House Concerts
​
Everything You Need to Know About HOSTING a House Concert (and were afraid to ask!)
​
1) First things first - Can you host?
Maybe you're not sure your house will hold enough people, or you're shy about asking your friends to pay to come to your house, or you don't think your living room is big enough.
​
These guidelines and suggestions may help you decide whether or not you can do it, and how to make it happen. Just remember, your house concert is just that - yours! You can make it be whatever you, your guests, and your artist would like it to be.
​
"I love the intimacy of house concerts. I'm just hangin' with people who appreciate music
and we can have a conversation about the songs I sing or anything else that comes up
along the way. Because every crowd is different, every house concert has its own
flavor and its own personality. "
​
​
2) THE PERFORMANCE SPACE
Seating: Arrange seating to let people sit as close to me as they can! The floor is also a viable space for people to sit on pillows in front of the keyboard. In a rectangular setting, it's more intimate for me to play to the width as opposed to the length, as this brings more people closer in.
If you think you have too small a space, you might be surprised at how minor rearrangements to a room can provide enough chair space for between 20 and 30 people. (NOTE: If you don't have enough chairs to fill the space, you can ask attendees to bring a folding chair or other seat.
Lighting: Most hosts enjoy "normal" room lighting and others like it to be "concert style" (with audience in the dark and artist in bright light). My preference is the former, and I've found that I can communicate with the audience much more if I'm not blinded by the lighting and can actually see the people's faces. The ideal is where I can see every face in the room, and no one (including me) has bright lights in their eyes.
​
ACOUSTICS: UNPLUGGED VS AMPLIFIED
If you've a piano in a small room which is acoustically "live" (hardwood floors and other hard surfaces), a sound system is usually unnecessary. If the space is "soft" and sound-absorbent (carpet, rugs, drapes, cushy chairs) - or if the audience is large, spread out, or distant, then a small system is a big help. I have a compact system that includes a mic and small amp, sufficient for a home space. If there is no piano, I can bring my own! I have an electronic keyboard and stand that I can set up practically anywhere, including outdoors in weather-appropriate situations!
​
3) SUGGESTED DONATION
​
As much as I love playing, I can't travel and play for free. This is how I collect money to pay for recording sessions so that people can have access to my music beyond the one-night concert. I don't mind playing for a small crowd (house concert audiences are unpredictable!) but I need to recoup expenses and then some.
(Many first-time hosts are reluctant to ask their friends to "pay to come to their house", but please remember that they will be paying ME to perform instead. A concert isn't a "party" (although there may be one afterwards!). You are allowing a touring musician to use your house to present his or her music, and the money donated goes to the artist, not the host.) I find that if you make it clear that you are just providing music for your invited guests, and that they are helping to pay the artist's cost (as if chipping in to buy a pizza), most people are willing to offer a "suggested donation".
​
The best way to insure that everyone donates is to make sure they know what to expect, and make it easy, obvious and convenient for them to contribute. Starting with your first e-mail or other announcement of the concert, make it clear that there is a suggested donation for the performance, and that all the money collected goes to the artist. A small sign nearby, with "$15 suggested donation" (or whatever the suggested donation is) written on it would help. It's common, too, for the host to mention, gently, in the introduction and again after the intermission, that anyone who may have overlooked the suggested donation at the door should please contribute at that time.
NOTE: Some venues merely put out a basket or a "tip jar" with a sign on it. I've found that it does NOT work to leave it up to new audiences to remember to contribute.
4) REFRESHMENTS
​
Whether to have refreshments - none, a little, or a lot - is up to the host. Most hosts provide at least a minimum of something to drink and some munchies. Some hosts enjoy the "community-building" aspect of the potluck approach, and we find that guests are often happy to bring something to share with others. If you decide to offer a full meal along with the concert, this works best when the meal is NOT planned for the intermission, but rather before or after the show.
5) INTRODUCTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS
It's a good thing to have someone introduce me at the start of the concert. This may be the host, or anyone who feels at ease with this task. This is the best time to "herd the cats", ie: get everyone settled down and give "housekeeping" information - such as where to find restrooms, the order of events (for instance, set-break-set-potluck), etc. The introduction of the artist should be brief, a few sentences about the artist, and perhaps a few words letting the folks know how the host and artist came to know each other, etc.
​
6) CONCERT FORMAT
​
I usually play two sets, with the first coming in at around an hour and the second at about 45-50 minutes, depending upon the audience or desires of the host. The break between is usally 15-20 minutes. (Other events and activities work best if they follow or precede the concert.)
​
7) MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
AMBIENCE
When an audience is there to listen to the music, and we've provided an intimate listening situation, I find that the ambience takes care of itself.
​
WAITING LIST
If you've decided upon a maximum attendance in your home, please allow for 10 to 15% of the people making reservations to NOT attend. This happens like clockwork! Folks who say they're "definitely attending" regularly fail to show up. Having a waiting list is preferable to refusing new reservations when the maximum is reached.
​
PUBLICITY
Unless requested by the host, I don't publicize a house concert - in newspapers, radio, posters, etc, except to list it on my website and send postcards or e-mail announcements to only people on my mail-list. Usually, it's best to have interested people call or e-mail for info and directions.
​
PERQS
I'm not extremely picky about performance situations and require no "green room" with champagne or green M&Ms, and I have no long contract riders. (Heck, I don't even have a contract! :)
If possible, I like to arrive at least a couple of hours before a performance to relax after driving, warm up a little, and get a feel for the room.
​
Other than that, I'm there for the company and the music!
