This group was started to help create a single place to find House Concerts in the Philly area. Initially I'll post concerts onto the calendar as Notes (with a link to more information about the event), and if the House Concert host desires, you'll be able to RSVP right here from Meetup. My theory is that there are lots of people on Meetup who are looking for unique experiences, and I'd love to connect you all to the House Concert experience.

What is a House Concert?

A house concert is an event hosted in a private home. Typically a host will book an artist and invite friends over. Guests are asked to contribute a donation (typically $15-$20, but check each event for the specifics), and usually asked to bring a snack to share. Sometimes the music is unplugged, sometimes a small-ish PA is used if the room is larger. Crowds can be from 20-200, depending on the house. Some are in the living room, in the basement, or in the backyard. Each House Concert series has its own personality and we encourage you to explore them all.

What kind of music will I hear?

That depends on the series. Some hosts like to book folky, singer-songwriter types, others prefer blues, bluegrass, Celtic, Jazz, Classical - check out the series to see what they like to book.

A concert in someone's house? Isn't that weird??

We understand your hesitation, and many people are a bit uneasy about their first concert, but I can assure you that House Concert hosts are some of the most welcoming, friendly people you'll find. They do it for the love of the music - the hosts make no money from their expensive hobby. Mostly they want to give a venue to their favorite artists.

Are there other rules?

Yes, each House Concert series has their own set of rules you must follow. When you RSVP, you should expect that they'll want some identifying information on you. For example, they'll want your real name, and either an email address or phone number. They're inviting you into their home and giving you their address, it's the least you can do. Some ask for donations up front, to minimize the impact of no-shows. Others will ask you to bring a snack, or BYOB. Check the description of the event or series for more rules or guidelines.

Can I bring kids to a House Concert?

That depends on the Host, the Performer, and your child. Best to check with the host to see if they have a "no kids" policy - some homes don't have an extra room where a child can go if they get bored, or just prefer to keep it "adults only". But please do consider bringing your children, if they're well behaved" to a House Concert - it can be a great way to introduce them to music.

Do you have a "No-Show" policy?

Yes, we do. If you RSVP for an event, you should plan to be there. If you are a "no show" at 2 events, you will be removed from this group.

House Concert hosts generally make no money from their efforts. They open their homes, rearrange the furniture, buy stuff, cook & clean, handle bookings and reservations, and invite strangers into their homes - all for the love of music. Some shows also get "sold out", and fans are turned away. If you RSVP and then don't show up, you have denied the artists part of his pay (remember, all of the money donated usually goes to the artist), caused the presenter extra effort and stress, and possibly taken up a spot that another fan could have taken. Sometimes "life happens", but if you "no show" twice, you will be removed from the group.

We will forgive a no-show if you contact the presenter personally, and also find some way to compensate the performer (buying their music via CD or download may be a nice thing to do).

I'm a House Concert Host - how do I get involved here?

Just email me (Beth, the Organizer) through Meetup - the "Contact Us" button on the left will get to me. If you want to put your own events on the calendar, either as Notes with a link to your site, or as real Meetup events where your RSVPs are captured here, then I can make you an Event Organizer. You won't be able to manage the rest of the site but you will be able to create and edit calendar entries. I'm not asking anything for this right now - I would list your events here myself anyway, so if you listed your own events it would save me time and effort.

If you're thinking about hosting, I recommend you check out some of the host resources available at http://www.concertsinyourhome.com.

Please note that your series must be in the spirit of a House Concert. I will entertain the idea of listing events by small, intimate, not-for-profit venues, but not large, commercial, for profit enterprises.

I'm a musician that wants to play house concerts - can you help?

Please do not contact us about booking gigs. That's not what we do. Go to the individual House Concert series web sites to see what their policy is for submissions. For great resources on how to get House Concert gigs, see http://www.concertsinyourhome.com.

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