There is some great info here on house concerts. Ive been to a few here in Vancouver and am in the process of organizing one for a visiting singer from Ireland. I think its a great idea where you can hear a performer in in an intimate setting and give them a chance to make some extra money.

Oh the money thing, I do a fair number of paying gigs and have noticed that the more serious the musician the more likely they will want some compensation and rightly so. It takes a great deal of time and commitment to maintain a level of skill that people will enjoy listening to. Its also hard work, Ive played for 4 hrs in a bar with people and drunks yelling and most of the time youre just background music. Im sick of the assumption that artists and musicians (who usually make little money) are asked to donated to charity (because they love what theyre doing). You wouldnt expect an accountant to do your accounting for free because he loves his work. (Although I object to pushy buskers in a public space who demand that people who are not going to pay to leave, because this is their choice of lifestyle and form of income).

At the same time I think there is plenty of opportunity to hear music for free. Most of the musicians I know play in regular sessions in bars (for nothing except maybe a discount on the beer) and half the time they do it over other peoples talking.

As far as Im concerned house concerts are my favorite type of performance.