Mary Kaye Live and Intimate
Intimate Live Music: Do you love Mary Kaye's music? Would you like to hear her live but there is not a venue close to you? Perhaps you would like to host Mary Kaye in concert, commonly referred to as a "House Concert," "Ranch Concert," "Barn Concert," "Yard Concert," or "Private Concert." What are these exactly? Well, the tradition goes back well over a century. There are thousands of homes and other small venues across the USA, Canada, and Europe where house concerts occur on a regular basis. Imagine being able to sit up close and personal to hear Mary Kaye sing the songs you love in an intimate setting.
Location: Do you have a location somewhere that would be suitable for hosting a concert? It might mean rearranging the furniture a little or cleaning out the barn, but if you can get 25, 50, or more people into your living room, family room, barn, patio ( w/ lights) we can have a really great time. You might need to borrow a few folding chairs or you could ask people to bring their lawn chairs. If you don’t have a space big enough maybe you know someone who does that would like to co-host the concert. House concerts can be fun and memorable if well planed and orchestrated.
Food: Some people like to have a meal, desert, or h'oderves before the show and/or at intermission. You can provide the food, just the main course, or have a potluck; whatever suits you. Some hosts are happy to provide finger foods, drinks, etc. without asking folks to bring anything. It’s entirely up to you. We have found that having some kind of refreshments during the course of the afternoon or evening is usually a good idea.
Details: As host you get to decide whether the house concert will be a private affair for friends and family, or to spread the word as far and wide as you wish. You control the extent of whom, how many, how long, advertising, etc. To help you we will post as much information about the concert as you would like on Mary Kaye's website, such as; e-mail address, phone number, date, time, address, etc. Those who have concerts in their home, or at other locations, on a regular basis usually put together an email distribution list and/or a call list of past and potential people that are live music fans, etc. that they think would appreciate an invitation to an upcoming concert. These folks have shared with us that this is very effective way to organize such gatherings.
Compensation: House Concerts are fun and memorable, we really enjoy them. However, they need to be a productive use of a performer's time and resources. Mary Kaye is also a wife and mother and needs to be compensated for her time and travel away from home. Usually the host advertises using posters, emails, etc.; as well as verbally asks attendees to pay a “suggested donation” of $15 or $20 at the door. It should be mentioned to guests that proceeds will go to the artist. Generally, our goal with a house concert is to be compensated $500 or more, before CD sales, which is quite a bit less than Mary Kaye's standard fee. CD sales are never predictable so it is important that the suggested donation amount is enough to adequately compensate the performer. If you would prefer not to charge guests for donations you can choose to make arrangements to pay Mary Kaye a flat fee, some hosts have done this. If you are confident that you can accomplish this then you are set to proceed.
We like house concerts so much that sometimes we will make a special trip to do them, especially if we are confident in your ability to carry one out successfully. Occasionally, in this type of situation, we will ask for a guaranteed amount.
Dates: Midweek evenings, Sundays afternoons, and Sunday evenings are especially appealing for scheduling a house concert. This keeps Mary Kaye's weekends available for major venues. However, occasionally weekends are available for a house concert especially when Mary Kaye will already be in your area. Take a look at Mary Kay's schedule and see what might work for you and her. If she is coming through and it looks like she might have a date available contact her manager, Brad Knaphus, and see if it will work. Don’t be afraid to ask if you see a gap in her schedule or if you think she might be passing through near enough to where you live.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
A house concert is really just a glorified BBQ with friends, neighbors, and family. Most people find that phone calls, invitations, and especially emails are an effective way to promote and organize the concert. Your email can include a link to the entertainer's website which is a helpful tool for promotion. Also, ask for an RSVP to get an accurate head count of who will be attending and plan on 5 to 10 percent no-shows...things come up. It also helps to get people there if they have a food assignment. You can also pre-sell the tickets.
As to the question of how many people to invite that depends on how many you would like to have there, or can have at your place. If you can get 50 or more guests there great. The more the merrier. House concerts are a lot of fun if well organized. Of course the host needs to take charge of the event and make sure that every one pays, they promote the entertainer's CDs, people bring the food assigned, are on time, etc. Of course it is the goal of the entertainer to maximize the evening with revenue being that they are on tour. The suggested amount for donation works best when it communicates the quality and value of the evening entertainment. Experience has shown that $15 to $25 per person is best. A higher ticket price attracts a better crowd which makes for a better concert. However, you know your people best.
The house concert usually looks something like this unless there is a sit down dinner served:
- Food and Socializing for about 20 to 30 min.
- Short Introduction of Entertainer.
- 1st Music Set of about 45 min.
- 10-15 min. Intermission w/ Food, Socializing & CD Sales.
- 2nd Music Set of about 30 to 45 min.
- CD Sales/Socializing/Food.
Note: These are just suggestions because every area is different. Some people actually do a regular house concert series every year. You can publicize the event; just don’t give out your home address until you invite somebody. As long as the guests are there by invitation only, even the ones you have met by phone, it will be considered a private party.
Web Resources:
What is a House Concert: http://www.houseconcertconnection.com/whatis.htm
House Concert Hosting: http://www.concertsinyourhome.com
House Concerts: http://www.gaiaconsort.com/house.html