Want to host a concert? Your home, barn, business, yoga studio, backyard, or terrace could be the perfect spot! 

A Custom Concert is an uplifting, intimate, connective and joyful experience for you, your family and friends, colleagues, clients…whoever you want to invite

Want to do something truly new, different and exciting for one of these occasions?

• Birthday or Anniversary Celebration

• Unique Gathering of Friends, Family or Colleagues

• Grand Opening or Business Milestone

• Non-Profit Fundraiser or Milestone Celebration

• Just Because gathering great people with great music feels awesome

A Custom Concert is just the ticket (often referred to as a House Concert, even though a private intimate concert experience can take place in a variety of settings!)

TESTIMONIAL - PATRICIA

HOW DO I BOOK A HOUSE CONCERT?

Planning your unique event or booking Cassandra for your house concert series begins with submitting this Interest In Collaborating Form.

In this form, we’ll explore your space, vision, community, budget, and dates of interest.  If you already know exactly what you’re looking for and just want to book, we’ll be in touch to firm up further details, and secure a date with a deposit. 

If you’re not sure on details but there’s a good match for working together, you’ll receive an invite to a 15 minute initial Creative Call with Cassandra’s team.  You don’t need any prior experience booking, managing, working in a venue… many of the hosts we’ve worked with are passionate, connected community members, non-profit leaders, or folks who love to gather neighbors! 

If you already know you want to book or explore booking, fill out this Interest In Collaborating Form now!

Want more info?  Read on…!

WHAT TYPE OF SPACE DO I NEED?

Depending on the available space (and comfort level of the host), house concerts vary quite a bit in size and scope, from a dozen people in a small living room, 30 people in a Yoga studio, 50 people in a basement, or 250 people in a large backyard. 

You do want to make sure there is adequate seating for your guests – whether that means gathering all the chairs from around your house, renting or buying folding chairs, or asking guests to bring lawn or folding chairs, cushions and blankets.

WHAT’S THE STRUCTURE OF THE EVENT?

Often, house concerts are BYOB and involve a pot-luck dinner or hors d’oeuvres, although hosts are welcome to structure an event however they’d like, and provide food/drinks if they prefer. There are often 30-60 minutes between when doors open and when the music starts. This allows for quick catching up with friends, noshing, sipping of libations, and settling in.

When there is a critical mass in attendance, or when “official start time” rolls around, the concert commences.

THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE

Depending on your desires, budget and schedules, Cassandra can play solo, or with other musicians.  House concerts can be completely acoustic: unplugged and unamplified, or amplified if the concert presenter or artist can provide a sound system. Depending on the space, once you start getting bigger than about 25 or 30 people, you may want a small PA (public address) system to help supplement the natural acoustics. This is especially true for duos or groups, as certain instruments can easily overpower vocals (and some guests may have a hard time discerning lyrics in quieter songs without amplification). You’d be amazed how much sound can be absorbed in a comfy living room – or how an echo-y room can muddle the words!

The Length of the concert is up to you. Some hosts want one set (45-60-75-90 min).  Some want 2 shorter sets with a snack/bathroom/mingling break.  You’ll co-create this with Cassandra’s team in the booking process, and according to your desires and needs!

The Feeling In The Room:  Here’s what is wonderful and unique about house concerts: there’s no vast separation dividing the artist from the audience. Everyone is in the same room together – sharing, listening, connecting. It’s a perfect environment for “stories behind the songs”, more interaction with the audience than traditional venues, Q&A, intimate songs.

HOW DO I GET PEOPLE TO ATTEND MY EVENT?

Enthusiastic word of mouth is by far the most effective way to get folks to come to a house concert or event you are hosting.  Hosts are encouraged to use any and all available methods of communication and networking to fill the room!

• Email lists if you have one

• Facebook Event and invite your community

• Personal emails/ email blasts

• Texts and text blasts

• Asking friends/ family/ colleagues to invite and bring their friends/community

• Post a flier on local events boards (libraries, coffee houses, YMCA etc)

In your invite, you’ll want to share how special and unique the event is, why people would want to come, and share Cassandra’s music/videos so people get a sense of what they’ll be seeing!

One note: it’s important to make sure, in the promotional process, that your guests understand that this will be an actual concert, not a house party that has some music going on in the background.  This is CRITICAL for people to understand before showing up, so they expect to be an attentive audience member, not talking through the music.

RSVPs

It’s a good idea to have an RSVP system in place to get some idea of how many folks to expect – especially if there’s a second tier of people you’d like to invite. Some folks use Facebook events, Paperless Post, Evite.com, or other invitation sites to keep track of their guest list, which we highly suggest.

Also, unless you’re uncomfortable with it, we will post the house concert date on Cassandra’s website schedule (we do not publish private street addresses unless given permission) and ask that people interested in attending contact the host via e-mail (or your preferred method of contact) for more specific details and to RSVP. This way, you maintain control over to whom you are opening your home and how many people you’re inviting in through your door.

WHAT DOES A CUSTOM CONCERT COST?

Performance fees/guarantees are discussed during the booking process. Sometimes, depending on schedule and travel, we require a flat guarantee to hold the date/not take other offers, ensure it makes sense to travel as far as required, or accommodate your specific set list requests. This is also very typical for collaborations with businesses and non-profits, vs. individual house concert hosts.

Other times, a private/house concert may be supported via a Suggested Donation that each guest pays upon entering (or at a specific time during the show).  This can be in cash, check, Venmo, etc.  Sometimes all donations go to the artists; sometimes there is a split with the host.  

Some house concerts choose to have a defined “cover” charge for the music. Many house concerts require payment in advance – either online, by check, or in person. This helps when many people reserve a seat but don’t attend. The host and/or artist can’t be expected to fill those seats at the last moment – but they often would have been able to “sell the seats” if they weren’t already reserved. The suggested amount often ranges from between $10 to $40 per person, with $20-25 being pretty typical. We tend to leave it up to the host (since you know the invitee list and the local market) to know much your friends and family might contribute for such a unique experience; and it’s often surprising how generous people will be when left to make up their own mind about how much to contribute (especially after hearing the music!)

When we’re confirming a concert with you, you’ll receive a Performance Agreement from someone on Cassandra’s team. Please don’t be intimidated!  This agreement spells out the specifics and terms, and what will happen if for some reason the event needs to be rescheduled or cancelled.  This agreement is to protect you as much as the artist.

WILL CASSANDRA TRAVEL TO PERFORM FOR ME? WHAT ABOUT LODGING?

We are always interested in opportunities to collaborate on a custom concert, no matter where you are! That said, when traveling more than a couple hours from the artist’s home territory (or tour schedule), there may be Travel and Lodging expenses that must be covered by the host.  Sometimes hosts simply cover these, but there are other ways to address these needs as well (local sponsorship of travel/lodging, mutually agreed lodging in your home or someone local’s home instead of incurring hotel costs, etc).   Always Submit an Interest Form before assuming Cassandra would not come play for you; there are often creative ways to work out details and expenses.