Framingham House Party
Ball in the House is a great a cappella group based out of Boston, whose high energy shows have audiences singing, dancing, and beatboxing along. With their extensive tour schedule, Ball in the House has performed everywhere—theaters, performing arts centers, fairs, and festivals, opening for the likes of The Beach Boys, Jonas Brothers, The Temptations, and Blondie. This May 13, they return to atac for what promises to be a can’t-miss show. Grab tickets here.
atac: Hey! Who are you?
Jon Ryan: I’m Jon Ryan, co-founder and beatboxer with Ball in the House. We’re a full-time, touring R&B / soul / pop a cappella group. I’m also the proud papa of three amazing daughters, a lifetime Bostonian (grew up in Dot), board-gamer, and sci-fi nerd.
atac: OK we’re going to get right into this. As a sci-fi nerd and co-founder of an a capella group, what are the best vocal performances from beyond our Milky Way?
JR: The obvious one that comes to mind is the space-opera singer* from The Fifth Element, but thinking about it, my favorite sci-fi vocals are from John Williams’ Duel of the Fates as heard in Star Wars: Episode 1. Yes, you can argue Star Wars isn’t sci-fi, and yes, it’s slightly ripped off from O Fortuna, but it’s so darn good, and perfect for Star Wars!
*atac note: Inva Mula is the singer who provided the voice of the diva Plavalaguna
atac: Where are you originally from; how did you discover music?
JR: While I grew up in Dorchester, I was sent to St. Paul’s Choir School in middle school, where music and singing were a fundamental part of the school experience. There, I met Dave Guisti, who would go on to perform with me in Ball in the House for 25 years! That was my first real exposure to music, although of the religious and classical kind. Seeing Prince in the movie Purple Rain changed my focus in high school towards wanting to be a pop musician.
atac: After you met Dave, how did the rest of the lineup come together?
JR: Most of the original lineup was friends or friends of friends. As things got busier and we started traveling more, some left—it became a lot of hard work. The rest of the current lineup came about through auditions. Some have come from blind internet notices; others were people we had sung with before in various circumstances.
atac: What’s the best record? All time.
JR: Prince’s Purple Rain (of course), and Sign o’ The Times are my biggest musical influence. Also Depeche Mode’s Violator—such a moody album, but so catchy.
atac: What's the best live show you’ve seen?
JR: Not to sound like a broken record, but Prince at the Palladium in Worcester. I was really close to the stage—it was the first and only time I got to see him live. It did not disappoint.
atac: From your own time on the road, what are the must-stop spots? The kinds of places you’d route a tour around.
Nani’s Indian Kitchen in Ballston Spa, NY for some amazing, creative Indian food.
Your Pie in Dubuque, IA, where you customize your pizza with dozens of toppings. This may be a chain, but not out here in the northeast.
Last but not least, Source Comics & Games in Minneapolis, MN. Fantastic board game selection.
atac: Minneapolis…I’m sensing a theme here…Apart from “Listen to Prince,” what's a piece of advice you'd give to an aspiring performer?
JR: Don’t wait until you feel you’re perfect and ready to set up a performance—that feeling rarely comes. Schedule that performance, then use the time you have to prepare. Nothing gets you ready better than that. The more actual performing you can do in front of a live audience, the faster you’ll grow as a live performer and get better at managing nerves.
atac: Your instruments are…you. No guitars, no amps. Do you still experience live tech woes?
JR: Definitely. I’m recalling a performance of the National Anthem at a Celtics game many years ago. Initially, it felt great and we got hi-fives and cheers from the team as we walked off stage. However, the reaction from the crowd was very tepid. We were confused until we got back to our seats to watch the game with some friends and they informed us that only 1 of the 3 mics were on. The one working mic was in front of the baritone—that middle part that isn’t the main melody, or harmony! No wonder the crowd thought it sucked. Needless to say, that was the last time we ever asked to sing the Anthem for the Celtics.
atac: This is why you always gotta tip your sound-engineer in advance! So let’s switch gears…how about a great show where it all locked into place?
JR: We sang at Westborough High School for their start-of-the-year meeting. The teachers, wow! They were ready to go! They responded to everything perfectly: singing, dancing, laughing; it was such an amazing time, and in the morning! It was also special since Kevin is a Westborough grad, so he knew many people there including his wife, who teaches in Westborough. It also happened to be Dave’s last show with us after 25 years, so while it was super bittersweet because of that, we couldn’t have asked for a better, more fun show for him to end on.
atac: Speaking of school—education programs are big for you guys; can you speak on that?
JR: We’ve all benefited from great experiences growing up, leading to where we are today. A big part of our work as a band and as artists is performing in schools—assemblies, workshops, masterclasses, family concerts, etc. It’s super fun to perform for students and hopefully have some small part in inspiring them to get involved in the arts!
atac: Thanks, Jon. Been a pleasure.
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Catch Ball in the House at atac on Saturday May 13. Tickets available here.
