Jazz House Concerts
Your guide to finding, presenting, or playing house concerts
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Presenting an amazing house concert is easier than you think and your friends at Jazz Near You will provide pointers to help ensure its success.
We've presented and co-presented house concerts, facilitated house concerts, and attended several to learn what works best resulting in a memorable experience for both the band and your guests. There are no hard and fast rules for presenting a house concert as budget, band size, room size, acoustics, and your guest list play a deciding role, but this helpful guide should point you in the right direction and make sure you've considered all options. We also encourage anyone who has hosted a house concert to post your experiences in the comments section below.
Find musicians/bands using our local search feature.
If local, meet with a representative of the band well before the event to review your performance space (indoor or outdoor), sound, lighting, logistics, AC power, safety, guest list (which includes friends of the band), and costs.
Make sure the musicians can easily transport their gear in and out of your home. Be prepared to help them if it requires steps.
Invite family, friends, and others passionate about music.
Shoot for a minimum of 20 guests, though performance space and band cost will drive guest count.
If you have a piano, make sure it's tuned.
We recommend donations over tickets as donations ensure the house concert isn't viewed as a business and protects you from commerce laws. We also recommend collecting donations prior to the event or after the first set.
Consider parking and assign attendant duties to one of your helpers. Make sure the band can get in and out without obstruction or delay.
BYOB is best, but make sure you have beverages (adult or otherwise) and food on hand for your guests.
A private room for the band to congragate between sets is oftentimes appreciated.
The band is part of your party, so offer them food and drink.
Use EventBrite, Google, or your favorite event management app to handle RSVPs and reminders.
Ask the band to share the concert information on their social media pages.
Once you receive permission from the band, ask a guest to video record portions of the show, then share the footage with your friends.
Pay the band before the party starts.
How to host a house concert by Justin Roth
So you want to host a house concert by The Doubleclicks
Concerts in your home guide (22 page PDF)
How To Put On A House Concert And Host Them Successfully (A Guide For Musicians) by Music Industry How-To
House Concerts - You're Probably Doing it Wrong by Music Think Tank
How to Host a House Concert by Shareable
Guide to house concerts by Danny Schmidt