How to Run a Successful House Show Venue

Оглавление

Roy Silverstein. How to Run a Successful House Show Venue

Introduction

So you want to put on house shows, aye?

Assessing your space

The sound system

What’s in a name?

Booking

Promotions

The door and the bar

Preparing the house

The order of the evening

Above and beyond

Parting words

Отрывок из книги

House shows (i.e. musical concerts put on at private residences) have become a common phenomenon across the United States (and likely much of the world) in these times of struggle in the economy and the music industry. I’m not talking about the random house party with a band playing, but the trend of a particular house putting on regular shows for a sustained period of time. This I shall call the “house show venue.”

There is often a close-knit relationship between small venues (usually doubling as bars) and the local music scene. Small venue owners rely on small bands to bring in patrons and small bands rely on small venues to have a place to play and build an audience. But the success of bands to bring in an audience is never certain. It relies on a healthy attitude toward live music among the town/city’s populace, a somewhat “luck-of-the-draw” pool of talent, and a booker that has his/her finger on the pulse of what’s en vogue. Small venues that book the most recognized up and coming talent in the area stand to benefit greatly and outpace their competitors. However, when times are tough, this means that outpacing is really just staying alive, and, for those who are outpaced, it means death. And fewer venues in a given town/city means fewer places for bands to play. Hence, the ever-growing need for the house show venue.

.....

So, house show venues not only provide increased numbers of places to play for bands, but they also offer an environment where the music can be better presented. On top of that, who can deny the novelty of going to see a show in someone’s living room! It’s nice for the audience and the band to be in such an intimate and comfortable space.

But house shows are not a perfect solution to the problems of the typical small venue. The main reason lies in their very definition. House shows are put on at houses, and houses are not given the same flexibility by the Law as a commercial venue is. This means that there are number of ways in which house show venues die early deaths. The most obvious way is death by disturbing the peace. Bands and crowds of people are loud, and the neighbors don’t always appreciate the entertainment you are so conveniently offering them. But over-ambitious house show hosts can also find themselves victim of other legal maladies. Did you know that most cities require an entertainment license if you are going to profit from the display of live music? And I need not mention the selling of alcohol without a license. This is a serious offense that can carry heavy consequences.

.....