Column Archive |
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May, 2014 |
House Concerts |
by Webmaster |
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A friend of mine mentioned that he doesn't do house concerts. He's supported himself playing and singing for most of his life. He plays out a lot, in restaurants and bars, and the occassional stage show with other performers. He'd like to do house concerts. If he does a house concert, he said he would do more of his originals, and tell stories. I realized that his stage patter consists mostly of engaging the audience, getting them to request songs, and as a result, putting money in the tip jar. He sees a house concert as a change to be a featured artist on stage. I've only been to one house concert. I went because of the musicians. A lot of the people there had no interest in the musicians, so they talked loudly through the show. Unfortunately, they chose to sit in the seats in front of the musicians to talk loudly. I had a house concert recently. Based on my single experience, I didn't know what to expect. But, I knew I didn't want a repetition of that other house concert. I didn't see my house concert as a stage show. I didn't expect someone to come to my house and do a 2-hour formal show. I hoped to see him relax, sit on the sofa, and talk with us, play some tunes, and enjoy himself. I hoped it would be like spending a few hours with friends, including a friend who likes to sing and play guitar and talk. I didn't give anyone any guidelines. I simply told the star to relax and enjoy himself. When he said he had to get changed for the show, I asked why. He started when he felt like it and chose to sit in a chair at the same level as the rest of us. He kicked off his shoes, and relaxed. He sang songs, talked about himself and the songs, engaged us in conversation, and seemed okay with us singing along on a couple of songs. It was all I hoped it would be. It wasn't quite the way I expected, because my friends, bless their hearts, sat entralled in simply listened. They were a wonderful audience. When there was a need to talk, they went into another room and talked quietly. So many times, we plan events and have expectations, and wind up tired and disappointed. I did the planning and preparation ahead of time that was necessary: we chose a date and signed a contract; I signed checks, cleaned the house and prepared food. And I tried hard to go into it with no expectations. I did what necessary during the event: adjusted lights, stopped the ticking and chiming clocks, and got more chairs as needed. Mostly, I got to enjoy my wonderful guests and the fabulous star. Afterward, he told me that he'd never done a house concert like that before. He's always done a more formal show, even in a house. And, he said he liked doing it that way. He, my guests, and I decided to do it again next year. When I have no expectations, I can't be disappointed. When hopes become reality, I feel like I've been given a beautiful present. I sent thank you emails to everyone who was there. Thanks for visiting AcousticByLines.com! |
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