House Concert Craze

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Following the release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy played for 50 people in a neighbor's home. 'Jeff sat in front of the fireplace,' recalls Dave Kresl. 'There was no amplification except for a mic plugged into a small amp for vocals and harmonica. A few songs that were requested he declined to play, partly because of obvious arrangement problems that couldn't be translated to acoustic guitar, like the song 'Jesus etc.' But he did play a lot of requests. I think he played two 45-minute sets with a smoke break in between. It was neat and weird at the same time because I got to hear songs in a different, stripped-down arrangement in a living room.'

Stories like Kresl's are enough to get music aficionados daydreaming about turning their living rooms into concert halls, and other than a few washable carpet stains, there's little downside to hosting a show at home.

Still, a wannabe host should do some homework. 'Houses are tricky to play because most of the time the host doesn't know anything about sound, monitors, or engineering,' says M Ward. For $15, the creators of houseconcerts.com will send a 34-page booklet explaining how to book artists, find an audience, and plug in the amps (if you live in Canada, Arm Chair Entertainment Ltd. will organize a show for you). There are also dozens of homebound promoters on the Web who are happy to dole out a little free advice -- and encouragement.

'I know enough about the business to understand that, unless they're one of the lucky few in the upper echelon, musicians desperately need two things: exposure and cash,' says Mary Ann Werner of Washington, D.C., who has hosted shows for the Brindley Brothers and Rosie Flores. 'These people work really hard to sustain themselves, and even if they have a record label, no one is handing them big chunks of cash to pay the rent and put gas in the van. So these parties help a little.'

Excerpted from the music magazine Harp (May 2005). Subscriptions: $19.95/yr. (8 issues) from Box 99050, Colingswood, NJ 08108; www.harpmagazine.com

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