House Jacks

The human voice is a terrible thing to waste – and the House Jacks make superb use of theirs. The New York Times praised their “astonishingly precise vocal drumming.” The Oakland Tribune praised their “amazing voices, impressive arrangements, and dynamic stage presence.” A rock band without instruments, these five amazing musicians perform in an a capella style that obliterates all preconceptions about what a voice can do. Hard-driving drumbeats, mind-bending guitar riffs, exquisite harmonies – the House Jacks do it all, from tender ballads to churning funk, from pop classics to soulful originals. They know how to make beautiful music, and they know how to entertain.

The band started on the college a capella circuit in the late 1980s and went on to tour much of the world, including, most recently, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Germany. They’ve played Carnegie Hall and the House of Blues, and been featured on NBC’s The Sing-Off and ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Their albums and songs have won many Contemporary A Capella Recording Awards, including the 2011 awards for best album, Level, and best original song, “Red Dress.” Their latest release, Black Jack, is a 21-track collection of previously-unreleased material from the last 21 years. The current edition of the band includes co-founder and San Francisco native Deke Sharon, Freight board member Austin Willacy, Nick Gerard, John Pointer, and Elliot Robinson. A house jack is a piece of heavy equipment used to lift a house, and these guys are a great bet to lift the Freight up high on Friday night.