Bill and I have been hosting house concerts for two years here in Essex ever since the Walton on Naze Festival folded.
We contact people who supported the festival and are missing the chance to see artists. We book the artist in the normal way for their proper fee.( We try to fit in with their tour or gigs that are not too close to us.Often filling in a date that is free)
We have a small marquee that will seat about 40 people, although we could use our large sitting room in the winter at a push.
We do not sell tickets but invite folks to a bar b q, we provide the food and they bring drink for themselves.We pass the hat round and divide the fee by the number attending and ask for donations of approximatly that amount.So we are having a private party, we do not advertise to the public and we do not call it a house concert.
At the last"party" some of the guests said they would be happy to bring a dish of food towards supper next time.

These have prooved very sucessfull and great fun, often we have a singaround afterwards.We also ask the attendees to tell us who they would like to see and we will try to book them.

We have held the "partys" on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.So far we have not had complaints from neighbours, we always invite them to come and join in!
Wendy