House concerts…Build the audience!
House concerts are a throw back to the day when you sat around with 25 of your friends and shared your music. House concerts are not new but they continue to grow as the bread and butter of performing artists. So when you are polished and ready to take your show on the road, where to start?
First you need to understand that hosting a house concert is done out of love of music. Hosts are not talent scouts or promoters. They are simply gracious people who open up their private space to indulge in an evening of song and friends. They usually provide a wonderful listening environment filled with an attentive audience…a performers dream. They might even offer you a place to stay and a bite to eat.
It can be a challenge to set up a house concert schedule. Google house concerts. Start in your area. Don’t be surprised if some hosts only want a particular type of music, are booked a year in advance or simply don’t do it anymore.
Makes you want to sign up for a service like www.ConcertsInYourHome.com Fran Synder has put together a great website to connect a wide geographic network of hosts and artists. He works to cultivate and train potential hosts which includes a free House Concert Guide. Artists should read it as well. Becoming an artist on their roster requires a $15 fee for an audition process. Only about 20% of submissions are approved. Upon approval, there is a $199-300 annual fee.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, KC Turner of KC Presents is earning quite a name for himself. Billboard Magazine recently interviewed him on the subject of house concerts. I have a feeling KC will soon be flooded with potential performers wanting in on his activities.
KC keeps his ear to ground for music he feels passionate about and works tirelessly to support the artist. Juggling multiple venues from large to small house concert locations, open mics, etc., he has something to offer the developing and the developed artist. He is a booking agent, promoter and small venue guru wrapped into one. The challenge is to get on his radar. He rarely books through email submission, keeping a tight rain on quality in order to build trust and grow the demand.
Grow the demand – that’s the key! Every performer should take ownership in this cause. More hosts!! More Audience!!!!!!!! House concerts are not a household name. Let’s change that! Matter of fact, when I finish this blog, I’m going to make a Facebook post for friends to connect with KC Turner Presents and ConcertsInYourHome.