The Common Tones of Boston College took a wild trip to New York City on Friday night. Walking into McGuinn 121 was like visiting the Big Apple. The room was lined with trademark New York City elements and lights lined the room to create the feeling of a night out in the city.
The evening kicked off with a performance of “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra. The highlight of the song was when the projector screen behind the Common Tones slowly rose to reveal a huge New York sign.
Nick Claudio, MCAS ’22 soloed during Outfield’s “Your Love.” His strong performance built anticipation for the voices to follow throughout the night, and Claudio’s fellow Tones supported him with fun dance moves.
The Common Tones carries over their enthusiasm to a rendition of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church.” Soloist Souman Bhattacharya, CSOM ’20 made the song his own as the other singers swayed behind him.
Bhattacharya ceded the microphone to Frankie Marrone, MCAS ’20 for “Lost in Japan” by Shawn Mendes. Marrone sang with confidence and put on a strong performance. He danced for the audience as he delivered his signature song.
Next up was Maddy McCullough, MCAS ’20, for “Burning” by Maggie Rogers. The song began softly and delicately and quickly built up to a powerful chorus that caught the entire room’s attention. The beatboxing combined with the harmonizing voices of the Common Tones made McCullough’s solo one to remember.
A swell of emotion followed during “Say You Feel My Love”, a mash-up of “Say You Love Me” by Jessie Ware and “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele. The mashup is an original creation that’s meant to “enable tension to build up throughout the piece in order to then explode with the soloists,” according to Marrone. Daniela Poulat, Lynch ’20, and John Ross, Lynch ’23, soloed, and both rose to the occasion to deliver heartfelt emotion that had the audience at attention. The complex mechanics of the piece made their flawless execution all the more impressive.
Following this masterful performance was the Baby Project, a Common Tones tradition that allows the newest members of the group to showcase their voices. The “Baby Tones” sang a mash-up of “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac and “Closer” by The Chainsmokers.
Alyne Restrepo, MCAS ’22, stepped into the spotlight with a rendition of “Tell Me You Love Me” by Demi Lovato. Restrepo sang in a higher pitch than Lovato but performed with all the same grace.
Olivia Constantino, MCAS ’21, made an impression as always with “When I Was Your Man” by “Bruno Mars.” Constantino sang with incredible ease. The chorus was a back-and-forth exchange between Constantino and her fellow Common Tones.
During “Daddy Lessons” by Beyonce, Mia O’Connell, MCAS ’22, and Rebecca Speer, MCAS ’23, soloed together. O’Connell and Speer seemed to be having the time of their lives as they traded lyrics.
The mood grew melancholy for “Here Comes Goodbye” by Rascal Flatts. Brianne Lee, Lynch ’22, demonstrated a wide range as she effortlessly hit both high and low notes.
Keenan McAuliffe, MCAS ’22, wrapped up the night with “Shotgun” by George Ezra. McAuliffe got the entire auditorium involved with his energetic performance. McAuliffe’s contagious smile and powerful voice led the audience to deliver a standing ovation.
The Common Tones delivered a stellar performance for their Fall Cafe. Every Tone had high energy and bright smiles on their faces as they supported their fellow singers and showed off their talent, proving that a cappella is above all a collaborative effort.
Featured Image by Molly Bankert / Heights Staff
