How to Plan a House Concert

Find a House Concert Host
Music fans are usually involved with the planning of house concerts. Contact a friend or fan located in towns where you want to perform. Find out if they are interested in hosting one or two house concerts in their home. As a host, your friends and music fans will be in charge of furniture, refreshments, artist accommodations and promotion. They are providing a small venue where independent musicians can display their talent.

Gather a contact list of local music fans
No one is going to attend a house concert if he or she does not know one is happening. Build a list of music fans by working with the house concert host, local newsletters and magazines. This list will be used to invite guests who may be interested in attending a house concert. Some music retail stores and magazines will rent their subscriber or member list for a small fee. Musicians can also offer to partner with these companies for promotional assistance. Publicize this event on a small scale using phone calls, flyers and postcard mailings rather than commercial advertisements.

Inspect the Venue to ensure Compatibility with your Equipment
Visit the home where your house concert will be held to make sure it is compatible with your equipment and performance needs. There should be enough space for the main act to perform without being crowded by audience members. The home should also have adequate power outlets and lighting. Musicians can also bring extra lighting with them but mention this when starting to plan a house concert with the host. Check for red flags as well such as safety hazards, parking availability and cleanliness.

Schedule a date to perform
Musicians can begin to select a performance date once a house concert host has been selected. Consult with the hosts to choose a date that is convenient for both parties involved. These dates should be agreed upon in writing when starting to plan a house concert. A written agreement points out what the responsibilities are for the performer and host. These documents can reduce discrepancies on the day of your event.

Hire an Opening Act
Unknown musicians can attract more audience members by partnering with another band to perform. Plan a house concert where the second musician selection will perform as an opening act. This can make the task of planning a house concert easier. An opening act will likely make additional efforts to bring people to the show. Focus on local bands, as audience members and media outlets are usually more familiar with these acts.

Invitations and House Concert sets
House concert invitations can be as formal or informal as you want but should reflect the style of music that will be played. Elegant invitation cards with calligraphy will work well for jazz musicians while hip-hop artists can use flashy invites. Double the amount of invitations you want to send out, which will help to get a full house. Decide how many sets you will perform when planning a house concert. Some musicians do two 45 minute sets with one break in between.