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Thread: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

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    Registered User Steve Lavelle's Avatar
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    Default House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I've been playing with my group, Acoustic Therapy, for the last year or so, and we have reached the point where most gigs we play are either set fees at a private club or town event, and the ocassional bar gig where we collect tips and get paid some percentage of the till. Do any of the pros out there have experience with House Parties? Does the band get a fee from the host or is there an expectation that we earn our money through merchandise sales and a tip jar?

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    THe house concert I attended (not performed at) there was a suggested donation of $X a head to get in and it all went to the artists. They also sold their merch and we, as guests were invited to bring a dish/drinks/dessert to share at the event. How it works probably varies by who is hosting the concert. If you're invited to perform at one, just ask how they do it and if that works for you, go!

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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    My S.O. and I hosted a house concert for Irish traditional fiddler/guitar player Randal Bays a while back. All fees went to Randal, as well as whatever he collected for CD sales. I believe that's the norm for house concerts. The hosts do it as a service to the artist and the community, with the only compensation being some nice music played in your house.

    There are two reasons for that arrangement. On the artist side, these concerts wouldn't make financial sense for someone like Randal unless they were the sole recipient of the fees. On the hosting side, it keeps you from running up against any local town ordinances about commercial venues in residential areas, or reporting taxes. If you call the ticket fee a "donation" and it all goes to the artist, then it's just a private party, and the artist can answer to the IRS for any fees collected.

    It's up to the host about whether they want to foot the bill for light refreshments and drinks, or ask participants to bring something. We set out some finger snacks and provided water and soft drinks, and we asked people to bring any alcoholic refreshments they wanted. That worked out well, and it didn't cost us much. The main hassle has having to borrow and return enough folding chairs.

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Quote Originally Posted by foldedpath View Post
    The main hassle has having to borrow and return enough folding chairs.
    Scaffolders boards draped in material work well. For uprights you can use blocks laid on their flat side, faced in coloured cardboard & crepe paper they look good. I got the drill out and counter-sunk some bolts through the boards into the blocks to stop it shifting. We had 38 people sitting comfortably in our big music room for one concert. Front row was 2 blocks high for the children and mini adults middle row 3 high and back row 4. We even had them in a curve like a proper auditorium.
    Mind you next day I just wanted to leave it all there after all the effort.
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I just went to a big birthday party. The people throwing the party raffled off several theme related gift baskets, with all proceeds going to the band.
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    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Not sure about what you mean by "house party," but "house concerts" are a pretty well-defined phenomenon, where the suggested donation (typically $5 to $20--or a sliding scale--depending on the act and local custom, with $15 being pretty typical for an out-of-town act) goes to the band. Sometimes the host skims the expenses off the top and/or puts our a basket for additional donations to cover food and drink, but often they donate the treats or encourage a potluck affair.

    In order to avoid hassles with local authorities, the events are usually handled as private parties and the admission fees are purely voluntary, but my experience, most folks pony up.

    Unless you feel like playing for free just for the fun of it, I'd get this clear ahead of time. There are plenty of resources online for more info about house concerts. Here's a good intro by Drew Pearce: http://drewpearce.com/portfolio/houseconcerts.html
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    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I thought there was a difference between a house concert and a house party, with a house party being more a party with entertainment paid on whatever rate the band charges (like for a birthday party) and a house concert being exactly that, a concert. But semantics aside, my group does scads of house concerts, it's one of the things we do. We have one scheduled tomorrow with Irish flute player Nuala Kennedy and a fiddler and guitar player. We pay a set fee to the performers that's negotiated ahead of time and comes out of our organization's treasury (we get both Connecticut Arts funds and Cultural Ireland monies, among other grants), we take them out to dinner, and they sell their CDs during the break and afterward, depending. We provide snacks and wine to the audience and charge usually around $20 a head; both the house venues we use provide a variety of seating arrangments (couches, folding chairs and armchairs) and occasionally we'll be asked to BYOC (bring your own chair) if we're attending and they need a couple more seats. Bigger concerts (Solas, Altan, Cherish the Ladies etc.) we use professional venues like our local small theater or town hall auditorium/stage. fwiw
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Quote Originally Posted by foldedpath View Post
    On the artist side, these concerts wouldn't make financial sense for someone like Randal unless they were the sole recipient of the fees.
    I had several house concerts. My "in" was to catch name performers who were on their way from one well paying gig to another, my house being "on the way". A little unexpected gas money was appreciated. Sometimes I even put them up for the night and fed them.

    On the hosting side, it keeps you from running up against any local town ordinances about commercial venues in residential areas, or reporting taxes. If you call the ticket fee a "donation" and it all goes to the artist, then it's just a private party, and the artist can answer to the IRS for any fees collected.
    This is real imporant. Add to it all the hasle of ASCAP/BMI, it just makes sense to nip all those problems once and for all by not taking any money.
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    We host house concerts. We have a suggested donation of $15.00. Most folks hand over a 20 and don't ask for change. Our series has a potluck dinner before the show. We provide the main dish and let people bring whatever to go with it. We also supply water and iced tea. We have our own PA, so the artist(s) don't have to provide that either. We have accomodations for them to stay the night if they wish. All procedes go to the artist. We make nothing. In fact, it costs us to put on these shows with food and all. We pay the donation just as everyone else. We buy the CD's as does everyone else, even though some do insist on giving them to us. In that case, I just add it to donation $$ collected. We believe it's only fair. To me, the worst part of doing a show is the fact that most people do not RSVP. You don't know if you are going to 10 folks or 30+..... I start with 20 chairs and go from there. People don't like playing to empty chairs. Our last show was this past Saturday and we had a turnout of 34. With CD sales, I believe the artist left with a grand or so....

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    How do you folks handle insurance problems that could come up if someone chokes on the food, trips on the steps or falls into the toilet from too much tea ? It sounds like it could be an insurance nightmare to get enough coverage.

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I've hosted several house concerts over the years and I usually ask for $15-$20 a head. All of which goes to the band. I provide some food and some drinks and ask that people bring potluck food items and drinks if they want.

    -David

    p.s. I've never worried about insurance either -- no-one worries about special insurance, to my knowledge, when you have a dinner party with a bunch of guests. I don't see how this is different. I'm certainly not getting paid -- I usually spend money on these affairs (like a dinner party).

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Quote Originally Posted by Timmando View Post
    How do you folks handle insurance problems that could come up if someone chokes on the food, trips on the steps or falls into the toilet from too much tea ? It sounds like it could be an insurance nightmare to get enough coverage.
    Well if you don't take any money yourself its just a private party, covered by homeowners. Presumedly you are not inviting folks you don't know.

    For the house concerts I did, I had as many as 20 people, once as many as 30, but they were people I knew and had invited.

    If you are opening it up to the general public that might be different.
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    Well if you don't take any money yourself its just a private party, covered by homeowners. Presumedly you are not inviting folks you don't know.

    If you are opening it up to the general public that might be different.
    I do, in fact, often have people show up that I don't know. Usually friends of friends, or friends of the band. To my thinking, that is again not any different than any other type of party since friends do bring guests...

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I think guests of friends is fine. Like a party. But, for example, you don't advertise your concert in the paper or on line, where folks entirely outside your knowledge could see it.

    My experience with insurance is that when you are paying the premium or buying a policy its all "oh yea, thats covered," but when you are turning in a claim, they look at every word and letter of the contract.

    I would check with an adjuster, perhaps not the one your insurance is with, to find out exactly where the line is.

    If nothing happens you are golden. But if you knew in advance nothing is going to happen you wouldn't get homeowners insurance to begin with.
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    For house parties we do exactly what we always do: $600 for two hours, $150/hour O.T.
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I would be a little hesitant to do a house party for some reason. Not that don't I love all kinds of music and enjoy musicians in general. But I have some friends of friends that I wouldn't want stumbling around my house. I think some of them are currently involved in a trip and fall at a local resturaunt. And in my job I deal with apartment dwellers, currently my company is involved in a trip and fall lawsuit from one of our tenants, who has a history of this type of thing. We even have to deal with people who get free lawyers to try to keep them from being evicted, citing elderly abuse. There are way too many tv commercials about "free" lawyers...free lawyers cost us money to hire other lawyers. A house party of people who accepted invititations specifically for them, and them alone, would work for me.
    Last edited by Timmando; May-02-2012 at 7:20am. Reason: typo

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Well, for one thing. It's NOT a 'party'. It's a house concert. We make it perfectly clear that this is a quiet listening room, be it outdoors or indoors. If you feel the need to converse with someone, take it outside or out of the audience. Of course a little conversation between songs is acceptable. We have a facebook page that we use to promote the shows, but it does not have our address listed. Folks that have never been to one of our shows have no idea where we are located. So in a way we do advertise. I also print up a flyer that I put up in a local music shop. Again, there is no address. People have to contact us to get the address and other information. We do NOT provide any type of 'adult beverage'. They can bring it and we have never had a problem with anyone having too much. Once again, it is NOT a party. Not saying people don't have a great time, but a PARTY is a different creature.

    As for the musicians. Most contact us for gigs. Sometimes I approach them. We do not offer any guarantee as far as how much $$ they will get. They get whatever the door brings plus CD sales. This is why we try to promote the show and hopefully have at least 25 - 30 people show up. 2012 is fully booked with a total of 10 shows this year. I have already booked the first show of 2013 and have had several inquiries about bookings.
    Last edited by taylor410; May-02-2012 at 10:33am.

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Thats true, the two terms have somehow gotten confused, house concert and house party. Its the house concert we are focused on.
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Yes, and why is that? The OP clearly said house party: "Do any of the pros out there have experience with House Parties? Does the band get a fee from the host or is there an expectation that we earn our money through merchandise sales and a tip jar?" This happens so often, it's baffling. Don't people read the OP rather than just the last couple/few posts? And where is the OP? It's been two days - ought to chime in and keep things on track, explain himself, and otherwise straighten things out. Why don't people at least check in to the threads they start? Baffling. To say the least.

    I've been to two or three house concerts, which were clearly advertised and operated as such - a door charge which covered the band's set fee and the host got the rest, if any - but that wasn't the question. I have never been to a house party, which I think is something more like the old rent parties that were supposedly popular in the Twenties and Thirties, which gave Fats Waller and others a start. Those were pass-the-hat affairs - I think - and much more raucous than the sedate, seated situations I think of when I see the term "house concert." But that wasn't the question.
    Last edited by journeybear; May-02-2012 at 11:24am.
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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    Quote Originally Posted by Timmando View Post
    I would be a little hesitant to do a house party for some reason. Not that don't I love all kinds of music and enjoy musicians in general. But I have some friends of friends that I wouldn't want stumbling around my house.

    (snip)

    A house party of people who accepted invititations specifically for them, and them alone, would work for me.
    That's certainly something to think about, before volunteering to host one of these things. For the one we hosted, the guest list was drawn mostly from the artist's own mailing list of students and former workshop attendees, plus the local musicians we knew in town. It was reservations only, no walk-ins, and no public advertising outside the email list. RSVP means you can cancel if you don't book enough seats, and it saves the artist showing up to a half-full room.

    There is a musician in town who hosts occasional house parties, and it's all done through his email list. If you host on a regular basis, you can build a list like that of interested people so you know who you're dealing with. I could be wrong, but I think most people who host these things are doing something similar, and not just making it a completely open invitation.

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    The OP clearly said house party: "Do any of the pros out there have experience with House Parties? Does the band get a fee from the host or is there an expectation that we earn our money through merchandise sales and a tip jar?" This happens so often, it's baffling. Don't people read the OP rather than just the last couple/few posts? And where is the OP? It's been two days - ought to chime in and straighten things out. Why don't people at least check in to the threads they start? Baffling. To say the least.
    Well, there wasn't enough information in the OP to know if they were actually looking for a "party," or just not familiar enough with the way house concerts work to use the term "house concert." There is a lot to know about how to run a successful house concert, and the info provided here may help someone else. There isn't much to know about throwing a more unstructured party. Just invite some folks, and have at it.

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I know, but that IS what he asked. Maybe he has been asked to play at parties but wants to get paid - he has a band that is trying to get started on a career climb or something (just not enough info here) - and needs to figure out how to make that happen.

    As to house concerts (which clearly more of us have had experience with and know about), I wonder what the legal aspects are. Is this a way around having an entertainment license, or do you need to have one? Does serving cookies and coffee for free (as in, included in the ticket price) make it more like having a few people over (from a legal standpoint)? I vaguely remember that being mentioned at one I went to. Charging for refreshments gets into food licensing, another can of worms. The one in Boston I went to was run by a kid - might still have been in high school, maybe college, but still living at home - and he just set up chairs in his parents' back yard, or living room in bad weather. Somehow he got some pretty well-known rising stars to play there, maybe because he was such a big fan, and there were so many talented female singer/songwriters in the area at the time (90s).

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    As long as you don't advertise to the general public, sell 'tickets' in advance or charge for food, there are no legal aspects. You tell the people that are coming that a 'donation' is recommended for the artist. It's not mandatory, but we've never had anyone not pay. You can also setup a 'donation' jar for the host to help offset some of the cost.

    We are also bringing in some pretty well known artist. Last Saturday we had Susan Gibson. She's the one who wrote "Wide Open Spaces" that the Dixie Chicks turned into a mega hit. I'm in negotiations with Kevin Welch and Walt Wilkins at the moment also. Heck, even Tim O'Brien has been known to do House Concerts.

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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

    I have played many house concerts over the years and hosted a few, too. These days, they are one of my preferred venues for many reasons. The sound setup is usually minimal and is rarely a problem. The crowd is always interested in listening and come with no other agendas. And house shows can be as lucrative as all but the bigger-venue and festival gigs. (40 to 60 folks at a coffee house or small club might net the band a few hundred dollars. At a house concert that easily translates to $700 to $1,200.)

    I've never heard of a host having any problems other than the basic hassle of changing the furniture around and cleaning up afterwards. Most regular hosts seem to love having the shows and the crowds are always respectful of the property and the scene and the music.

    I occasionally play straight house parties, too, and I always negotiate a straight fee directly from the host--just as I would for a wedding or corporate gig.

    Playing for tips is fine as long as you go into it for fun and are not really expecting to get paid. Sometimes a crowd will surprise you with their generosity, but . . .
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    Default Re: House Party- How Does the Band Get Paid?

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