Backyard Gigs

Subject: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Kara
Date: 19 Feb 11 - 10:04 AM

Hi there Mudcats.

I am seriously considering getting over to the States to see if its all true; I figure the best way to find out is to get some backyard gigs. From what I have heard you can get from coast to coast, playing in peoples back yard. The host provides a bed for the night something to eat and invites thier friends round. the artist, plays in the yard.

Anyone have any info on how you get this sort of thing organised.

If you wanna listen to me I ahve a couple of tracks up on myspace
Click Here

look forward to hearing from you all

Kara

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 05:34 AM

I think I'd get some more up beat material if you want to be invited in from the backyard.

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Maryrrf
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 09:16 AM

I've never heard of backyard concerts - house concerts, yes, but these are hard to get booked at when you are unknown. Try this Couchsurfing It's a network of people willing to put travelers up, at no charge. I love the concept, and know several people who have "couchsurfed"

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: olddude
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 09:57 AM

Kara
America is a beautiful country full of beautiful people. It also has an element that is not beautiful in anyway - that would concern me to have you travel and do that. I just listened to your music. I think you could get a gig at any of the blues clubs, or big hotels (set up a tour) and then go from there. One you would be paid, two, you could travel anywhere you want and have fun seeing the country and meeting people.

Good job on the music by the way ... I like it very much

Dan

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Doug Saum
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 11:58 AM

It's true that house concerts (and backyard in the summer) are happening here in the USA. I'm going to a house concert this month (fiddler Liz Carroll in Chico CA; I'll also see Arlo Guthrie in April in a big hotel in Reno). To set one up the artist needs to be known a bit. I've seen people go to festivals and public gatherings, busk for recognition, and hand out a flyer giving interested listeners contact info and set it up that way.
Good luck, Doug Saum

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Kara
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 04:51 AM

Thanks for your comments some usefull information there.
I found a site called House Concerts, I'll try contacting the people on thier list.

Sorry you didn't like the music Alan, and you never even heard the slow one, can't please everyone, so I tend to try and please myself. I am working on a bunch of new tracks at the moment, some of them are a bit faster.

I have heard of the couch surfing thing, but really want the trip to be music orientated, I suppose I could try and combine the two.

thanks again

Kara

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 05:25 AM

I didn't say I didn't like it. I listened to a couple of trax. You've a nice voice and can play the guitar.

Imagine a little roomful of people. Are these songs that

1) will grab their attention
2) look like an attraction that will keep every body quietly entertained for say an hour and a half.

I was just saying. I think you need maybe to have a track that (metaphorically) punches folks on the nose, waves your knickers in the air and says - look at me, I'm here to cheer you up! Just as an opener!

Everything is theatre - it has to work!

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 06:14 AM

Kara

I have not heard of backyard gigs (what if it rains?), but there are certainly house concerts and even more singarounds - if you do not mind being one of the crowd, rather than the center of attention. Check out my permathread Song Circles in US

I think you will do better posting here, saying where you would like to go in the US, and describe your music and give links to clips. Ask who would like to meet you/put you up and what music is around. We do that when we go to the UK for Whitby. We do not do gigs, but like to meet people and go to singarounds. If you are passing thru New Jersey on a Sunday when we have a sing, you are welcome here (or at another time without a sing).

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Kara
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 06:27 AM

Thanks Susan,

New Jersey is near New York I think?

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 06:39 AM

Yes, Kara. New Jersey touches New York. We are an hour or so from New York City, depending on what part of NYC and the hour. We are halfway between NYC and Philadelphia.

When are you planning to come over? There are a lot of festivals in the warmer weather.

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 06:49 AM

Pay no attention to me.

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: open mike
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 03:04 AM

one way people meet up is through the Folk Alliance...
you will miss their annual gathering, but there are
many show cases...where some people perform and others
listen...

many people get to hear a lot of different musicians
and I am sure that some get gigs booked by the folks
who hear them and like them..

there are several regional gatherings of the Folk Alliance
around the country. some house concert series book their
artists a year ahead of time so that makes it a bit more
difficult to do on an impromptu basis..

good luck

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: open mike
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 03:09 AM

the sample music i hear has at least 2 or 3 instruments on it as well
as your voice...would you be here as a solo performer? That would be
difficult to determine how you will sound without your band. there is also reverb, echo and other effects...which might not be included if you do not have special equipment, engineer techs, etc.

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Kara
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 08:43 AM

Hi All

Susan, so far I don't have any dates fixed; I really started this thread to see what the possibilities are.

I shouldn't have really put the link to myspace up as it is not representative of the stuff that I do as a sole artist and as yet I have not decided if I will be travelling as a solo artist. I am currently working on a new album which feature me on my own as well as stuff with the brill musicians I am currently working with here in spain.

The two gigs that Doug has mentioned are both well known acts and as he says take place in large venues, big hotels etc. I was thinking that these gigs were smaller and more personal. I have run a couple of small house venues (30 to 40 people)in france and spain where we have had some excellent if not well known artist.

The gigs in France which took place in an open barn in the backyard were run on the basis that the hosts, provided a venue a small PA, refeshments and lodgings for the artists. The guests brought food and drink to share and most bought the artist CD and put some money in the hat to cover the costs of running the venue.


In Spain the gigs took place at
El Duende guests were charged a 10€ entry fee which included tapas and one free drink. There was also a paying bar. The artist and the hosts spilt the takings. Local musicians provided the PA and on several occasions joined in with the artist.


Here are some of the acts we put on

Rrradio Gee


Under the cherry tree


Malarchy


Hickory Wind


Leslie Helpert

Jimmy Bergin


Now I'm pretty sure that you haven't heard of any of those artists,the whole idea being that people get to see stuff that is not already known. Stuff that maybe would not apeal to the main stream knicker waving public. Sometimes some of the people didn't like what they saw, while other people loved it. But it hardly a big investment and you don't have to be an established venue to set one up. Unles there is a some law agaist it. Is there?

look forward to hearing from you all

Kara

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 10:48 AM

Kara, US Immigration officers are very picky about having any paying gigs approved in advance of entering the country. I know of people who have been banned from entering because they have not done so. If you carry musical instruments through customs you may be questioned. I hate to rain on your parade but it is best to be aware. Sandy

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Kara
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 07:04 AM

Thanks Sandy

I had heard of people having trouble getting musical instuments into the USA. I suppose we have old man Gutherie to blame for that.
I am not really inquiring about paid gigs as the sort of thing I am thinking about is simply swapping music for hospitality and maybe covering some of the expensice. It's just a good way of getting to meet people who like and maybe play music themselves.
I wonder what the laws are about bring CDs into the country?

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: BanjoRay
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 07:19 AM

I found I had no problem getting my banjo and fiddle past immigration when I told them of the festivals I was planning to visit purely for the jamming. You must also have an address you're going to the first night.
Ray

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Maryrrf
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 10:10 AM

I don't think it is illegal to bring CDs into the country, but if you are bringing instruments, and your own CDs in a quantity that would indicate you're going to sell them, that could lead to unpleasant questions as to whether or not you're a gigging musician, and if you have any paid gigs set up in the US, etc. etc. Might be a good idea to think about mailing the CDs to a trusted contact. You could mail the CDs and inserts without jewel cases, and put them in cases when you're over here. It's a crap shoot. You might breeze through with no questions whatsoever.

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 02:52 PM

As Ray said , an address for at least the first night seems to be mandatory , but instruments are not a problem if you can convince immigration that they are for FUN Not Finance , and Mary has the best advice for CDs

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: PoppaGator
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 04:03 PM

My brother recently visited (to US from UK) and brought his guitar along with him. He didn't mention ANY problems, no threat of being retained, taxed, etc. I would have been scared to take an acoustic box in a soft gig-bag case on an airplane, but he did it and got away with it.

One instrument per passenger, or even a couple of different instruments, would seem reasonable for an amateur player. Two or three guitars for a solo traveler, on the other hand, pretty much reeks of professionalism, and a good-sized boxful of one's own CDs would be the kiss of death for someone hoping to pass through customs without questions, extra taxation, etc.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone hoping to "sing for their supper," busk, and/or play a few low-profile gigs as way to defray part of the expense of international travel should be treated as a private citizen and left alone. Only an artist or group on a tour designed to make substantial profit above the costs of traveling should be taxed and treated as a business.

I won't name names, since I am in no position to volunteer other people's services, but I have learned that there are some Mudcatters in the NYC metro area who serve as a sort of "welcoming committee" for fellow members visiting from across the Atlantic. Or, at least, that was happening a couple of years ago...

I would hope that ~ if you don't already have a US contact or two or three ~ some kind soul will contact you, volunteer to meet you at the airport, provide an address that you can provide your interrogators, and maybe accept shipment of your CDs before your trip.

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: DebC
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 04:22 PM

Poppa wrote:

"As far as I'm concerned, anyone hoping to "sing for their supper," busk, and/or play a few low-profile gigs as way to defray part of the expense of international travel should be treated as a private citizen and left alone."

I agree, but it ain't the reality. I was asked once to do a fill-in gig (and open mic feature) for a musician who arrived at Boston Logan Airport with his guitar and a box of CDs and was immediately sent back to his native country. It's getting harder and harder to "sneak" into a foreign country to just "sing for their supper, busk, and/or play a few low-profile gigs".

All I can say is if you choose to do this, know how to do it and be very very careful. It's not worth getting caught.

Debra Cowan

Subject: RE: Backyard Gigs
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 26 Feb 11 - 12:29 AM

Majority of concerts are known as "House Concerts" and any concert in the backyard is mostly in the summer months although most concerts I have been to in the summer, are still indoors(majority anyway).
You have to send the person running the house concert information, bio & CD (promotion material). Most house concerts are folk artists who have some degree of a following and established. For example, I have been to in recent years house concerts to see Steve Gillette, Cindy Mangsen, Anne Hills, Priscilla Herdman who are well established folk artists and have a pretty decent following.

If you type in (for example) "House Concerts" in California (or whatever state you will be in) is one way to find house concerts state by state.
Once in awhile you might find someone who is willing to allow a lesser known folk artist open for them at a house concert but that is entirely up to the artist to agree to that as well as the people running the house concert.   

Other then that there are many venues all over the country with "open mike" nights.

Everyone I have known of who allows the artist to stay at their home have rules against smoking, drinking, foul language, etc. as you are staying in their home. But many artists choose to stay at a hotel in the area where the concert is located. Usually the house conert people won't mind picking you up at the hotel if it is close to where they live.