HOSt a HOUSe show
A house show is a private concert for you and your friends and it is my favorite kind of concert. There’s a magic link between the vulnerability of a good song and the vulnerability of having people over to your house – and when those two things happen at once it can become a really special, rehumanizing experience. It may even be the ideal way to experience a song. If you would like to host a house show sometime this year or if you are just interested in the potential of hosting a show, you can fill out the form below and ask any additional questions you may have. We’ll get back in touch with you shortly and hopefully soon we’ll all be in the same room, enjoying songs and stories. If you want to book a show that isn’t in your home, you can totally still use this form.
FAQs
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A house show is a one of a kind private concert for you and your friends, usually in a private home. You pick your guest list, send out invites, and I’ll be there to provide songs and stories and hopefully it will be a rehumanizing and memorable evening for everyone. The focus is on listening during the performance, and that time is usually preceded and followed by food and drink and conversation.
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Joel will bring all the necessary gear for his performance. He just needs an electrical outlet and about 5 square feet of space. You would be responsible for your guests’ seating, and any food and beverages (or ask your guests to bring something, potluck or BYOB style). If the performance is outside you can ask your guests to bring lawn chairs or blankets.
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The format can always change but in the past it has worked to do about 30 minutes of socializing to start so people can settle in, then about 60 minutes of music, followed by however much talking and hanging people want to do afterwards. Every now and then, more songs show up later if everyone is enjoying themselves.
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Joel has played house shows for anywhere from 10 to 100 people, so whatever the capacity of your space is will do just fine! More people does mean more opportunity to share the cost of the show, so that is something to keep in mind. But really no group is too small!
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The cost can fluctuate based on the number of expected guests/where you are located in relation to where Joel will be; but once you submit the form, we’ll reach back out to learn the particulars of your house show. From there we’ll find a number that feeds the fam, keeps the lights on, and keeps things growing for everybody. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to cover the expense by yourself. Sometimes a host will desire to treat their guests to the evening and cover the entire cost themselves, but more often than not there is a pass the hat situation or a suggested donation at the door where guests are given the opportunity to support the artist – and if we do that right – it usually covers most of the cost, if not all of it.