host a house concert
WHAT IS A HOUSE CONCERT?
a live concert in your home.
Imagine…
Transforming your living room, backyard, side garden, rustic barn, or pop-up space into an intimate performance venue for a few hours.
Impressing your friends and neighbors — introducing them to musicians you love while enjoying a unique, memorable music experience together.
Supporting your favorite indie musicians, connecting them with new fans, donations and album sales, and perhaps introducing them to a new town or city.
Here’s how to make it so.
Ready to host?
Read through this “Host a House Concert” page.
Submit a Host Request Form to connect with Sorcha and her Booking Team.
Read + Download our House Concert Host Guide.
emilia dahlin (left) + sorcha | barn house concert, thomaston, maine
sorcha | house concert, limerick, maine | music video by alex coppola - filmed in front of a live audience. audio recorded and mixed by evan casas.
frequently asked questions
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Design your event.
As House Concert Host, you can invite a Musician, plan a potluck, and gather friends and neighbors for a personalized concert in your home / space.
Impress your friends.
Impress and connect with your people, provide a multi-generational gathering space, create a welcoming and caring environment for all.
support your favorite indie musicians.
Support your favorite musicians, helping to expand their fanbase, boost their income and music sales, and provide a fulfilling performance space.
How Do musicians Get Paid?
one of 3 options, as house concerts are not ticketed shows:
Host pays Musician(s) a Guaranteed Fee; or
Attendees pay Musician(s) via a suggested donation (typically $10-20/person; $30/family); or
Combo: Host pays a Guarantee AND collects donations from Guests (Host - Musician split TBD)
Do I Need To Offer Lodging To Musicians?
No, it’s optional, but welcome.
But if you do have space and capacity, you may wish to offer lodging to Musicians or connect them with local lodging options. If this is a new city for them, you might share local hotels or Air bnb hosts or even friends who may be willing to put them up for a night.
MY SPACE IS SMALL. can i still host?
yes, it’s possible…let’s get creative.
If you can comfortably fit 10-20 people, sure! If you’re short on seating, encourage guests to bring chairs or pillows; lean into your floor space.
If you can only fit 5-10 people but can pay a guaranteed fee, sure! When relying on suggested donations, we aim for a min of 10 attendees.
If you have access to a larger outdoor yard or deck space, sure! Plan for warmer weather and…pro tip: alert AND invite your neighbors.
If you can you team up with a friend with a larger space, sure! Co-create the vibe and guest list, and expand your community.
can A living room concert be…online?
YES! We want to connect with you, wherever you are.
We love traveling to you, our dear community, from our home state of Maine (USA) to perform live and in person. We also must consider the location, travel costs, and other logistics. While we can't guarantee an in-person date for each request, we do offer Virtual House Concert options:
Virtual House Concerts via Zoom
If gathering in person is NOT your thing or it isn’t an option…
Virtual house concerts via Zoom bring their own kind of magic and accessibility.
Enjoy a special online shared music experience with friends and family, wherever you are in the world.
Get creative — include a virtual potluck, celebrate a milestone, suggest a theme, like ‘prom night’ or ‘tropical vacation.’
ADD AN IN-PERSON WATCH PARTY
If gathering in person IS your thing, but hosting Sorcha isn’t geographically possible…
Invite your people over for an in-person virtual concert watch party.
Have a projector? Project the concert on a large blank wall!
Want to make it a potluck? Awesome - plan your community meal for before or after the concert.
is a “house concert” the same as a “house party”?
NO, but we love them both. Here’s how to tell them apart…
A HOUSE PARTY
…typically involves recorded or live music in the background while folks mingle — we love to play those too, but this would be booked as an Event gig rather than a House Concert. Musicians are paid by the Host through a guaranteed fee.
A HOUSE CONCERT
…is arranged like a concert, features the performer(s) and has a clear start and end time, when the space becomes a listening room. It often involves mingling + social time, too, before and after - perhaps potluck style. Musicians are paid either by the Host through a guaranteed fee or by Attendees through a suggested donation.
sorcha, jo sorrell, kate beever | frances schooner, casco bay, portland, me
ready to host?
read HOUSE CONCERT host guide
2. submit house concert host request form
Thank you for your interest and support! We are motivated by - and grateful for - all you enthusiastic, organized supporters of original music.