Live music and bands for your own House Concert

A house concert is an intimate live music gig usually in a private home or another small listening room. The beauty of house concerts is that they are the easiest way for artists and fans to connect. Concert host open their homes, invite their friends and enjoy an amazing evening with an artist at eye-level. Artists love house shows because its a great way to connect to the audience and to not only make new fans but also new friends!

You dont have to be an expert to organize a house show. Find an artist you love, determine a date and invite your friends. Most artists will do an acoustic show or bring a small PA if they need some amplification so you dont have to worry about any gear.
If you dont have a specific date in mind yet, you can list your stage as a host on SofaConcerts and will receive concert applications from artists who are touring your area - a great way to discover new talents from around the world.

Yes definitely! You might want to opt for an acoustic solo artist instead of a full band, though! We have often been surprised at how many people fit into seemingly small spaces. You can move out some furniture from your living room to create extra space and provide some pillows for floor seating of your guests.
House concerts are more about quality than quantity. Its not about gathering a big crowd, but rather a dedicated and attentive audience who will appreciate the artists music and are up for an intimate experience.

This depends a lot on who you are hosting and on the context. Artists at SofaConcerts state their fee expectations so you know what they expect. Our booking tool will help you negotiate a fair deal and guide you through the process. The most important thing is that both host and artist feel comfortable with the agreement. Artists love to share their music with new audiences and since most of them live off their work, this needs to be appreciated financially, too.
The good news is: you dont have to cover the expenses by yourself! Most hosts ask their guests to contribute a donation (you can even suggest a minimum amount). If at least 20 people donate 10-15 € each, you can easily promise the artist 250 € for the gig.
Most house concerts are BYOB - this keeps the preparation for the host as simple as possible. Some hosts like to do a potluck before or after the show. This also works well and gives more time to hang out and not only share the music but also a nice meal!

House concerts are usually not like house parties (though a full band may well be quite loud). Its a good idea to invite your guests up to an hour before the performance begins, say at 7 p.m. You can then start the gig at 8 p.m. and as artists usually play one or two sets between 60 to 90 minutes, the concert will be over before its too late. In our experience, the applause of the audience is often the loudest part of an acoustic live concert. And of course, house concerts are a great opportunity to invite and get to know your neighbours!

That is completely up to you. You can be a crowd of as little as 2 or even more than 50 people. We have seen people surprise their spouse or best friend with a private concert - or you can invite a bigger group of friends into a larger space like your studio or backyard. Bear in mind, that an acoustic setting works best for up to 30 people. If the space is bigger or there are more people in the crowd, we recommend to amplify the music slightly.

As the concert host you get to choose who you want to share it with. Your personal concert page at SofaConcerts holds all the information about your gig - you can send it as an invitation to your friends and show them who will be playing.
If you would like to meet new people, you can also open up some spots on the guest list for other fans and hosts from the SofaConcerts community. They can apply for a spot and you can personally send them your details.

For sure, thats an excellent idea! Music brings people together and creates a special atmosphere. A house concert can be a special highlight for a birthday or a family gathering - just make sure you communicate to both the artist and your guests beforehand whether you would like the music to be the center of attention or whether you are actually looking for some background music or entertainment. Many artists will do that, too, maybe even include some of your favourite songs or play the more lively part of their repertoire. Simply tell them in advance what your expectations are.

Artists love to share their music with the world and will appreciate your willingness to open your home and invite your friends to showcase their music. If you have agreed on the date, fee, size and time frame of the gig, you have already set the framework of expectations. As a host, provide some drinks for the artist and invite them for a meal. Many artists also appreciate a place to sleep if they are on tour.