House Concerts
Live Acoustic Concerts In Your Home!

Do you enjoy listening to live acoustic music but you don't enjoy high priced tickets? Bad seats? Bad sound? Distracting audience members? 

Don't like going home smelling like cigarette smoke? Worry about driving, parking, waiting in line, just to get to the concert?

Do you ever just wish you could get the artists to come and play in your living room? You Can! Consider hosting a House Concert!

Q: So what's a House Concert? 
A: It's elegantly simple. It's a concert that you host in the safety and comfort of your own home.

Q: Who attends a House Concert? 
A: The attendees are your friends, neighbors and co-workers. They're people you know. You have friends over for a music gathering.

Q: What does it cost to host a House Concert? 
A: The only cost to you, the host, might be some light snacks, served at intermission. Some House Concert hosts rent chairs for about a dollar each. Many times, invitations, RSVP's and other "administrative" work is done via email at virtually zero cost.

Q: How do I set up my house for a House Concert? 
A: This is what I this is the fun part. Consider yourself a "concert promoter for a day". Pick the largest room in your  home and arrange it like it's a mini concert hall. Temporarily move tables and other furniture around or into another room.  Decide where you want the performer will be. Decide where you want the "audience" to be. Arrange chairs to accommodate entrance and exits, lighting, sight lines to the artist etc.

Q: What about lighting? 
A: This too, can be a really fun aspect of hosting a House Concert.  Consider your mini concert hall as having two main sections,  the audience and the artist. We want to be able to emphasize the focus  on the artist and de-emphasize the focus on the audience. A simple  way to achieve that emphasis/de-emphasis is to dim the audience lights and add some auxiliary light to the artist. This is exactly the kind of 
lighting we experience when we go to a concert or a play. The "house lights" are reduced (but not eliminated) and the spotlights are turned on the performers.  A simple way to add spot or auxiliary light to the stage is with inexpensive clamp on lamps containing simple screw in spot bulbs. General white light mixed with a little red and blue spot light makes a wonderful stage effect.

Q: Do I charge the guests for the House Concert? 
A: It's a private party. It's not a business. We suggest you ask for a donation which goes to the artist to pay the travel expense. Depending on the locale, that suggested donation is typically five to ten dollars per guest. The host collects the donations, usually as the guests enter or passes the hat during inter-mission, and presents the money to the performer at the close of the show.

Q: Is there food and drink at a House Concert? 
A: Yes. And like all aspects of a House Concert the particulars are up to the host. Some hosts provide simple soft drinks, coffee, tea chips and veggie platters during intermission. Some ask the guests to bring something for snacks or beverages. Some hosts have an extensive pot luck buffet before the concert. It's entirely up to you, the host.

Q: What if no one shows up for the concert? 
A: You will usually know, well ahead of time how many guests to expect. I recommend RSVP'ing for exactly that reason. But in the event that you end up with very few or no guests, then you get a very intimate, private concert. 
There are no guaranteed incomes. No contracts.  Keep it simple. If an artist is asking for guarantee, tell them you don’t offer that.

Q: How long does the concert last? 
A: Typically I'll perform two sets, each about 45 minutes long. There will be an intermission between the two sets to allow guests to stretch, grab a snack, use the restroom etc. This is also the time that I will have my CD's offered for sale. I will autograph CD's and chat with the guests.

Q: Can children attend the House Concert? 
A: If you're looking for a laid back environment, I recommend against bringing kids under the age of about 14 years (unless they are concert trained and willing to sit for the performace). The kind of intimate, quiet setting and musical style is not the type event that young kids enjoy.  This kind of setting is better
suited for adults to have a nice, quiet, entertaining night out. I will do children’s house concerts too!  Usually in the afternoon.

Q: Anything else I need to know about hosting a House Concert? 
A: There probably are lots of questions you could ask.  And I'll be happy to address any of those questions.  Just drop me an email if you're interested. I love to perform. I've done it all my life. My goal is to make your House Concert a success!

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