lyn bESSE

A House Concert is an excellent way to experience an artist and her music!

How does a house concert work?  Here's some common questions & answers:

What's a house concert?  A concert in your home.  You get live music and the artist gets an audience in an intimate setting.

Where does Lyn play house concerts?  While Lyn usually performs house concerts closer to her home in the Canadian prairies, you can book a house concert anywhere.  Just ask!  Lyn loves to travel.

Guests/ Audience:  As the host, you invite the guests (aka the audience) into your home for the concert.  20 is a nice small audience, but it all depends on the space you have to work with.

How do you seat the guests? You should have a room in your house that will fit the guests, seated.  Couches, chairs, kitchen chairs, floor, & cushions become the audience seating.  In the summer, people sometimes opt to have the concert in the backyard, on a patio deck, etc. 

Do I need a stage &/or a sound system?  No.  All you need to provide is an electrical outlet, Lyn will bring her guitar, a small PA/mic and maybe a few other toys.   

The Evening / The Performance:  Typical start time for the music is 8pm.  You usually invite guests to arrive after 7.  The music is in two 45 minute sets with a break between sets.  This allows for socializing before the first set, at the break, and after the show.

What do guests bring?  Usually guests bring whatever they wish to drink and perhaps a snack to share – unless you’re into providing that yourself.  

House concerts are ‘listening’ performances:  House concerts are not house parties where the musician sings in the corner while people talk and party.  This is a concert in it's most intimate form.  A listening event.  People don't move around/talk during the concert – and Lyn is pretty good at setting that up at the start of the show.

Creating your guest list:  Guests are people you know:  friends, co-workers, family, neighbours, people from your sports team or choir, or whatever.  Sometimes hosts allow friends to invite friends to get a good group together. 

What is the cost to host a concert?  There is no cost to you.  The house concert tradition sees guests pay their admission to the show like they would in any other venue.  Admission per person is $15-$20.  Usually hosts have a list and a little container/basket to put money in, right at the door – often it’s self-serve.  

CDs and Merch stuff:  Lyn brings CDs and other merch to sell. 

To inquire/book a house concert, send an email to lynmcginnis@sasktel.net