What is a House concert?

'House Concerts' are the hippest, most viable and rewarding venue option for folk musicians today and you can host one in your living room! 

How do I do it?

It's simple, you just invite 25-35 (or more) friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, mailman and whoever else, to a concert at your home.

Round up all your chairs (patio furniture, etc.) and arrange them concert style. You may need to move stuff around a bit to make it work. Might borrow a few from neighbors or have guest each bring one. Cozy is good, it's nice to be real close and intimate.

 I can't charge my friends money!

No problem! Although many house concerts have a door person to collect fees, some hosts are uncomfortable charging their friends, especially for a first concert, until they understand the process. For these folks we suggest they simply place a jar by the entry with a visable sign that says:

 Maybe a mention of the donation concept during the welcome and introduction of the concert as a reminder. This combination of tactics assures that all the folks contribute to the 'jar' while keeping the host out of the money collecting responsibility.

 What's in it for me?

A house concert is a unique and magical experince. Everyone walks away happy and it is a win/win situation. Your guests are thrilled to be part of a 'happening' and you look great for being a 'trendsetter' and bringing everyone together for such an exciting new experience.

There is little or no cost to you, unlike throwing a party. A pot of coffee and some cookies is sufficient, although some folks ask guests to bring goodies, pot-luck style. By having a house concert, you can be the hostess with the mostest!

 How long do you play?

I normally play a 45 min. listening set (house concerts are not parties, folks really sit and listen, up close and personal) and then take a 15-20 minute break for socializing, selling CD's and refreshments. Then, one more 45 min. set and that's a wrap. 

Where do I sign up for one?

If this sounds interesting to you, it is possible that I could work you into a tour when I am heading through your area. Let me know and we'll see if I can make it fit into my tour. Often it works well to host one on a week night (usually folks have their weekends filled to the brim but spend weeknights in front of the T.V.) We find that folks love an alternative to sitcoms during the week, especially if the concert begins a 7 p.m. and is over by 9ish!!! This helps us fill in week nights when I am traveling long distances to a week end festival or gig.

Click here for contact me at lauriemcclainmusic@gmail DOT com... (just really type in a dot (.)...

By hosting a house concert you are supporting the arts and helping to keep the folk tradition alive and thriving and us folk musicians fed and watered!!!! Thanks for your consideration.

 blessings, Laurie

Howdy!

I saw a bobcat in the wild for the first time in my life a couple of days ago, in the snow, in Nashville, TN.  Snow in Nashville is only slightly less unusual than my seeing a bobcat, since I can count on one hand the times it has actually snowed in Nashville since I moved here in '97, although it was snowing when I drove into town - with my friend Mark driving the gigantic rental truck following my tiny Toyota Tercel carrying me and my three disgruntled daughters - snowing all the way from Lincoln, Nebraska to Nashville... The “one-hand” disclaimer is that while snow has fallen from the sky to instantly melt a handful of times, or it has lightly dusted some surfaces to the point where one might say, "I think it might be snowing," or "What is that?” – the accumulation to the point of what I would call real snow is back to four or five times in 13 years.

So back to the bobcat - so graceful, so lovely against the snow covered ground. It was very small bobcat, just a little bigger than a house cat, which I mistook it for at first.  Then I saw the extra wide limbs with the leopard like prints and the dark fur pointing down from either side of its face. I was stopped at a light as he/she was attempting to cross HWY 100. The little cat seemed to be traffic savvy, cautiously looking around. As I was driving away, I saw it change its mind and go back into the woods it had emerged from.  Be safe little bobcat, it’s a dangerous world, where humans are the most dangerous animals…

peace and love,
Laurie