For fans: how to find performers

Ask. No, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins or Mike Stern probably won't do a show in a living room for a few hundred dollars. But you would be surprised how many of the rest of us will. Often enough we are happy to find a fill-in date, an introduction to a new town, or a paying gig in your neck of the woods.

The money (1)

Let's get the money out of the way straight off. $300 to $400 is a pretty fair base rate for one or two musicians on a quiet night, and that breaks down to only $10 or $15 per person for 15 couples. Convincing 15 friends to come (with a partner or guest) is not a big deal.

Add a few more people, or a few bucks to the ticket price, stir in record sales, and the gig quickly moves from subsistence to downright profitable. Remember, one of the main reasons for a house concert is that there is no overhead.

The money (2)

Should the sponsor offer a guarantee? I think it only fair. I just figure a worker should be paid. As a performer, I am confident of the success of my house concerts that I don't worry much about the guarantee. But without one, I am insistent that there be advance ticket sales. Then I can check sales a couple weeks ahead and back out if the show sounds like a disaster. In fact, I have never had to do this, and have only played once to uncomfortably small audiences.

If, as the promoter, you are worried about covering a performer's guarantee, try dividing the cost among friends. Ask each if, in the unlikely event of a loss, he or she would chip in up to $20 or $30. This has the added benefit of getting more people involved early, and with a vested interest to boot.

The money (3): dividing the spoils

When it comes to disposing of the proceeds, various arrangements are possible. Many sponsors will give performers the full door. Some take out expenses for the coffee, etc., some like a small cut, and some want to share the money with a favourite cause. All can work. But bear in mind: a house concert is something that is sponsored for love not money. That is part of the charm, part of what makes it personal, part of the reason friends will come even though they have never heard of the performer.

Numbers and space

I tell sponsors I need a minimum audience of 30. (Then, if there is a blizzard and only a dozen couples show, I still have a playable house.) Usually, and happily, the attendance is higher.

The actual size of the room will pretty much determine the potential audience. A good rule of thumb is 5 square feet per person.

Your living room is too small? Remember the sponsor and the host need not be the same person. It is a long-standing and sensible tradition to ask a friend with a bigger living room to offering it for the occasion.

Technical issues

What technical issues? Check that there is toilet paper.

Promotion

In my experience, people will come to a house concert for the following reasons. In order:

1.They are happy to accept an invitation from a friend.

2.It sounds like a good party and a chance to see the gang.

3.It is an odd and intriguing thing to do.

4.It is for a good cause (if it is for a cause).

5.They want to hear the particular performer.

Which is to say, it is essential to "promote" the event in the same personal way you would any celebration you have decided to host at your home. Whether you phone people or send written invitations, the personal contact is crucial. If in addition, you want to advertise (whether by a poster at the office, a note in a newsletter, or an announcement in the press) that is grand, and the resulting extra sales are a bonus; but the friends you invite yourself must fill most of the seats.

Other promo tips:

Loan out CDs. This can be very effective. Most performers have old friends and fans (old in both senses), most everywhere. Jazzers are, by and large, the sort of people with whom the silverware is safe, so performers can offer (and sponsors might want to ask for) the names and numbers of area fans.

Performers can (and should) provide promo material, including graphics, poster art and a write-up the sponsor can send out or draw on.

To add to the party atmosphere (and the attractiveness of the event), invite people to bring a plate of finger food and/or a bottle.

Tickets (1)

Should there be printed tickets? A reservation list? RSVPs? This is a judgement call for the host to make. I recommend the advance ticket route (or pre-paid reservations). For several reasons:

1.People who have already bought tickets don't change their minds at the last minute.

2.An RSVP-ed (but un-ticketed) full house might evaporate because a storm blew in.

3.The best advertisment is someone who has already bought a ticket.

Tickets (2):Price

You know best what price is suitable for your friends. But don't skimp. I am comfortable charging $15 or "whatever you can afford."

I recommend you have an "earlybird" price, expiring a week or two before the show. Say $12 for the early bird, $15 after that. The purpose being, of course, to encourage advance purchase. There are several other ways to do this, but the important thing is to know well in advance how many people are coming. Then you will know, for instance, whether to say yes or no to last minute callers.

Seating

There are several ways to seat 40 people in a living room. Ask everyone to bring a folding chair or a cushion or borrow stacking chairs from a church. In my experience, as old as we are, we can still sit on the floor for an hour in relative comfort. In fact it can feel kind of good, psychologically.

Going Public

Yes, you can hold a house concert in a public hall and invite the general public. Many have done this successfully - although you should be aware that the expenses can mount quickly. In a larger hall or public space, sound or lights may be necessary. This is still not an onerous proposition - talk it over with the performer. However, though the event is now "public", you should still promote it in the personal way.

House concert fundraisers

Fundraising by holding a house concert (or any public event) can work out well, but it demands careful planning. The same gathering of 40 people can raise less than $100 or over $1000. It is, in fact, not a lot harder to raise the larger amount, but the event must be planned with the fundraising goal firmly in mind.