...We bring the music to you
Hello there!
I'm so thrilled you are considering hosting a house concert. I trust you will find the information on this page useful and will be booking your very own house concert real soon!
Having done both house concerts and other events I can say for certain that if you would like to experience intimate live music as well as connect on a deeper level with the artist bringing you that music (Me, in this case!), house concerts are definitely the way to go!
HOUSE CONCERTS- WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT
A house concert is exactly as the phrase connotes- A concert in a house, only stripped back. It is also considerably smaller than regular concerts (unless the house in question has a massive ball room!). But this only means house concerts are far more intimate, personal and focused.
A house concert is certainly not a house show. House shows are house parties with the inclusion of a live band. Similar to having a DJ or simply music playing from a system, except with house shows, the music is live. In house concerts, the gathering is primarily for the purpose of the music being delivered.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1. A 'house'- ...obviously. This can be any space you have access to where your guests can gather, sit and enjoy the concert. This could be your living room, patio, back garden, photography studio and so on. This doesn't have to be a large space. House concerts could have as few as 10 and as much 50 people in attendance. It all depends on your space. Remember, the focus is quality, not quantity.
2. Guests- Your friends and family and whoever else who feel comfortable having in your space, preferably adults as the concert is best enjoyed when guests can completely focus. However, this does not mean children cannot be invited to the concert. The model would have to slightly modified though so it can be an enjoyable experience for them too. Just let us know! In any case, the format is entirely laid back. Guests usually just occupy any space available: on the carpet, sofa, staircase etc so please don't go hiring chairs and stuff. Totally unnecessary!
3. Food and drink- This is optional. Some hosts prefer to order a pizza take-out whilst guests come with their drinks. Others prefer to provide tea/coffee along with some light refreshment. Some others prefer the 'bring and share' option. That's entirely your call, as the host. After all, it your space.
....And that's pretty much it!
FAQs
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF STRESS. HOW DO I PLAN THIS?
The beauty of house concerts is how relatively easy they are to set up. Plus we work with you from start to finish. From picking a date and time, to advice on how to invite guests.
HOW WOULD A TYPICAL HOUSE CONCERT PLAY OUT?
We would usually arrive 30 mins- 1 hour before guests arrive so we can set up our equipment and merchandise table (if there's room for one). It is usually best to give an hour for guests to arrive, get comfortable and mingle before the concert starts. We don't recommend more than one hour mingling time before the concert because though it is a fun day, it is not a party. It is a concert. The concert itself (that is the singing bit) typically lasts for one hour (this could be longer or shorter depending on what is agreed) and then everyone (including me!) can get back to mingling.
In summary, this is how it will look: Say you have asked that the concert starts at 6pm:
4pm- We arrive with our equipment to set up
5pm- Guests begin to arrive
6pm- Concert begins
7pm- Concert ends
7pm, onwards- Mingling continues for as long as you wish
WOULDN'T IT BE NOISY??Not more than if you were playing some music in your living room. That's another benefit of house concerts- they are pretty scaled down. Equipment used for amplification is very minimal and depending of the space, we could even scale down further as smaller spaces don't really require much amplification.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Please email writeme@toseofficial.com as this ultimately depends on your needs. So, let's talk!
Alternatively, we do operate what we call a 'donation-based' model of house concerts where each person attending is expecting to give a donation towards the event. A guide donation is between £8 to £10 or more if they feel led to bless us even more! This will be in addition to having merchandise on display for purchase. The role of the host is very crucial here. From experience, we have found that the audience is more responsive to donation-requests that come from the host, for the simple reason that they are your guests.
On that note, it is probably best to forewarn guests to come prepared to make a donation, letting them know that their generosity simply enables us continue to do what we do- make music that touch lives. As such, most of what we make, outside expenses, gets ploughed back into the next project. So you get the added advantage of knowing that you and your guests are actually involved in the bigger picture! The added advantage of this option of payment is the fact that it enables those guests who are unable to give anything, still come and enjoy the concert, no pressure.
Trust me, this is waaaayyy simpler than it looks on paper (or rather, your screen). I have only gone into much detail here because of it's importance. Remember, we are in this together and we will assist you right down to the lingua or even email templates you can use, if this is your preferred mode of communication with your guests.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE HOST?
Who says you have to go out to have a nice, fun evening? With house concerts, night-ins have become the new cool! In addition, opening up your home to a house concert experience along with your friends is one of the highest form of support you can give an artist . Hopefully, you are already a lover and supporter of what I do or you wouldn't be reading this. Well just think: You don't have to go looking for my music. I come to you and you get your very own exclusive concert right in your living room! Plus, you get to know me (and vice versa) on a more personal level. What's there not to love?
WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE ARTIST?
Apart from the financial benefit, we truly enjoy meeting and sharing our music with people and hopefully making a difference in their lives. That's ultimately what we are about. Nothing beats sharing Godly, inspirational and encouraging music in such an intimate atmosphere. Better experienced, than explained!
That's it in a nutshell, folks!
Do you fall under any of the following categories:
- Sold! How do I book?
- Sounds interesting but I need more info.
I'll leave you with this short video below to give you a visual idea of what house concerts look like. It was created by Fran Snyder, a musician and house concert enthusiast himself. You can check out his website www.concertsinyourhome.com.
Much love,
T