House concerts

A guide to hosting a house concert

Hello! 

So, you’re interested in hosting a Little Wise house concert or a concert in a ‘non-traditional’ space. That’s exciting! These types of shows are my favourite way of connecting with the audience, sharing music authentically and nurturing communities of music-lovers. It’s one of the most fun and nourishing experiences for both the performer and the audience. 

I want to make it as easy and straightforward as possible for you, so I have put together this quick guide to answer some of your initial questions.

The lineup

At present, I am mainly offering solo performances consisting of myself on vocals and guitar. This allows for a really intimate and raw performance which suits house concerts nicely.

On occasions, it may be possible to bring the band. This is especially the case for slightly larger spaces and bigger audiences. Please get in touch to discuss further.

COVID-19

Like all touring musicians, COVID-19 has thrown a giant proverbial spanner in the works for me. However, it’s also provided an opportunity to organise smaller, more intimate shows which are perfectly suited to house concerts. We will work together to ensure we abide by all regulations and guidelines in relation to hygiene and physical distancing.

The Space

House concerts don’t have to take place in houses! Any space you have access to that can seat a minimum of 20 adults can work. Cozy floor seating or asking guests to bring a fold-out chair or cushion is fine. The most important thing to consider is that everyone is gathered close and is comfortable enough to relax and enjoy the concert. If you’re planning to host outdoors, it’s important to have a backup plan in case of bad weather. 

Equipment / Gear

If I am driving to you, I can supply everything that’s needed. If I am on tour and have travelled by plane, I will need to borrow or hire some equipment and would appreciate your help in sourcing it. Between the two of us, we can generally find this by loaning from a friend or contact, but sometimes we will need to pay for equipment hire. In general, I need a guitar amp and a small PA system (mixing desk and speakers) + microphone and stand.

The Guests

It’s important that there are a minimum of 20-30 adults in attendance. There are a couple of reasons for this. If there are less than 20 adults, the show doesn’t feel like the special occasion that it is. Twenty seems to be the magic number where the event becomes a special experience for everyone involved. Secondly, it’s necessary in order to make the event financially viable.

If you aren’t sure you’ll be able to get at least 20 adults to come on your own, feel free to “co-host” the event with a friend who also has a group of people to invite.

20-30 is in no way the attendance cap. If you’ve got the space and want to host more people, you can! The more the merrier!

Tickets

Ticket prices are usually around $15-30 and we can make tiers of pricing for concession card holders, kids and family groups. We will decide together what’s best for your guests.

It’s always best to sell tickets in advance as it helps to get a commitment from people and enhances the ‘special occasion’ feel. I will set up an Eventbrite ticket portal once the concert is confirmed and you can include this link in your invitations.

Occasionally, I have a host who prefers not to ask their guests to buy tickets and opts to pay an up-front guarantee for the show. If this interests you, let me know, and we can work out a fee structure that works for us both.

The Invitation 

Once your concert date and time is confirmed, I will send you an email with links to photos, videos, music and some suggested language that you can use to craft your personalised invitations to your guests. Feel free to invite your guests by phone, by text, by email, on Facebook, or with hand-written invitations - whatever feels best for you and your guests. I have found that the best turnout comes from a diversity of approaches, often the more personal the invitation the better. (Whatever you do, don’t rely on posting to Facebook alone!). It’s also good to send a few reminders and start promoting a minimum of one month out, but preferably 6 weeks or 2 months out.

Typically, about 50% of the people invited end up actually attending, so plan on inviting double the number of people you’d like to have at the concert (i.e. invite 60 people and 30 people will come). 

I tend to leave the invitations and promotion up to the host, because it’s a private concert just for your friends and family. But, if you’re having trouble I am happy to give you some ideas and advice - just don’t leave it to the last minute!

If any part of this sounds confusing or overwhelming to you, don’t worry! Just let me  know if you need help. I’m happy to help you make a flyer, draft an email, make a Facebook event, and/or anything else that may come up.

Some Key Points to address in your invitation:

• Guests should arrive about 1 hour before the concert begins. (i.e. Please arrive at 6pm. The music will begin promptly at 7pm) 

• Let guests know the ticket price and how to make a booking.

• Let guests know if you’ll be providing snacks + drinks. This isn’t a requirement for hosting! I’ve had lovely potluck shows, shows where hosts provide food + drink, and shows without food and drink. It’s totally up to you. 

• Let guests know that there will be Merch for sale too - including CDs, vinyl, T shirts etc. 

The concert

I’ll arrive at least 1 hour before the guests (2 hours before the music begins) in order to set up and sound check. By this stage, we will have sorted out whether I am supplying all equipment or whether you will be responsible for sourcing some.

Guests arrive. We all hang out for an hour or so. At the end of the hour, guests find their seats, and the host (you!) makes a brief introduction. I’ll speak with you about introducing me before guests arrive. 

Showtime! I can perform for about an hour, or break it up into two half-hour sets with a break for food and drink and toilet stops in between. We can decide this on the day, or beforehand.

As soon as I have played the last note of the concert, you join me at the front of the room, thank everyone for coming and let people know that they can buy Merch and sign my mailing list. I have found it really helps if the host encourages this.

After that, we all hang out some more, swap stories and become lifelong friends.

A Few More Things 

HOSTING ME / US (OPTIONAL): 

If you are one of the wonderfully generous people who wants to host us overnight on the evening of our concert, we would be so appreciative! We are clean, quiet and conscientious house-guests.

A LISTENING ENVIRONMENT 

You have likely gathered by now that these concerts will be a special, intimate exchange between the performer and the audience. It probably goes without saying, but if you’re looking for background music or a cover band for a house party, this will not be a good fit for either of us. I am most happy for you to choose to celebrate your birthday or special occasion by hosting a concert, but please be aware that guests will be expected to listen and participate. 

KIDS

I love having people of all ages at shows. I’m a mum of a toddler myself, and I think it’s so important to expose kids to music from a young age. If you’re inviting families with children who may get restless, please ensure they have a spot out of earshot to play and a grownup to watch them. A bit of noise won’t bother me, but a lot of noise will make it hard for others to enjoy the show.

So… What Happens Next?

If all of this sounds good to you, please complete the short application below. If your application sounds like it will work, I will be in touch to make plans.

APPLication to host a house concert