By: Kaitlin O’Meara, Asst. Copy Editor
This past Saturday, the CrescenDON’Ts, more commonly known around campus as the DON’Ts, put on their fall concert, Evergreen. Held in Montante, the setlist included a variety of songs with a very autumnal and wintery vibe. Their performances varied from full group numbers with solos from very talented performers to some smaller ensembles as well, showcasing the talents of all of their members.
Rather than talk extensively about how much I loved every single song (which I did), I figured that I would talk about my top five favorite songs/performances. Though they were all fantastic, there were definitely a few that stood out to me that I needed to make sure were shared with you all.
Heather Medley - “Heather” by Conan Gray, “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri, “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi and “Electric Love” by BØRNS
This small ensemble featured solos from four talented DON’Ts members, but the one that stood out the most to me was Jose Ortiz, who sang “Heather” in this medley. Though all of the members were fantastic, Ortiz was always the most notable and audible member of the group and his phenomenal voice wowed both me and those I was with. Solos from Katie Dusza, Bella Peters and Clare Nielsen on the other songs mentioned in the medley were also fantastic and created a beautiful performance for the audience. The nature of the medley and the overlapping songs from the performers was enhanced by the acoustics of Montante, which made the sustained notes sound even more ethereal.
“Good Luck, Babe!”
When I heard that this song was part of the setlist, I knew that I had to go to the concert. Jose Ortiz and Kaitlyn Belile were the two talented soloists on this song, and they both KILLED it. As much as I love Chappell Roan, if I could have a recording of the two of them singing this song, you better believe that this is what would be playing in my headphones 25/8. Ortiz was the soloist for the majority of the song, including the verses and the choruses, but Miss Kaitlyn Belile came in on the bridge and was so fantastic. This was the song that closed out the concert and it was more than worth the wait.
“Gravity”
Gravity was a small ensemble number featuring a variety of talented soloists, but since this one came earlier in the program, it was the number that introduced us to Kaitlyn Belile’s amazing vocals. She was one of (if not the) last soloists, and she blew the audience away with her belting during her solo. Her part in this number was one of the only times in which the audience applauded before the end of the performance, and it was SO well deserved.
“Fix You”
This song was one that really blew me away during the concert. It featured a solo by Harriet McAllister, who is the DON’Ts music director. This was one of the songs that gave me full-body chills while listening because it was just such a moving song and performance. McAllister proved herself to be a very versatile performer during the concert, both singing and beatboxing, but this song really showed off her vocal talents, and I am so glad that it did.
“White Winter Hymnal”
This song is one that I always skipped when it came on during my listening to Pentatonix’s Christmas album, but I found out that I actually really enjoyed it when I listened to it performed by the DON’Ts. Though it starts out a bit slower than some of the other songs, once I got into it, I was really into it. The lyrics are a bit… peculiar, but it was well sung and well performed.
My overall takeaway from this concert is that they should let Kaitlyn Belile sing more. I have now gone on record here with this statement and it can also be heard in the recording of the concert, as I talked for a good five minutes in front of the DON’Ts camera about how much we loved the concert, but especially how much we loved Kaitlyn. Though I didn’t go into the concert as an active fan of a cappella, I had a great time hearing their songs and supporting some talented members of our Canisius community. Evergreen was a joy to watch and I can’t wait to see the CrescenDON’Ts spring concert, which again, will hopefully have more Kaitlyn.
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