Dont care for house concerts as a concept. They are inherently non public not open -discriminating and not free.

If you throw open the doors, do a pot luck, refrain from making a buck for just a moment then you are back to basics but....

I find that house concernts in generally are for the elect and discriminating and sanitized and money grabbing.

IMHO the house setting should be a means to greater openness, extended hours of playing, a greater range of acceptable lyric language and more inexpensive and better eating and drinking.

Some of the messages in the thread indicate also that musicians do not do their best in public. This is unfortunate. Why hold back?

The concept as laid out harkens back to the absolutist monarch on his high throne in his private court patronizing musicians.

If its your bag well then you are welcome. But I would not ever charge money to let people in to my house for anything! Nor would I keep them from smoking. Tis the art and obligation of hospitality. I will not even take up a collection for the food or beer!

Is no place sacred where we can hear and play the music of the folk given us by legacy to share freely? Do musicians have to be comercial in each of their waking hours? 24 seven? I think not.

We need houses where music is safe and free from the dirt of discrimination and greed.

Conrad