Yah Les. I've played lots of house parties, and that generally means you entertain the folks WHILE they're partyin'.

There are lots of different ways of doing a house concert, but a simple approach might be this:

Will your living room or rec room seat at least 30 folks?

Do you have enough friends who like music that would be willing to pay 10 to 15 bucks to hear a good artist in a great environment? (Trust me we play MUCH better in a non-bar)

Are there enough folk fans in your area who would attend if they knew about it?

If this adds up to 30 plus, you're on your way.

Think of several artists you like.

Check their websites to see if they're going to be in your general area (no more than a hundred miles away) at any given time. Don't book someone if they're playing within 50 miles of you. Unfair to the other venue.

Contact one of them.

Ask if they'd like to do a house concert on one of their "off nights" (say Thursday, if they have a gig somewhere else on Friday)

Offer them 3-400 bucks (which by now you know you'll be able to cover)

Their normal fee may be 1000 bucks but if they aren't working Thursday, their making nuttin' so they'll be happy to play your concert.

Thirty bucks worth of tea, coffee, and snacks will be fine, and if you can put the artist up for the night that would be nice.

Let the assemblage know that the artist has recordings to sell between sets. (I usually do two sets)

You'll have fun (and be a "concert promoter) the folks will have fun and the artist will have made some money without getting "talked over" in a bar.

Hope that helps a bit.

Rick