A house concert is a unique, no-fuss way to provide a memorable night for you and your friends, or to fulfill your dream of being a concert promoter from the comfort of your own living room, depending on whom you invite! House Concerts are an ideal way for professional touring songwriters to get "up close and personal" with their audience.

How it works:

YOU CAN DO IT: If you can seat 10 or more people in one room in your home, including space for someone playing a guitar, you have the ideal venue! All you need is a free night, love of music and to the desire to show your friends good time!

HOUSE CONCERTS ARE A GOOD THING: Everybody loves a house concert. Professional performing songwriters often have "blank nights" on their calendar while on the road, with nothing to do but to watch a movie in the hotel. Typically, when hosting a songwriter on tour, the house concert host provides a place for the artist to sleep, and food (dinner and breakfast), thus saving the artist these expenses. If the house concert takes place in the artist's home town or vicinity (Portland, OR in my case), lodging isn't necessary. The artist gets a chance to connect with an audience, and the audience gets the chance to connect with a seasoned performer and have a much more intimate, interactive experience than they would have at a commercial venue. Plus the artist gets a chance to sell CDs. Everyone has fun!

WHAT WILL IT COST YOU? We can work that out a few different ways. It will probably cost you nothing, except for any food and drinks you wish to serve. I use either of two plans -- we can discuss which one you are most comfortable with:

Plan A) Guests play nothing, and make a donation based upon the value they receive. If your house concert guests are inclined to be generous with their resources, this can be of great benefit to both guest and myself. The guest is able to truly express his or her personal appreciation for the artist's "all-out" performance, and feel good about contributing to the hard-working artist. For my part, if I provide value for the guests, I am rewarded energetically for my effort. Plus I get my CD and merchandise sales.

Plan B) Artist gets a guaranteed amount based upon the door donations. If you can guarantee $100 (10 guests at $10 donation), the evening is worthwhile financially for me. If you plan to incur costs that you'd like to cover, you can work that into the recommended donation amount. If too few guests show up to "cover your nut," you simply pay me the difference and I still give the audience everything I have. It will be worth your money, in the rare event that you would even have to spend a dime.

Considering what your guests pay for a night out on the town, to see a movie or live entertainment, plus meal, drinks and parking fees, a house concert even at $20 donation per person would be a real bargain. And each guest has the opportunity to get to know me in ways not possible in a loud, dark club environment.

SHOULD YOU SERVE FOOD OR DRINKS? Most house concerts are done with pot-luck food. All guests are encouraged to bring something. RSVPing helps coordinate this if you like to influence the culinary outcome. If you know from the RSVPs how many people are coming, you can plan inexpensive finger foods, pizza, etc. Or if you want to go all out, that works, because when I perform, I go all out too!

WANNA DO IT? WHAT'S NEXT? All there is to do is figure out a date (two weeks to a month out is ideal), and contact me to arrange it. If your home town isn't on my tour schedule, I may want to travel and set a few other events up in the area, so by all means email me. Then you open your home (or a friend's!), collect the donations and show me where to sleep for the night (if outside of the Portland area). And feed me the next morning as long as it's not eggs. I hate eggs.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME. I'll show up and play a great concert for you and your friends, and I'll give it my all. If it's a backyard or large room concert, I will provide a sound system that will get the job done without upsetting the neighbors. I will help you by providing any promotional materials you need, in advance. I'll be on time, support you, and answer any questions you have in advance. I will set up a small concession table where I'll have CDs and possibly other merchandise items for sale. And I'll be a terrific guest in your home!

For more information or to book your house concert, email me (subject: House Concert Booking). I'll respond quickly.

For even more info on House Concerts, go here.