight Of The Phoenix.

We can do it.

I'm so nervous for them!

HE BEATBOXES

# Lately I've been I've been losing sleep

# Dreaming about the things that we could be

# But, baby, I've been I've been praying hard

# Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars

# Yeah, we'll be counting

# Stars

HE BEATBOXES

# I see this life like a swinging vine

# Swing my heart across the line

# In my face is flashing signs

# Seek it out and ye shall find

# Old, but I'm not that old

# Young, but I'm not that bold

# And I don't think the world is sold

# On just doing what we're told

-# I-I-I feel something so right... #

-They're getting into it now.

# Doing the wrong thing

# And I-I-I-I feel something so wrong

# Doing the right thing

# I could lie Could lie, could lie

# Everything that kills me

# Makes me feel alive

# Lately I've been I've been losing sleep

# Dreaming about the things that we could be

# But, baby, I've been I've been praying hard

# Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars

# Yeah, we'll be counting stars

# Make that money Watch it burn

# Sing in the river The lessons I learned

# Take that money Watch it burn

# Sing in the river The lessons I learned

# Take that money Watch it burn

# Sing in the river The lessons I learned

# Take that money Watch it burn

# Sing in the river The lessons I learned

# Everything that kills me

# Makes me feel alive. #

CHEERING

I thought that was pretty good, actually.

It was definitely the best they have done.

THEY LAUGH

-It was good, you know.

-Are you crying? Oh!

THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER

That was probably one of the best things I've done in my life.

It was crazy, it was mental.

Seeing that reaction at the end... Oh, Jesus, it scared me.

Time for the next act.

-THEY HUM

-Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

we are YesterYear.

Our average age is 67.1 years.

If we were at home,

half of these guys would be in bed at this time.

The other half would be waiting for some medication.

But here we are with Suspicious Minds.

CHEERING

# Dun-da-du-da-dun

-# Dun-da-du-da-dun

-# We're caught in a trap

# We're caught in a trap

# Dun-da-du-da-dun

-# I can't walk out... #

-Dodgy start.

# Dun-da-du-da-dun

# Because I love you too much, baby

# Dum-da-dum, din-din-din

# Why can't you see

# What you're doing to me

# When you don't believe a word I say? #

OK!

# We can't go on together

# With suspicious minds

# Suspicious minds

# And we can't build our dreams

# On suspicious minds

# Ooooooh

# Oh, let our love survive

# Oh, dry the tears from your eyes

# Let's not let a good thing die

# Well, honey, you know I never lied to you

-# Oooo-oooh

-Oooh

-# Yeah, yeah

-One, two, three, four

# We're caught in a trap

# I can't walk out

# You don't believe a word I say. #

CHEERING

It wasn't perfect by any means, but it was charming.

I felt that the audience wanted them to do well.

Oh, God. That was mega. Brilliant.

I think that audience have been regally entertained by...

CHEERING

..by some quality singing!

Ladies and gentlemen, I can't believe it

but we have come to our final group.

-AUDIENCE: Aw-w!

-I know.

Sons Of Pitches!

CHEERING

Can they nail it?

HE BEATBOXES

# Mm-hm THEY EXHALE

# Mm-hm THEY EXHALE

# Mm-hm

-# Hey, baby

-Mm-hm

-# Tell me your name

-Mm-hm

-# I got a fever for you

-Mm-hm

-# I just can't explain

-Mm-hm

# But there's just one problem - I'm a bit old-school

# When it comes to lovin'

# I ain't chasing you

# Ain't waiting

# I'm on a roll

# You've got to let yourself go

# Oh, talk to me

# You know that I've been waiting for you

# And I noticed you, too

# Don't leave me standing all by myself

# I won't leave you all alone, child

# Cos I ain't looking at no-one else

# Oh, baby

# Hey, get your back off the wall

# Don't you get comfortable

# Looking so hot

# I think that I might fall LAUGHTER

# Feeling like it's my birthday

# Like Christmas Day came early

# Just what I want

# So when we move, you move

# Oh, silly

# Why you afraid?

# Don't be a big baby

# Quit playing games

# And put your arms around me

# You know what to do

-# And we can take it down low

-HE MIMES ALONG

# Oh, you know that I've been waiting for you

# Don't leave me standing all by myself

# Cos I ain't looking at no-one else

# Looking at no-one else Looking at no-one

# Hey, yeah I know that you wanna

# But you can't cos you gotta stay cool in the corner

# When the truth is that you wanna move

-# Truth is that you wanna move

-So move

# I know that you wanna

# But you can't cos you gotta stay cool in the corner

# When the truth is that you wanna move

# Hey! Hey!

# I'm ready, hey!

# Girl, come and get me

# Don't be scared Show me what you do

# Don't you know a boy like a girl who moves?

# Hey! Hey! I'm ready, hey!

# Girl, come and get me

# Don't be scared, show me what you do

# Don't you know a boy like a girl who moves? #

CHEERING

They really listened.

They're swotty, they're nerdy and they've worked so hard.

And that's what you get.

THEY LAUGH

Boys!

-Such a good reaction.

-So pleased.

That was, like, one of the biggest buzzes

-I've ever experienced in my life.

-Yeah.

Performances over,

the fate of the groups now rests solely with the jury.

Choral Stimulation,

I think these guys had the most sense of narrative,

which kept us really engaged

and gunning for them right from the start.

I think we might have gone a little bit too fast.

But none of us seemed to notice at the time

that there was any problems.

With their choreography, which I actually liked,

I did wonder if it took away a little bit from their vocals.

I think the ideas were possibly better

than the way they were actually realised in the end.

Flight Of The Phoenix, I think they're great solo singers

but they haven't quite unlocked what it means

to sing an a cappella arrangement.

How to use those great voices.

This is so scary - thinking that they're in there,

thinking whether to put us through or not. It's like, "Oh!"

If they'd spent more time looking at each other, cos when they did it

sounded excellent, then they would have been matching

their vowel sounds, which really help that blend come across.

YesterYear, what's not to love?

They just pulled the rug out of any preconceptions

we could have about the way they looked.

The best critics are our wives and they all stood up at the end!

To walk out!

Quite a blocky arrangement, so lots of block chords.

I don't feel it was as adventurous as it could have been.

Sons Of Pitches.

Much more dynamically exciting than some of the others for me.

They had great use of dynamics.

Even if we don't go through,

we can't have any regrets about this round. I'm proud of the boys.

Proud of the boys.

I felt like they were executing some great choreography

and some great singing

but you could tell that they were thinking about it.

I think for me it is - which one do I want to

stick on the turntable and play to my daughter?

All those groups are full of potential. All of them!

We can only put three contestants through, so...

Right, guys, I think it's time to vote.

OK.

Ladies, gentlemen, jurors and groups,

it is time to reveal who will be going through

and who will sadly be going home.

For the benefit of the groups,

I want to point out these results are in no particular order.

The first group staying in the contest is...

-The Sons Of Pitches.

-CHEERING

Well done.

Well done, well done!

The next group staying in the contest is...

-YesterYear.

-CHEERING

Well done!

THEY CHEER AND ALL TALK AT ONCE

So that leaves just Choral Stimulation

and Flight Of The Phoenix.

The jury said that this was an incredibly tough decision.

But the group that they felt should stay in the contest is...

-Choral Stimulation.

-CHEERING

That means, Flight Of The Phoenix, I'm sorry,

we're going to have to say goodbye to you.

You are immensely talented, fantastic soloists.

You came up with a great arrangement. Well done.

-Well done, everyone!

-CHEERING

THEY CHANT

I'm so excited for what's to come,

like, our next challenge. Like, bring it on.

We're just so, so happy.

I can't even begin to describe how...

just relieved and elated I feel, at the same time.

It is going to be hard work over the next few weeks.

But what the heck? You know, let's do it.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hey, guys, how are you doing?

-All right.

I take my hat off to you because you did something crazy and brave

with very little experience,

and pulled off a minor miracle.

I really saw something exciting in you.

I thought your vocal was absolutely fantastic at the beginning.

-Really, really something.

-Thank you!

-It's been fun.

-Good.

-It has been really fun.

-Stick at it.

-We'll be back next year!

-See you next year!

I'll miss them in the contest

cos they brought something so fun, so energetic...and chaotic.

But...it wasn't to be.

Next time...

Welcome to A Cappella School.

Blood,

sweat

and tears

as intensive mentoring kicks in.

No, no, no, that's just not working.

Just strip it back, sing the bloody song.

And six groups become five.

The group staying in the contest is...