Have you Ever Been to a "House Concert?"

Around here it's 'illegal'. Sometimes someone has a band play, but I don't think you can actually sell tickets in Mass. without an entertainment license. You need a permit (technically) to have live music (noise ordinance) and even so, it's speakers off by 11 pm.

It might be different in Florida and just a guitarist is probably quiet enough that no one cares. But if anyone DOES care it might be troublesome.

On another note - I think charging people to listen to a guitarist at your house is a shake-down but that's just me. I can hear live music anytime for a lot cheaper, half the time free. It's a nice idea, but if you're over 30 and you want live music in your house you should pay for it. I understand they provided beer and snacks, but any good host should anyway.

I suppose A Paying Party for live music is a cut above a Paying Party for Tupperware. To my mind, charging for a social event turns the social event into a commercial transaction.

Years ago, an evening of chamber music meant either amateur players or professionals that the host had hired for the entertainment of guests.

This sounds to me more like a Rent Party than an Evening of Chamber Music.

Are the hosts raising money for art? For charity? For the guitar player? For themselves?

And let us not forget the fire laws, Best Beloved.

There is nothing new under the sun. Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.

Actually, the money was for the guitarist. This guy has been around the world, playing in various venues. The host is a well fixed guy, so I am sure that he did not do it for himself. The host is a student of the musician.

This musician had written all of the music itself. It was kind of modern, with a blues influence. Afterwards he sold tapes and cassettes of his work.

Didn't really think about it, but it's possible that some law was broken.
Noddy24- Funnny that you mentioned "Tupperware Party". When the host first told us about the event, he characterized it as sort of a "Tupperware Party"!

One of my favourite folkies here in Canada does these house parties as fund raisers toward studio time. The alternative approach that I've been part of, is where you pay for your c.d.'s in advance (tho the first time i did it, we were paying for studio time for an album!). They're both reasonably well established ways of fund-raising for musicians - certainly more enjoyable for most musicians than busking.

Well, actually I wanted to post here yesterday, but didn't have the time to wait for site loading .....


I've been to one house concert myself (classical music). You find them rather often here in Germany.

That's probably because it's an old European tradtion.

http://www.island.net/~oldfolk/

how to put on the perfect house concert: http://www.island.net/~oldfolk/housecon.htm

check it out - bob's expressed things quite nicely from the performer's point of view

I thought that it was a rather nice idea. We knew a number of the people, and everybody seemed to know somebody else, so it was a lot nicer than to be in a place with a lot of strangers.

The host was one of my husband's audiophile friends, who is in an audio club. The guys brought a lot of great recording equipment, and recorded the concert, for the people in the club.

Actually, I like Walter's idea even better. I would love to hear a string quartet in a home!

I don't think the legal thing is really an issue...gambling's illegal, but how many peope do poker night?

This reminds me of those times we've gotten those strippers to come over, except for the part about the guitar and the entertainment having clothes on.

I'm a little bit astonished about the fact that there could be ('is') legal reasons against this. Here, in Germany, we have the "Inviolability of the home".

Walter- Don't know for sure, but theoretically, it might have been illegal because money was exchanged. I don't think that there would be any problems though, unless anybody complained.

Years ago, my ex-mother-in law used to go to what she called "kitty games". A limo would pick her up, and take her to the hostess' house. There was a charge for the use of the apartment. There she would play cards with other women. The hostess always had a few tables going, and the women would play for money. Refreshments were served. One day the cops raided the joint!

I think that the problem was that this woman was running a commercial establishment, in a privately zoned area. Also, gambling for money was not legal in that area, although people did it all the time. I think that the problem was, that by having people coming in and out of her apartment all the time, she was creating a nuisance.

Musicians in the Princeton area give house concerts on a regular basis. They don't charge, and it's a way for musicians to play in public, get some exposure, and meet people who are passionate about classical music. One has to be invited to these events,( to play and/or listen) and since I haven't lived or played music in chamber groups down there in 10 yeras, I haven't been invited. Oh, well. I'm making new contacts where I live now.

Sounds like an old-fashioned rent party. The host provided cheap drinks, music and the space to party and charged admission to help pay the rent for that month. Sure it was illegal but who cared really? Everybody had fun and the rent was paid.

Sounds cool Phoenix. I've had house parties with bands playing before. Usually don't charge a cover though.

Can't wait for the warm weather, so I can throw my next jam...band, kegs, grill, girls, kegs, girls, kegs, girls, kegs, girls, girls, girls, beer, shots, girls....

Uh, how 'bout them Bruins? Damn shame, huh?

My sister has the perfect yard for a summertime band party. Too bad she has a 3 year old and lives in the burbs.

You should send em' away for a weekend.

No 3 yr olds here, but it probably wouldn't be a good idea for us to throw the band in the yard. Damn quiet neighborhoods.

Hmmmm..... maybe if it was 3-piece we could fit into my apt. But, maybe not with city living.

Actually, at one of our last dinner parties we had a woman with a guitar sing and play. Another woman there grew up singing gospel tunes. They sang a couple common pieces. It was a nice way to wind down the evening.

Yo Phoenix

We have friends who do this regularly (6 or more times a year) here in New Jersey.

I had never heard of it before, but apparently it is something that's "going around."

Even though these friends are close friends, I've never attended. I'm not nuts about music (other than opera) -- and I've got a prostate the size of Manhattan Island, which means I gotta make tracks to the Gianne (Italian for Jon) every fifteen minutes -- so I probably would not be the most welcome guest.

For those, who interested in the history of house concerts, here is a nice site about it:

http://pages.zdnet.com/terelmann/autoharpfriends/id29.html