Destination: Red Deer. It was back on the road again today to play an intimate show for Janet who started doing house concerts in Red Deer fourteen years ago. Those house concerts grew and recently Janet with a few helpers became Little Log Cabin Concerts.
So a couple things to unpack here. What Is a house concert? How do they work? Do artists get paid to do house concerts? How much?
Basically a house concert is just like it sounds. It's a concert in a house. The owner invites an artist to play at their house. They clear a space for the artist that becomes the stage and seating area. It may involve moving certain pieces of furniture or even removing pieces of furniture from the room in order to have enough room. folding chairs are then brought into the space, dim a few lights, add a lamp or two, and just like that a house becomes a venue.
How do people find out about a house concert. Usually the host starts by inviting family, friends, and colleagues. They pay a suggested donation to attend. These days that's usually $25 but I've seen $35-40 and as high as $50. If the host is savvy, they will sell the show as an opportunity to experience a show up close and personal in an intimate setting and that should be worth more than seeing the artist in a large impersonal venue.
Sometimes hosts will offer up a spare room if the artist needs to stay the night and would like the opportunity to save on the cost of a hotel room. Often dinner is given to the artist as well.
Some rooms need a small PA to push the sound to the back of the room. See, here's the thing, not all house concerts are held in houses. Sometimes people will use a library, community hall, warehouse, or any place where there's enough room to play a show. I have played house concerts in many homes, churches, music stores, record stores, barns, garages, and even a coal miner's wash house, and the inside of a huge historic pottery kiln.
