The Battle of the
Romantically Dysfunctional Songwriters is available for a variety
of events: Music Clubs, Comedy Clubs, Colleges, House Concerts,
Corporate Events, Casinos, Private Events, Theaters, Charity Events,
and anywhere else you need top notch entertainment.
We can work within your budget to help you put on a great event. Please
contact us to discuss the details of your event and how we can
successfully work together.
House Concerts FAQ
We often get questions about how house concerts work. They're
very easy and really different way to entertain friends without
the hassle of navigating sleazy neighborhoods and drunk idiots
at dive bars.
Q: What
is a house concert?
A: House concerts are unique events. At most modern concerts,
the performers are completely inaccessible. But a house concert
brings the performers right to you and your friends in your home
(or back yard, or office, or apartmenet complex rec room, etc)
for an intimate, refreshing way to experience live entertainment.
And without all the hassles associated with concert-going (parking,
lines, crummy seats, weird drunk people, etc.)
Q: What's the difference between a house concert and a private
function?
A: Private functions are usually booked for an organization or
party in which the organizers will pay the entertainment a flat
fee rather than charging the guests a donation. We're
willing to work this way.
Q: How do I do it?
A: Very simple. You invite 15 or more friends, family,
co-workers, anyone you like to a concert in your home. Grab some
extra chairs so everyone has a place to sit. Ask your friends
to donate money (usually about $10) for the ticket price. Then
just sit back and enjoy the show!
Q: What's in it for me?
A: You get to be the supreme host or hostess, concert impressario
for an evening, and the most popular person in the room with your
friends. People familiar with house concerts love them.
People new to the idea love them immediately. It's
a truly unique experience and you'll be looked at as the architect
of a great evening.
Q: What do I have to provide?
A: A space big enough for two guys and two acoustic guitars to
perform. A little table of some sort to display our CDs
and merchandise. Enough chairs or couches for your
friends to sit. Just like any social gathering, some refreshments
(soft drinks and snacks) are nice. Many people do them potluck
style and have all the guests bring something.
You do not need to provide any sound or lighting. For
very large house concerts of 70 people or more, we'll provide
a sound system. But most time it's not needed.
Q: What does it cost?
A: At no personal cost, you get to become a concert impressario
for the night, introducing your friends to fantastic new artists. It
costs no more than any other informal get together. A
few snacks and some drinks, and you're good to go.
Q: What if I feel uncomfortable charging my friends money?
A: No problem! Although many house concerts have
a door person to collect fees, some hosts are uncomfortable charging
their friends, especially for a first concert, until they understand
the process. For these folks we suggest they simply place a jar
by the entry with a visable sign that says:
SUGGESTED DONATION
$10 each
All proceeds go to the musicians!
THANKS
Maybe a mention of the donation concept during the welcome and
introduction of the concert as a reminder. This combination of
tactics assures that all the folks contribute to the 'jar' while
keeping the host out of the money collecting responsibility.
Q: What if I don't have 15 friends?
A: You can invite friends, family, co-workers, the mailman, and
anyone else you'd like. If you don't know 15 people, ask
the few you are inviting if they know some people who would enjoy
the experience. You'll be able to meet some new folks
too! In order to make a house concert worthwhile (ie. covering
our expenses and such) we need to have a minimum of 15 people
at the show. And more is always better. We've
never turned down a show because of too many people. :)
Q: What if I don't have enough room?
A: Most people are surprised at how many people can be seated
comfortably in a living room. Using concert-style row seating,
with kitchen or dining room chairs and some furniture rearranging,
an average 12 X 18 living room can comfortably seat 35 people.
If your home is absolutely too small, consider hosting the concert
jointly with a friend who has a larger home, or even at a local
coffee bar, in your condominium common room, or in the boardroom
at your office. In warm weather, you might prefer to hold your
concerts outdoors in a backyard or on a deck. (Be sure to arrange
an alternative rain site.)
Q: Is the show public or private?
A: Totally your choice. You can keep us all to yourselves,
or advertise publicly to bring some more folks in. The
most important thing is having an audience that's prepared to
sit and listen to a concert. We couldn't be background
music even if we tried.
Q: Can the kids come?
A: That depends on the parents and the kids. First, a Battle
show is definitely rated PG13. While we do have people bring young
ones to see us, that's completely up to them. But our
show is designed for adults. Also, most children do
not that the hour plus attention span to watch a whole concert. We
like parents to be able to relax and enjoy the show without worrying
about their fidgety kids.
If you need a babysitter, you might consider pooling funds with
other parental guests and getting one or two sitters to watch
the whole brood for the evening.
Q: How long do you play?
A: We generally do two 30-40 minutes "rounds" with a
short socializing break in between. At the host's discretion
we can do a full show all the way through with no break.
Q: How do I sign up for one?
A: To book a Battle for your house concert, contact Phil at Phil@RoadsideAttraction.com
or Chris at Booking@ChrisValentiMusic.com
and we'll get all the details worked out. |
