WAnt to soar in 2016?!
Share the live concert experience with your friends, family and neighbors. Book me for an intimate gathering, party or house concert!
Is your house big enough to host a potluck or movie night for 15, 25, or 30 friends? Chances are you can host a house show. You may be surprised how many people fit in a small living room, dining room or artist’s loft. House shows are fun, personal and well-attended. I've laid out all the details for you including sample email invites. Scroll down for logistics and FAQ's.
Email booking@aprilpetersonline.com to schedule.
LOGISTICS
Requirements
You have two options: Book us at our house show rate (please inquire via email) and invite guests to attend the show for FREE OR aim for 20-30 paying customers. In the best case scenario, the host is willing to take an active role in suggesting a $10-$15 donation or $10 CD purchase for attendees during the invitation process. Less people will work too, but shoot for that high number because someone is bound to drop out at the last minute.
Note: It’s in everyone’s interest if you can realistically estimate how many folks will “actually show up” on the night. That is the main/biggest concern – after that, things are smooth sailing!
Reeling In Guests
It’s pretty simple. Most house concert attendees are friends of the host. Once you’ve signed on to be a host, you will notify your network. To invite your friends, you can send e-mails, create a private or public Facebook event, use Evite or whatever organization system you are most comfortable with. We can help with this. Our camp will set up an Eventbrite or Paypal link for advance ticket sales and send you the link to include in your messages. Pay at the door option will also be available. If you decide the show is open to the public, your address should not be posted anywhere. Instead, my camp will place an "RSVP for the address" post on my site which sends folks to the ticket buying page/link where they buy tickets and are sent a private email message with the location.
Personal experience as a guest: I was a house show guest when my favorite band from Colorado came to town. The show was open to the public through the band's site, so I bought a ticket and was sent the address. I'd met the band before in Nashville, but did not know the host. However, everyone was courteous, friendly and we all enjoyed the concert. It was super cool!
WHAT TO EXPECT (A ROUGH IDEA):
Schedule
7:00 Guests start arriving, munching and hanging out
8:00 Music starts
8:45 Break/Intermission (10-15 min)
9:30 Concert ends
The host can choose whether to provide snacks and drinks, and/or ask guests to bring a dish for a potluck. It’s up to your preferences and your friends’ tastes! For band feeding instructions, see below.
The Players
I'll be accompanied by piano or guitar. Nothing overwhelming. And the sound system can be plugged right into the wall. We'll do an acoustic set that's conducive to the environment. Our music will be just loud enough for folks to hear and understand us within the space.
Seating
You may provide adequate seating or soft spaces on the floor like carpet and bean bags, or ask people to bring folding chairs.
FAQ's
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO EAT?
Healthy food! Tea! Coffee! Fresh fruits! This is a great question because you’ll find us being pretty busy as we set up for the show, and more calm and hungry after it’s over. So, please go ahead and eat your dinner – but we may be more likely to eat our big meal (and play card games with you and your friends) once the work is done. :)
What if I have pets? Are you allergic to cats? My dog will just hang out, that’s cool, right?
Unfortunately, many people are allergic to kitties, so if you do have a cat, even if it stays in just one room and your house is very clean – you should definitely let us know. If you have a dog, even a tiny one, you should make a plan to send it to a friend’s for the evening or keep it in a different room during the show. Even the best-behaved dogs are generally not so very good audience members and can be really distracting to us and the audience.
What should my e-mail invitations say?
Click here for sample e-mails to help you invite your family and friends. Please feel free to modify as desired.
Things to Remember
- Keep track of the number of people coming!
- Keep e-mail addresses and the count in the same place.
- Send out a reminder e-mail a week before the event. You can use Eventbrite or Evite which has this system already built in.
- Update us on how full the house show is. If you fill up, don’t start turning people away--instead let us know ASAP. If the crowd is large enough, we may book an additional show or try to find a larger venue--after a conversation with you, of course.
- If you ever have any questions, contact booking@aprilpetersonline.com and we will be happy to help you out!