What is a House Concert?
A House Concert is a way to turn your living room into a live, casual - and unplugged! - music venue for one night. It is also the most viable way for folk music and musicians to survive. By hosting, you are supporting the arts and keeping the folk traditions alive and thriving. It's both the past and the future of folk music!
How Do I Host a House Concert?
It's realitively easy. Just invite 25 or more friends, family, neighbors to a concert at your home.
Gather chairs, patio furniture, or ask your guest to bring a camp chair with them. Arrange the seating in concert style. Cozy is good!
How Much Does It Cost?
When inviting folks to come, let them know that there will be a suggested donation of $15-20 (sliding scale often works well). If it feels weird to be charging your friends, simply place a jar with a sign that reads:
$15-20 Suggested Donation
All proceeds go to the musicians
Thanks!
Food and Drink?
That is up to you as host -- some like to put out some snacks and drinks, but a BYOB works great too. Or, for a friendly gathering beforehand - make it a potluck!
How long do you play?
Normally, we play two 40-45 minute sets with a 15 minute break in the middle. Having a break allows people to enjoy refreshments, mingle, and buy CDs and merch. It ends up being not just a night of great music, but a fun social event too! A typical timeframe is usually:
7pm - Gather
7:30 - Music
9pm - Social time (until the hosts kick people out!)
House Concert vs. House Party
A house concert is a sit-down, non-amplified, indoor listening experience. If you are looking for background music for your outdoor party or event, that is a very different thing. Typically, if we are playing as ‘background’ music, or at an outdoor event, we charge a flat fee. Attendees won't usually contribute a suggested donation at a house party, as they presume that the band is already getting paid.
What about kids?
We love kids! But we usually don't encourage people to bring kids to a house concert unless the parents think they can sit through 90 minutes of music. Alternatively, I've seen some hosts simply have a video set up in another room for kids to go to if they get restless.
Where do I Sign Up?
We would love to play in your living room! If you have more questios, or want to talk more about the possibility of setting up a concert in your home, you can email us at:
putnamsmith@gmail.com
House concert in DC w/ Ashley Storrow