in the grand scheme, it’s a rapidly growing movement in live music that provides a way to connect musicians with their listening audiences in an intimate, homey setting. under the magnifying glass, every house concert series is different, reflecting the taste and personality of its hosts.
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What is RPHC’s “taste and personality”?
my series showcases texas acoustic folk/americana music. rphc artists love to tell stories and interact with their house concert audiences. performances range from unplugged singles or duos in my living room to an amplified band in the backyard on a breezy evening. my series is varied, casual, spontaneous and lots of fun … hey kinda like me! don’t look for a lot of fuss and bother here. guests bring a snack to share and byob beer/wine. kids are free and encouraged to attend. in fact, folks of any age are welcome, but smoking is not.
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What made you decide to host house concerts?
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What’s in it for me…
people think i do this for some lofty purpose involving community, furthering live music and stuff like that, and i always furrow my brow and try to look important as i agree. but honestly, the real answer is kind of like the mountain coming to mohammed … with 3 kids and 2 jobs, i don’t get out to the music scene much. so i figure a house concert was the best way to get to hear the musicians i love most. and in the “all about me” department, a house concert seems to make a musician want to hang out in my living room, play my favorite songs and sign my cowboy hat. i mean, i can’t imagine that these fine folks would show up at my house for 10 bucks and a sandwich. the thing i didn’t expect when i began so selfishly trapping these artists in my web was how exciting it would be when i get a bunch of other music lovers over and everyone claps at the end of a song. i get goosebumps and it’s just my idea of fun! for the story of how it all began (it’s a pretty cool story), click on “beginnings” under the “prairie dirt” menu at left (scroll up).
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What’s in it for the listener…
- an intimate, casual environment focused on the musicians and their music
- a friendly atmosphere for meeting other music lovers
- personal interaction with the artists
- cds, autographs and photo ops
- an inexpensive and direct means of enjoying and supporting live music
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Performers get…
- a clean, friendly and accommodating venue - no bar fights or smoky haze!
- an intimate audience whose attention is on you and your music
- a chance to connect with your old fans and build loyal new ones
- cd sales and modest financial support
- a hot meal and comfortable accommodations as needed
- most importantly, you get to sign my cowboy hat and take a picture with the chick in charge ;)
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Comments from both sides of the microphone…
- hill country tunesmith jay sims put it to me this way: “a gig with 20 people listening is better than one with 2,000 who don’t.”
- a first time house concert attendee said, “i’ve never felt so integral to the music as i did at this house concert. you could see how much the musicians enjoyed our presence. plus i got an autographed cd. what could be cooler than that?”
- about RPHC’s inaugural show, aritist shake russell said, “i had a blast at the house concert!”
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