Next weekend's pair of hometown gigs by Nicholas David Mrozinski at First Avenue have turned into a bona-fide reunion for last season's contestants from NBC's "The Voice."
The St. Paul-based hippie-soul bellower just announced that Terry McDermott -- the Scotsman who took No. 2 over Nicholas's third-place finish on the show -- will join him at Saturday's gig alongside No. 4 finalist Trevin Hunte. Friday's lineup will spotlight earlier cast-offs Melanie Martinez and Todd Kessler, both of whom will then stay around and sing on Saturday, too. Kessler was the guy who lost to Nicholas in the battle rounds when they dueted through Hall & Oates' "She's Gone." Hunte was the big teddy-bear-looking, R&B-singing fella from New York who shared many a hug with Nicholas near the end of Season 3.
Interestingly, Nicholas isn't flying in these one-time competitors to help drive ticket sales for the concerts, his first full hometown gigs since TV fame came his way last fall. Friday's show sold out right away, and Saturday is well on its way (click here for ticket info, $15). He's also giving some of his local cohorts a chance to play First Ave with him, including Desdamona and Alex Rossi both nights, plus Heatbox on Friday and Teague Alexy on Saturday. One name conspicuously not on either lineup is Cassadee Pope, the winner of Season 3 – who, ironically, has performed at First Avenue before when she was in the emo band Hey Monday.
