We just hosted our first house concert – and I am a convert to this way of experiencing music. Although a house concert is not a public music sharing event, allow me to promote this style of musical interaction. The intimate venue allows the audience to see a favourite musician up close, maybe chat with him or her at the break. There is no competition for sound from a noisy bar crowd – everyone is there to hear the music. Because of the low overhead (no need to rent a hall), the proceeds going to the artist are maximized. It seems to be growing as a way for smaller communities to host live music events or for musicians to fill in dates between larger gigs.
Our first concert featured Ian Reid, singer-songwriter from Rockwood. I was introduced to Ian’s music at the Elora Acoustic Café open mic – one of those “you never know who might show up at the open mic” moments. Ian’s captivating stage presence and sense of humour were perfectly suited to the house concert environment.
After the concert we finished off the evening with a small group of us jamming and singing together while Ian gave his attention to audience members.
I really hope this is only the first of many events we host – it was a perfect introduction to the world of house concerts.
If you have room to seat 25-30 people and would enjoy inviting your friends and neighbours to share an intimate concert, there are websites that walk you through many of the details:
http://acousticroof.ca/resources.asp
http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/
If you are invited to such an event, it is an opportunity not to be missed.
