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14 Jun 09 - 09:09 PM (#2656505) Subject: How many people/much room for a House concert? From: Janie House concerts are not common where I live. That being the case, and me being a homebody, I have attended only 2 or 3 in the 20 years I have been here. I like the idea of them, however, and would be interested in having a house concert for some one local. I don't know if I have enough room, though. How many people are needed for the concert to be profitable for the artist? My house is small. The living room is long and narrow with good accoustics, due to the bare wood floor and sparce furnishings, but still small - something like 8'x16'. With folding chairs lined up and the armchairs moved out, it could probably accomodate no more than 20 people plus the stage area, and leave an aisle down one wall where people could exit to the hall, bathroom and kitchen. 20 people would be a real jam-packed crowd. I also only have one bathroom. Is it too small to seriously think about? |
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14 Jun 09 - 09:39 PM (#2656537) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: plnelson WRT the artist's profit - that should be up to him or her. They may enjoy performing at a house concert just to get more experience in front of an audience or to get some exposure, and "profit" may be secondary. You don't say where you live, but is there much a folk scene there? If not, then getting 20 people to come to a house concert might be plenty. 8x16 IS pretty small, but it depends on people's expectations. Where I live - Greater Boston - there is a very active music scene in all different genre's so people may have higher expectations and 8x16 might be too small. A few nights ago I attended a house concert of Louis Killin - I'm GUESSING there were 60-70 people and they paid $12 each, but Louis Killin in internationally known. So it's courses for horses. |
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14 Jun 09 - 09:41 PM (#2656540) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: SINSULL I am not sure our artists expect to make a profit on concerts. Usually they are on tour and looking to cover travel expenses for the night and maybe sell some CDs. We have had as few as 6 and as many as 40 here. 20 is plenty big, I think depending on the artist. I too have one bathroom - it is a problem especially when someone "misses". Don't ask. Janie, it is a lot of work but I promise it is worth it to have your home filled with beautiful music and good people. Try one. See if you enjoy it. Jacqui handles the arrangements for ours and publicity. I provide the place, some beds, a breakfast, and sine/beer. But food and drink are not the norm. Some offer coffee and tea and some snacks. Ask for help if you need it and donations of food, plastic and paper plates and stuff. They add up. |
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14 Jun 09 - 09:54 PM (#2656551) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: Amos When we threw a house concert here last year for Andrew Calhoun, the music room held about twenty-five people in borrowed folding chairs. It was cozy but it was successful. The bulk of the door receipts went straight to the artist, with just a little taken out for expenses. A |
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14 Jun 09 - 09:59 PM (#2656555) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: Beer "I am not sure our artists expect to make a profit on concerts. Usually they are on tour and looking to cover travel expenses for the night and maybe sell some CDs". Completely agree with SINSULL statement. Beer (adrien) |
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15 Jun 09 - 03:59 AM (#2656670) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: Sandra in Sydney one of my friends has regular singing sessions & occasional house concerts in her combined living/dining room, a narrow space with a capacity of around 20 & we all have a great time. She also has only 1 bathroom! go for it! have fun sandra |
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15 Jun 09 - 06:27 AM (#2656746) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: GUEST,Russ I am part of a group that has done house concerts. I know from experience that it can work with room for 20 people. Key questions: How easy is it to find your house? Where will people park? Russ (Permanent GUEST) |
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15 Jun 09 - 08:35 AM (#2656830) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: Susan of DT We have been running occasional house concerts for a few years. We can probably comfortably fit 30 people and squeeze a few more. So far the biggest audience we had was 18. I just warn perspective performers that they will not get rich that night. They get the entire gate and sell CDs. Since we are between New York and Phily, I suggest it as a fill in between bigger concerts on a tour. Run a couple of concerts and see how you like it, as suggested above. When you start to get close to capacity, which probably will not happen for a while, suggest that people make reservations. |
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15 Jun 09 - 08:40 AM (#2656833) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: jacqui.c Go for it Janie - room for 20 people is generally enough- try and get confirmation beforehand so that you have a rough idea of numbers before the night. If you can get a core group of people who will come to most of the concerts that can be a big advantage. WE sometimes advertise in the local supermarkets and music shops - anywhere that they will let us put up a poster and I have now set up a dedicated email address for house concerts and song circles. Good luck with that - maybe we will be down there sometime when you've got one going. That would be fun! |
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15 Jun 09 - 09:04 AM (#2656855) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: M.Ted If the place is filled, the event is a success, and it's easier to fill a small space. |
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15 Jun 09 - 09:20 AM (#2656865) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: GUEST,leeneia Russ has make very good points about parking and locating the house. Put complete, crystal-clear directions on any posters. If at night, put a lighted decoration on the front of your house so people spot it. To do the seating, figure out how much room each person needs. Then make a scale drawing and see how many people you can fit. Maybe you should put the performer in the center of a long wall and put the chairs on the diagonals. I attended a house concert once where a musician from 1000 miles away was in town merely because he was changing planes while on tour. His agent set him up with our club, and he got a free night in someone's home, free meals, some nice company and a gig. Not a bad deal! In turn we heard great music and became fans for life. (I know that you are starting with someone local, so I just mention the distant musician to show more benefits of a house concert.) |
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15 Jun 09 - 04:34 PM (#2657174) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: GUEST,Tinker from Chicago I ran about 112 house concerts in the South suburbs of Chicago, all at the same house. While booking local acts is good and even necessary, you'll be surprised what level of professionals will be open to doing this sort of show. And once you get one or two, you can name-drop to get others. Generally I decided who I wanted, went online to check their performance schedule, then homed in on people who were, say, playing Chicago on Saturday and Baltimore on the following Thursday. I'd contact them and suggest that making some money is better than making no money, and talk them into a Sunday gig, as long as they were in the area anyway. Didn't always work, of course, but I booked the likes of Roberts & Barrand, Tommy Sands, Andrew Calhoun, Kat Eggleston, Robbie O'Connell, Judy Cook, Bryan Bowers, Anne Hills, Andy M. Stewart and Mudcat's own Seamus Kennedy and Art Thieme, among others. North Americans might also recognize James Keelaghan, The Arrogant Worms, The Sons of the Never Wrong and Small Potatoes, all of whom played there. One selling point is that we took no cut for expenses. Everything went to the performer. But we encouraged audience members to bring some food or drink to share, and most of them did. The typical audience was 20-25 people, but the full range went from about 15 to 45. Give it a try! |
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15 Jun 09 - 05:02 PM (#2657195) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: SINSULL We also give everything to the performer. And do a buffet with beer and wine. |
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15 Jun 09 - 07:11 PM (#2657279) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: Sandra in Sydney The house concert circle around here also gives all money to the performers & guests bring refreshments. All use email lists & have a regular group who (almost) always attend. One host is lucky enough to have an enormous living room adjoining a huge terrace on their large outer-suburban block & can attract 50, the others all have normal sized suburban & inner city living rooms & get smaller (20-30) crowds. All have had local, interstate & even international performers who contact them for bookings. sandra |
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16 Jun 09 - 02:52 PM (#2657940) Subject: RE: How much room for a House concert? From: Janie Thanks everyone for your excellent information. Now I'm gonna go digest it and ponder. |