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House Concerts - Bringing the West Home

By Lauralee Northcott of Horse Crazy Cowgirl Band

     [Winthrop, WA. Posted 04/02/2010] Recently I decided to find out more about "house concerts" and how they provide performance opportunities for western entertainers. I started by asking other Western Music Association musicians via email. The general news is that everyone who responded thought House Concerts are worth the effort. If well managed they can really help to make a tour rewarding musically and financially.
     Audrey McLaughlin of the wonderful western trio Journey West writes, "They are FUN, FUN, FUN." Steve Jones of Yampa Valley Boys said he likes them too! Nevada Slim & Juni Fisher chimed in with positive feelings about well run house concerts. Off to a good start!
     Next I heard from Rob Wolfskill of The Tumblin' Tumbleweeds. He explained, "there are a lot of ways to have house concerts. If you can, find folks who have developed a network of house concert hosts. They either take a cut of the door or simply want the thrill of having live music performed in their living room for their friends. People will be asked for a donation (with a suggested amount of usually $25) at some point during the evening."
     Marvin O'Dell, host of Heartland Public Radio's "Around the Campfire", with his wife Teresa, often host house concerts. Here are Marvin's" Do's and Don't's.

1. Advertise the concert for free, but have a good pitch man who can motivate the audience to give ($10-$25) to the musicians.
2. House buys the food, but keep it light.
3. Building up a mailing list, using email and a sign-up sheet is great.
4. Ask entertainers not sell CD's/Books until after the collection. Sometimes people feel purchasing merchandise excuses them making a donation.
5. Concert length about 90 minutes. Take a 10-minute break after 40 minutes.
6. If the host is a musician they shouldn't take up much time themselves.
7. Don't have poor entertainers because it will hurt you for several concerts after that.
. 8. Encourage CD/book sales at the end of the evening.
9. Get a free CD/book from performer and have a drawing.

     Nancy from Katy Creek Band wrote about five pages of tips! She had many good ideas, here are just a few. "We have been having house concerts at our place for nigh on four years now and have got a pretty good routine going. We typically try to have our season booked by the end of April. We get anywhere from 15 -50 attendees depending on the time of year and any competing event in the area. We have potluck refreshments and soft drinks. For advertising....I ask the entertainers to send posters for me to take around. We start a potluck at 6 sharp and the show at 7 sharp with few exceptions."
     KG of KG and the Ranger writes, "There is an online discussion group of house concerts on the web at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/HouseConcert/ and reading the posts or asking questions there might inform you of a lot of stuff. There is also a great house concert resource website: http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/. Both are "membership sites" but membership is free."
     House concerts seem to be a really good idea and help build new audiences for Western Music. Start one today!



Slim & Sue to Present Marketing Workshop

     [Prescott, WA. Posted 03/03/2010] Columbia Chapter members Bruce and Susan Matley, (Nevada Slim & Cimarron Sue), will be presenting a workshop entitled "Booking Your Music/Poetry At County Fairs". The National WMA Awards Show and Meeting is held annually in Albuquerque, NM. In 2010 the dates are November 18, 19, and 20th.
     County fairs are on a well-deserved upswing -- despite financial cutbacks -- as the public re-discovers entertainment destinations close to home. Fairs also have a long history of western heritage and educational benefits that fits right in with WMA goals.
     Full time performers, Slim & Sue have gained the majority of their living from working county fairs for the past ten years. In 2009 they chalked up 173 fair performances, out of 218 overall on the year. They've worked the full runs of 32 county fairs in the Northwest region (Oregon, Idaho, Washington), repeating 18 of those several times. The balance of their year is made up of performing at cowboy gatherings, corporate events, private concerts, and nightclub work.
     The workshop will provide a discussion of how fair associations are organized, how annual conventions of such associations provide the major booking platform, contact information for major associations, how to get detailed lists of who books entertainment at which fairs. Also included will be tactics for giving fairs added value beyond your performing. That is, strategies for what can you do for them to encourage them to book you over competitors.
     Performers who do it for love alone, as well as those who do it for love and for money, will find much to help them out.