HOUSE CONCERT / PRIVATE CONCERT INFO
Would you like to host a house concert? You can host it at your home, at your friend's home, at work, church or even at a rented facility! You can even make it a fundraiser for your favorite charity!! Please read the info below and then send Marina an email. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A FEW REVIEWS FROM MARINA'S HOUSE CONCERT HOSTS:

What an amazing and unique opportunity. A front row seat at the best concert I had ever seen and it was right here in my living room! Passionate and moving music in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere among close friends and family. Marina captivated and inspired everyone in the room, young and old. Your voice has the ability to evoke so much emotion and warm a person's heart and soul. You and Nick are so real and down to earth and made everyone here feel as if they have known you both for years. Thank you again for such a wonderful evening! It was an honor to have you perform in my home and you are both welcome back anytime! ~Tiffany, Perkasie, PA,  Nov 2008

It was better than I could have hoped for - thank you! Everyone loved your music. ~ Dan C., Phoenix, AZ

You and Nick were awesome!!! Everyone loved you both. You are very talented and personable; thus, why I invited you. You both are special individuals and I wish both of you all the BEST! You deserve it! ~ Keith H., Seattle, WA (organized a concert for his co-workers in their office building)

Your performance was a great success. Thank you for coming and singing so well. ~ Yefim & Natasha, Scottsdale, AZ

Marina captivated the audience with her wit, charm and beauty... every one that came was at one point entranced by Marina, her cool/funny stories about Russia, to how she created this song. Marina is a true professional, a very talented artist, a wonderful person to be around, and a great musician! ~ Kevin & Teresa, Santa Cruz, CA full review

Marina and Nick came and stole our hearts (but gave us theirs in return) with their wonderful music and fascinating
stories. ~ The Slater-Lunsfords, Lancaster, CA

We were all treated to a very special evening with Marina and Nick and I know that I’m not alone in thinking it was great as over the next two days I received a flood of e-mails and had attendees from the show coming by my office at work to tell me what a great show they’d seen. ~ Don & Joelle A., Redondo Beach, CA full review

Thanks again for a fabulous concert! You have the voice of an angel! ~ Bretz//Munoz family, Lancaster, CA

We are very thankful that we could have you here. You were amazing. ~ Tawnya, John, Becca, Monica, and Nathan Neri (organized & hosted a concert in Jennerstown, PA

I produced a concert in Woodland Hills, CA, starring Marina V.  The setting was a beautiful mansion filled with people who had never seen or heard Marina before.  From the very first note that she sang, the beauty of her voice and presence captivated all who were there. The niceness of the surroundings seemed to disappear as Marina's lyrics became the sole focal point. I was thrilled and honored to be a part of that wonderful night. Thank you Marina! ~ Alexander Lehr, Los Angeles, CA

What a great night! Everyone loved you! ~ Tashia & Patrick, Redondo Beach, CA full review

Thank you, Marina, for your wonderful presence & performance. The guests really enjoyed you. ~ Elissa K., Hollywood

Thank you so much for the great show. Everyone said they had a great time! ~ John C., Santa Barbara, CA

Thanks so much for everything. You guys really were a hit here at our home. What a special evening along with your
special music!!! Many Thanks! ~ Dave & Silvia, Fresno, CA

ABOUT HOUSE CONCERTS

House Concerts build strong friendships between musicians, presenters, and listeners. Most importantly, House Concerts provide the most intimate and compelling performance environment available. As of recently, House Concerts have entered the mainstream. There has been a New York Times article, CBS Morning Show feature, etc.

*THE ESSENTIALS*

The basic ingredients for a house concert are: a) 20 + people. b) a place for them to sit comfortably and enjoy the performance (you'd be amazed how many people can fit in an average sized room!)

House concerts are as different as the personality and inclinations of the host. You can provide snacks and beverages, or make it a potluck if you would like. You can also have it be a fundraiser for your favorite cause.

*THE DETAILS*

WHY HOUSE CONCERTS? House concerts play an important role in the touring artist's life. There are some geographic areas where it is hard to find a venue to perform. There are times when the artist's travel plans take them through an area with lots of friends and fans, but not on a Friday or Saturday when most venues present music. And there are some groups of people who would like to hear the artist in a more private setting. The house concert is a great answer to all of these situations.

Lots of good things come out of a house concert. For the performer, it's a chance to do their thing in a friendly "listening environment" and to earn some money to keep on touring. For the audience, it's a chance to get a little closer to the performer and the songs.

GETTING PEOPLE OUT Although the house concert host will tell his e-mail list about the event, the "public" doesn't usually come to house concerts. The newspapers usually don't run information about house concerts, posters only work in specific cases, etc. The attendance basically depends on the host.

MONEY The amount of money the performer needs to make can change depending on the day of the week, and the geographical location.

Usually, hosts charge an admission fee. (Usually 10-20$) Tickets sold in advance are a good way to know in advance how many people to expect. You can use evite.com and paypal.com - both are excellent tools.

THE PERFORMANCE Marina will do a full show, the same as in a club, it will just be a little more casual and intimate. Marina will provide all of the music equipment needed.

If you want to MC, you could start the concert by getting everyone's attention and introducing Marina. You can remind everyone that there is coffee over here, the bathroom is over there, CDs are for sale by the door.

At the end of the concert, you could thank people for coming, and tell them again that CDs are available. Marina loves to hang out after the concert, answer questions, and sign CDs.   

How To Put On The Perfect House Concert
By Bob Bossin

They are dirt simple to organize, cheap to produce and virtually fail-safe. You are pretty much guaranteed a packed house, a convivial atmosphere and, for the performer, a decent wage. The key to success is this: a house concert is a gathering of friends; only secondarily is it a show for the general public. When you invite friends to a party, 30 or even more will come, right? So it is with a house concert. Yes, strangers are welcome but they are the icing, not the cake. I have played (and put on) dozens of successful house concerts where people have had a grand time and, at the end of the evening, the performer has walked away with anywhere from $400 to over $1000.

For fans: how to find performers
Ask your favorite performer!!

The money (1)
Let's get the money out of the way straight off. $400 to $500 is, I figure, a pretty fair base rate for a solo musician on a quiet night, and that breaks down to only $10 or $15 per person for 15-20 couples. Convincing 15 friends to come (with a partner or guest) is not a big deal.

Add a few more people, or a few bucks to the ticket price, stir in record sales, and the gig quickly moves from subsistence to downright profitable. Remember, one of the main reasons for a house concert is that there are no hall costs. Or, often enough, any costs at all.

The money (2): performer's guarantee
Should the sponsor offer a guarantee? I think it only fair, but then I'm Canadian.

If, as the promoter, you are worried about covering a performer's guarantee, try dividing the cost among friends. Ask each if, in the unlikely event of a loss, he or she would chip in up to $20 or $30. This has the added benefit of getting more people involved early, and with a vested interest to boot.

The money (3): dividing the spoils
When it comes to disposing of the proceeds, various arrangements are possible. Many sponsors will give performers the full door. Some take out expenses for the coffee, etc., some like a small cut, and some want to share the money with a favorite cause. All can work. But bear in mind: a house concert is something that is sponsored for love not money. That is part of the charm, part of what makes it personal, part of the reason friends will come even though they have never heard of the performer.

Numbers and space
Minimum of 20-25 and higher.

The actual size of the room will pretty much determine the potential audience. A good rule of thumb is 3 square feet per person.

Your living room is too small? Remember the sponsor and the host need not be the same person. It is a long-standing and sensible tradition to guilt-trip a wealthier friend with a big living room into offering it for the occasion. Do not feel badly about this, but rather, think of it as a favor:

Promotion
In my experience, people will come to a house concert for the following reasons. In order:

1. They are happy to accept an invitation from a friend.
2. It sounds like a good party and a chance to see the gang.
3. It is an odd and intriguing thing to do.
4. It is for a good cause (if it is for a cause).
5. They want to hear the particular performer.

Which is to say, it is essential to "promote" the event in the same personal way you would any celebration you have decided to host at your home. Whether you phone people or send written invitations, the personal contact is crucial.   If, in addition, you want to advertise (whether by a poster at the office, a note in a newsletter, or an announcement in the press) that is grand, and the resulting extra sales are a bonus; but the friends you invite yourself must fill most of the seats.

• Loan out CDs. This can be very effective.

• Most performers have friends and fans most everywhere. Just spread the word! 

• Performers can (and should) provide promo material, including graphics, poster art and a write-up the sponsor can send out or draw on.

• To add to the party atmosphere (and the attractiveness of the event), invite people to bring a plate of finger food and/or a bottle.

Tickets (1)
Should there be printed tickets? A reservation list? RSVPs? This is a judgement call for the host to make. I recommend the advance ticket route (or pre-paid reservations). For several reasons:

1. People who have already bought tickets don't change their minds at the last minute.

2. I have seen an RSVP-ed (but un-ticketed) full house evaporate because a storm blew in.

3. The best advertisement is someone who has already bought a ticket.

Tickets (2): Price
You know best what price is suitable for your friends. But don't skimp. Be comfortable charging $15 or "whatever you can afford."

I recommend you have an "earlybird" price, expiring a week or two before the show. Say $12 for the early bird, $15 after that. The purpose being, of course, to encourage advance purchase.

Seating
There are several ways to seat 40 people in a living room.Ask everyone to bring a folding chair or a cushion; borrow stacking chairs from a church or union hall.

In my experience, as old as we are, we can still sit on the floor for an hour in relative comfort. In fact it can feel kind of good, psychologically.

Going public
Yes, you can hold a house concert in a public hall and invite the general public. Many have done this successfully - although you should be aware that the expenses can mount quickly. I, myself, never use a sound system in a living room. In a larger hall or public space, sound or lights may be necessary. This is still not an onerous proposition - talk it over with the performer. However, though the event is now "public", you should still promote it in the personal way.

House concert fundraisers
Fundraising by holding a house concert (or any public event) can work out well, but it demands careful planning. The same gathering of 40 people can raise less than $100 or over $1000. It is, in fact, not a lot harder to raise the larger amount, but the event must be planned with the fundraising goal firmly in mind.

Would you like to host a house concert? Send Marina an email with your house concert proposal. Look forward to hearing from you!

http://www.MarinaV.com