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House band
In-home concerts let you experience live music your way
House concerts have been around since at least the 1800s, but they’ve recently found new popularity. As the name implies, house concerts are musical events in homes, rather than public performance spaces. They usually have small audiences sitting close to the musicians, who don’t use microphones.
“We love the intimate setting of house concerts,” says Costco member Mare Wakefield of the married musical duo Mare Wakefield & Nomad, based in Nashville, Tennessee. “The house concert setting allows us to laugh and joke with the audience, and also to be ‘real’ about the songs and our music journey.”
Fran Snyder, a musician and founder of the Listening Room Network (listening roomnetwork.com), based in Florida, adds: “Most house concerts feature original music. Independent artists can share music and experiences directly [with] their fans.”
Judith Milliken, a Costco member in Victoria, British Columbia, has hosted more than 30 home concerts since 2007. She became a host for Home Routes (homeroutes.ca), which organizes tours for featured musicians from Canada and the US, but she also hosted musicians from Cuba.
“Initially I invited friends and family, but others soon joined the guest list,” Milliken says. “Guests had the chance to hear musicians in an intimate home setting. My reward was the knowledge I had created a joyful evening for musicians and audience alike.”
“One of the main reasons I started hosting was because I got tired of paying to attend shows and then having people around me talk through them,” says Andria Brown of Memphis, Tennessee. “The artists I most enjoy have words that matter. At a house show, I’m curating an unusual setting for most people—one where they really get to connect with the artist.”
Wakefield adds, “Every audience member leaves a house concert feeling like they’ve had a backstage pass.”
Sound advice
Whether you’re hosting or performing at a house concert, here are a few things to keep in mind.
For performers. Most house concerts are in living rooms, with little or no amplification. Attendees want to talk to you and will be very close to you. It’s best to create an acoustic show.
For hosts. Performers may stay overnight to save money. There may be a potluck, a full meal or just dessert. Fran Snyder of the Listening Room Network recommends a “suggested donation” model.—IMT
Irene Middleman Thomas is a Colorado-based freelance writer.
Costco Connection: A variety of food and beverages for hosting a house concert is available in Costco warehouses and at Costco.ca. A selection of musical instruments is available at Costco.ca.