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House concert - is this a common thing?

#61
I like a more intimate setting. Often this is done at a coffee shop or brew pub or something like that around here. I do know of college music professors (married) that built their house with a "performance" area in mind. It has a grand piano and room for small ensembles. They do mostly string trios and quartets and such. They don't charge but simply have friends over and play music. I'm guessing they could have 20-30 people in the house with no problem.

I can see why this would be appealing in many ways as were mentioned in a previous post. If you charge say $20 and get even 20 people to attend (as many as might show up at a coffee house) that's $400 for the night. I'm gonna say that's maybe twice what you would have made at a coffee shop. Even if you take away $100 for "expenses" of the host, $300 isn't bad for a couple hours work in what is more than likely a nice home in a ritzy neighborhood.
 
#62
arbiterusa said:
Former girlfriend of mine (folk music) started doing this way back in 2005. It's been around a while. Acoustic music, it works pretty much anywhere and you'll get at least as many paying customers as any small club. And you'll keep a lot more of their money in the bargain.
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A friend was part of the "free jazz" community. I remember them doing house concerts, not parties with bands but hosting out of town artists back in the 90's. I also remember (house) parties occasionally charging to pay the band something in the 70's and 80's. But yeah, the modern era of semi-pro house concerts does seem to have ramped up around 10 or so years ago probably from the almost universal pay to play scheme for originals bands and the dearth of we'll let anyone play places like Wongs, Al's and Club 88. It's also illustrative of the ever growing underground economy but here is neither the time nor the place for that subject. Out of that any one can play ethos came Missing Persons, The Motels, Los Lobo, X, and how many others?
 
#65
I played at a house party gig just before halloween. It was a fun costume party. We were supposed to get paid by the host, even though there was no cover charge. Since it was for a friend of the family, it really wasn't about the money. Instead, we gained a few acquaintences, experience and some exposure bucks.
 
#66
Aspoiler said:
I had the pleasure of seeing Michael Manring at a house concert several years back. Incredible player and experience.
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Yep. At the one I attended in Boise there were ten people in the audience. He also headlined and sold out a 250+ person venue the next night in the same city.

Around here the distinction between house concert and small semi-private venue are pretty blurry. Capacities at the places I've gone to shows at ranged from 50 to about 200 people.
 
#67
My brother lives in the Boston area. He's a patron of the arts, and has hosted diverse artists such as Shun Ng and Ken Bonfield. The concerts are in his living room, and seats roughly 20 - 25 on chairs and sofas. He doesn't charge, and the audience is usually family and friends. Talk about an intimate venue! And of course, we get to talk to the artists. My sister-in-law does up the refreshments. He is one of the most generous and kind people I know. And he's a guitarist! :hyper::)
 
#69
As many posters have mentioned this is a returning thing as the music biz and touring artists look for old ways - returning to a grass roots methods of finding audiences and spreading their music. Folk and Americana have been doing this for a while but other artists are finding it useful as well. Small networks are beginning to come together to support more of these shows.
 
#70
St. Louis has a pretty popular house show community. Lots of roots rock singer song writer types mostly. It’s usually $20-$25 a head. Typically you are encouraged to bring a pot luck food item, sometimes they style of food is pre determined. Drinks are provided by the hosting party.

As others have mentioned I grew up playing, houses, garages... etc I the punk/hardcore scene. It’s not new at all just done a lot differently now.
 
#72
40Hz said:
I’ve done them. They’re fun gigs and (in my case) they paid well. We were also well fed most times and occasionally put up for the night at the host's house. Nice work if you can get it.

There’s a lot to be said for playing for smaller knowledgeable audiences who are into it and there to actually listen to the music. You get great feedback, get to know the audience, move some band merchandise, get some ground level buzz going, and build up your super-fan base mailing list.

I personally think house and very small private concerts are going to become the new reality for most serious live original acts going forward. Public venues are becoming less attractive to any band that doesn’t see its primary role as “selling beer” to a crowd in a bar that doesn’t care who’s playing.

Like the old saying goes: “Small is beautiful.”
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Ditto, well-put 40hz :thumbsup:
 
#73
I used to host shows in Albuquerque for a couple years. I called them "Last Saturday's" and they were to neutralize the 4 biggest problems with live music: too loud, too late, too expensive, too smokey. (Back when you could smoke in bars). Shows started at 7pm, it was all acoustic but with miced vocals, free, no smoking in the house. BYOB word of mouth affairs. Great fun and bands found it an interesting challenge to pull off their original sets acoustic.

It was great but like most good things it consumed itself and bands tried to play amped and pushed to go on later. Had to kill it.

I've hosted since in other towns and believe it is indeed the future. I wish I had a great space to host it "right" as there is no experience quite like the intimacy of house shoes.
 
#78
Bob Walkenhorst, the singer/songwriter best known for being the frontman of The Rainmakers has been doing this for years in the US, the UK and Europe. Five years ago, I was lucky enough to be able to sit in as bass player for one of his UK house concerts and it was one of the greatest pleasures of my time as a musician. :-)

 
#80
I was at one last summer.
It featured the house owner --who has released some music & played bigger venues & all that.
Plus a couple that sing & play together.
and then travelling to town was this guy, that they didn't know before (But he does do House Concerts)


It was a good time.
Bought a CD too.
 

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