We know that a lot of folks who buy our records can't easily come out to our live shows. Late show times, and long, late night drives home are both valid reasons for not supporting live music. The fact is that we, the artists, depend on both live shows as well as CD sales to survive. What if you could have your favorite artist come to your house instead? What if you could have your own private concert in your living room or on your deck? Why not? We folkies have been doing it for years...it's called a "house concert."
You'd be surprised at how many people do this on a regular basis and have had an amazing array of brilliant artists perform at their homes over the years. Many people have become well known venues in their communities.
How does it work?
You contact the artist and set a date...it can be, and often is, on a weeknight. The weekends are our prime working nights in clubs, festivals and concert halls. Let's say that we are traveling through your area while touring around the country and have an open date on our calendar. Typically week nights are less likely to book up since not many venues book acts on nights early in the week, but sometimes there are just holes in calendars. It would be mutually beneficial to both the artist and you to arrange a show on less-book-able night, but - hey-- ask! We're usually nice, approachable people. Most of us have Web pages with contact information.
Now how do you afford to pay musicians to have them perform for you?
Easy! Invite your circle of friends, neighbors, and associates at work! Think of about twenty or thirty friends -- think of it as 10 - 15 couples if that's easier -- who either already like our music (you do play our music for all your friends, don't you)? Or who might like to hear us and send out a flier. Something like: "In order to have a personal concert and sit within twenty feet of the artist in an intimate, smoke free environment we are suggesting for a $10-$15 donation." Some local governments may have tax rules about selling actual tickets, but 'donations' are always okay.
It's just like any party really; it takes a little planning to make it a success. Start a couple of months in advance and follow up with your guests. Some folks like to make it a potluck meal with a concert after. Or just share some beverages, put out some chips and take up the donations. Twenty-five people at $12 each works out to $300. That’s fine by us.
"How can I get twenty-five people in my living room?"
Again, it takes a little planning. Move the coffee table into a bedroom...borrow some folding chairs, use the kitchen chairs, put pillows on the floor or suggest people bring their own chairs or pillows. Give the artist a corner. Sometimes the performer can be set up in a spot where he can be seen from two rooms at once...set up two separate seating areas. Make sure to inform folks to arrive promptly at say 7:30. Get everyone into their seats by 8:00. Now, thank everyone for coming, introduce your favorite performer and sit back and enjoy the most satisfying concert of your life. The artist plays for an hour and a half or so...sells a few CDs....and your guests are home by 10:00. You, of course, are having the artist in your guest room or on your couch...so you get to wind down and share a bit of pleasant conversion. Up in the morning...a quick cup of coffee and everyone is on their way.
If this way of enjoying a Muses concert sounds like something you might want to do...we'll be more than happy to help you pull it off. You can fill out our House Concert Application(don't worry, it's not like a job interview or anything, it's just so we know your information so we can schedule you in,) call 877-384-3936, or you can e-mail us at themuses@themusesmusic.com and we will get you started.
Folk music is not given much respect in our modern world of mega- business, star driven entertainment. Music that cannot be packaged, marketed sprinkled with sequins and turned into a multimillion-dollar product is generally ignored by the media that are busy selling you Brittney Spears. Ignored, but more often denigrated or ridiculed as very un-hip. As small as the market is, they would prefer it dry up and blow away leaving only their product to fill the gap.
Folk music has survived for hundreds of years through the times of many, many types of popular music fads. Folk music will still endure when the sound of today's popular music has become as dated as Rudy Valley's megaphonic crooning "Voh-de-oh-do" sounds today. You can help preserve it.
Think about it! Hope to see you soon!
The Muses
This information was blatantly stolen from (then edited and added to) Pint and Dale who are excellent musicians in their own right and also do house concerts. Check them out!
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