House concert

A house concert or home concert is a musical concert or performance art that is presented in someone's home or apartment, or a nearby small private space such as a barn, apartment rec room, lawn, or backyard.^{[excessive citations]}

Logistics considerations of holding a concert in a contemporary home include audience capacity, collecting cash or donations, whether the proceeds will be split with the host, marketing and whether to publicize the venue, the equipment or sound system, to provide refreshments or to hold a potluck, whether to have one show or present a series, and the choice of musicians.

Common in the historical past, but now unusual in the age of large concert arenas, a house concert is almost invariably described as an "intimate" experience. A true house concert needs to be distinguished from a smaller musical ensemble, recital at a high school, or modern chamber music concert, which may sometimes be called a "house show" or "house concert".

Audience capacity for a house concert is typically smaller than at a coffeehouse or club, but some concert spaces may accommodate 200 people; others can entertain two dozen or so.

Generally tickets are not sold in advance, but cash is collected at the show. Sometimes, the money collected goes straight to the performers, with no "profit motive" on the presenter's part. However, at other times, the purpose of the show is to collect money to pay for rent, or is paid by a donation. In fact, calling it a donation may prevent zoning issues that a host is operating a business such as a cabaret illegally or without a license.

Traditionally, there is little or no sound system, so performers may play and sing acoustically, or perform or act without a microphone. Since at least the 1970s, however, extension cords, mult boxes, and other equipment innovations have enabled such performers to hook into a sound system, either inside or outside a house. Nonetheless, the musicians "use just enough equipment to make for a complete experience without being too loud for the neighbors."

Refreshments, if any, are usually either a "pot luck" brought by the listeners, or provided by the hosts using a bit of the gate receipts. Sometimes, the performers get a meal and/or lodging with the presenters as part of their compensation.

Most house concerts are "one-shots", but others are presented as a series, for example, every two to eight weeks over a "season", of anywhere from six to twelve months. Some lesser-known musicians may go on tour with gigs consisting primarily of house concerts. Even notable musical acts, such as Sirsy, may schedule "private party" gigs while on tour.