The signature blue blazers, khakis and bow ties are taking back the stage this Saturday for a lively night on campus: The Naturals’ fall concert.
The event will take place Nov. 10 and will begin at 7 p.m. at the Varsity Theatre. The show will be opened by an all-female a cappella group from University of Wisconsin-Madison known as the Pitches and Notes.
This year, The Naturals have a slightly different group than last year, with members ranging in age and experience.
“We had about five seniors leave, and we now have six new freshmen,” Will Gately, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, said. “They’re all very good singers. … I’m super excited to get them involved.”
Kyle Perez, a senior in the College of Engineering, joined The Naturals back in fall 2015.
“Senior year of high school I was in an all-male a cappella group,” Perez said. “In college I was trying to find a way to be part of something bigger.”
Perez said he definitely got what he was looking for. “All of us really enjoy each other’s company. … We like to mess around and make jokes, but rehearsals can be honed in to make sure we are focusing on music and getting stuff done.”
Perez is the vocal percussionist, essentially acting as the beatboxer. Though it is usually fun to perform on stage, Perez said, this performance is a bittersweet one since it is his last fall concert. It also happens to be the 15th anniversary of The Naturals, and the performance will be paired with an alumni reunion.
Perez expressed excitement over the food-related theme of the concert, “Order Up.” The Naturals, to emphasize the theme, had a photoshoot at Miss Katie’s Diner. Perez said he is looking forward to the songs the group prepared, specifically the hit “Youngblood” by 5 Seconds of Summer. Other members also said they are anticipating the success of the song.
Both Gately and Ian McCarter, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, said they have an affinity for the popular song.
“The song really builds,” Gately said. “It’s a great arrangement. … It’s a super exciting song to sing.”
McCarter said he is also thrilled to perform the song and overall excited to hit the stage for his first fall concert with The Naturals.
Both Gately and McCarter are newer to the group, as Gately joined last semester and McCarter joined this semester.
Gately tinkered with the idea of auditioning for the group last year. When they held auditions halfway through the school year to fill an opening in the ensemble, Gately took advantage of the opportunity. Being in the group for a second semester, he said he is really excited to see how the new group performs as a cohesive whole.
Both Gately and McCarter are excited to get back on stage and see all the hard work come together.
“After two weeks of crunch work, it feels really good to go out and nail it,” Gately said. “I’m super excited to work all the way through it and do it for everybody on the stage.”
President of The Naturals Danny Pankow, a junior in the College of Communication, expressed the group’s commitment to fun.
“A lot of people think we do this to find success,” Pankow said. “When you look at the members we have, we do it to have fun.”
Fans of The Naturals can look forward to an EP the group is currently working on, aimed to come out sometime in the spring.
