house concerts and 21st century touring

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Message from Fran:

3 Years!

After 6 months of planning and tweaking I officially launched CIYH in June of 2006. I’d had a good run of playing clubs, coffeehouses, colleges, and performance halls, and was ready to take on a new challenge. The idea of house concerts had become so appealing that I couldn’t ignore how important they were becoming, and how much better they could be served.

Plus, they were my favorite gigs.

Three years later and CIYH is a community of more than 1,000 members, held together by the idea that artists deserve a listening environment, and that their entertainment value should be measured by something other than alcohol sales.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for being a part of this. — fran

Kerrville

A long blissful weekend of music, socializing, and camping. It’s like no other music festival. It was amazing to see that half of the 32 New Folk finalists were CIYH members. Congratulations to winners Carrie Catherine and Rebecca Loebe. Kind thanks once again to Camp Sweetness & Light and the Rouse House. Camp “Jews Don’t Camp” was missed. 8^)

L.A. Acoustic Music Festival (2 free tickets)

One of our favorite house concert hosts has taken on the monstrous task of putting on a folk music festival in Los Angeles. It is this weekend (6/6,7), it is important, and you won’t believe the stellar line-up. (Griffith, Cockburn, Lindley, Thompson, LaFave, the Refugees…) If you live within 100 miles of L.A. - you should go. Early shows start at noon. http://www.laacousticmusicfestival.com — the 7th person to email bodiehouse at aol.com with “ciyh” in the subject will win two free tickets!

Major CIYH improvements:

Busy. Busy. Busy.

New artist profiles, with some cool new options, and… a fantastic new “advanced host search” page for artist members.

ARTISTS: Want to search for hosts who can do a Thursday in the Atlanta area, who have edited their profile in the last 3 months and done at least one show? Now you can. advanced host search!

New CIYH Hosts: (artist members can search “member since 2009-05″ using the advanced search. )

New House Concert Presenters in… AB, ON(2), CA (3), FL, GA, IA, IN, OH, VA(2), WA, and our first host in France!

New CIYH Artists: (A big thank you for your support.)

Look for these new artists here! Anders Fransson, Anna Gilbert, Annette, BettySoo, Cabin Fever NW, Cee Cee James, Cindy Kallet & Larsen Grey, Davey O., Elly Wininger, Ginny Mitchell, Hannah’s Field, James W. Barnhart, John R. Butler, John Randolph, Justin Jude, Kelly McFarling, Kimwei, Laura Brino, Lisa Bianco, Maria Sebastian, Michael Chapdelaine, Mila & Molochka Band, Nick Motil, Rob Heath, Tami Neilson - The Kitchen Table Sessions, The Honey Dewdrops, The Marvins, Tom Richardson, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike.

Renewed Artists: (A HUGE thank you for your continued support!) Annelise LeCheminant, Julie Christensen, Singalong with Phoebe, Suzahn Fiering, Marshall Artz, Dennis O’Rourke, K.C. Clifford, Cady Finlayson & Vita Tanga, Kelly’s Lot, Melissa Greener, Perpetual Motion, Clarke Buehling, Chris Carder, Teri Wilder, Steve Eulberg, The Border Blasters.

Schwag Star of the Month:

Thanks to Tripping Lily for sending us a pic of Monica in her CIYH shirt. Send your CIYH pics to franatfransnyder.com

Tip for Artists: Log in here

Here are two things you should do to spruce up your upgraded artist profile.

1. Add a quote! Make one up if you have to.

2. Add captions (titles) for your links. Many hosts like the format of myspace and sonicbids - simply because they are used to it, and they know how to easily find the stuff they want. So add your myspace link, and title it “Myspace.” If you don’t add a caption, they will see “Link 1″ and “Link 2″ - not very enticing.

Look for hosts by using the new advanced host search!

Tip for Hosts: Log in here

Keeping your profile up-to-date is no longer “optional.” The BIGGEST reason I started CIYH was to provide a helpful, UP-TO-DATE resource to help artists and hosts. While we will continue to make efforts to reach out to hosts who have not shown activity, we will remove host listings if their profile has not been edited in 9 months. Any kind of edit (adding calendar dates, changing your booking status or instructions, even your address) will show us that you are still using the site.

Please help us serve our talented artists by providing accurate information, or letting us know if you are taking a break. Thanks!

Next up: We’ll tweak the (free) host flyers for you next month. Suggestions? Write me.

–

Want to hear from CIYH more than once or twice a month? Catch the tweets or get connected here.

Please share this information with people you like. — fran

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Visit Roy Schneider’s Music and Previous Cartoons

Message from Fran:

After a year of talking about it, I finally finished our “house concert invitation” video - a tool that can help anyone raise interest in attending their house concerts.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve had a thousand “look-sees” in just one week. I’m happy to see our hosts link to the video in their invitations and flyers, and and to see artists blogging about it to share the concept with their fans. I look forward to the first report that yes, “someone we’ve been trying to get to attend finally did because of the video.” Who will it be?

KERRVILLE/Carpool - I’ll be attending the first weekend of Kerrville this year for the New Folk Competition. I’m driving from Lawrence, KS and possibly stopping in Dallas on the way down and back. It’s mostly I-35, so email me if you live along the way and need a ride.

Major CIYH improvements:

This is the kind of email you get from putting your events on the house concerts calendar.

To: Duncan House Concerts
The person below is inquiring about your show with: Kenny Edwards
On: 05/16/09

Full Name: Jaime C.
Email: j@changedforprivacy.com
Guest Zip: 90230
Occupation: teacher/writer
Join Host List: Yes

Note from inquiry: Hi,
My wife Nora and I are passionate music fans.  I’m actually a keyboard/vocalist myself who used to perform in bands and solo, but now just jam for fun.  We live in Culver City and try to patronize the local music scene, from Boulevard Music (Culver City) to McCabes (Santa Monica) to Kulak’s Woodshed (In the valley) and even Jazz at the A-Frame (Hollywood Hills). We would love to be put on your calendar list for upcoming events!

We get one or two inquiries each day that look something like the example above. The state calendars are a great way to expand your circle of friends and a nice source of potential new invitees. Your private information is protected, so you have the luxury of choosing if you’d like to reach out to those who show interest. Just log in as HOST and list your shows!

New CIYH Hosts: (artist members can search “member since 2009-04″ using the advanced search. )

New House Concert Presenters in NB, ON, AK, AL, CA, IA, IL, ME, MS, NJ, NY, OH, OR, TN, TX, VA, WA, and our first host in Wyoming!

New CIYH Artists: (A big thank you for your support.)

Look for these new artists here!

All My Pretty Ones, Aly Tadros, Amanda Pearcy, Amanda West, Arvel Bird, Ben Mallott, Clockwork, Dan Janisch, Elizabeth Jonasson, Henhouse Prowlers, James Talley, John Albert Thomas, Kira Small, LaMay & Reese, Lilli Lewis, Lisa Lynne, MaMuse, Matthew Francis Andersen, Michael Pickett, Mike Vial, Miss Quincy, Muza, Neal Fox, Open Range, Peter Janson, Richard Berman, Rick Hill, Rob Lutes, Smile Pretty Misery, Stormin’ Norman & Suzy, Teresa Storch, Susan Gibson, The Don’t Tell Darlings, The Lime Hollow Boys, the Mickeys, The Victor Mourning, Vlada Tomova’s Balkan Tales, Yahaloma

Renewed Artists: (A HUGE thank you for your continued support!)

Adam Payne, Jeanne T. Arrigo, Julie Sutton, Tom Smith, Michael Gulezian, Kim Angelis, James Casto

Schwag Star of the Month:

Dave Arsenault with sisters-in-law at the Bill and Kate Isles concert.

Tip for Artists and Hosts:

• Doing Interviews about House Concerts
• New Blog: House Concert Basics: Invitation Lists, Choosing Location, Choosing Date and Time
• Artists log in here | Hosts Log in here

Want to hear from CIYH more than once or twice a month? Catch the tweets or get connected here.

In the CD Player:

George Ensle’s “Build a Bridge.” Heart-felt rootsy ballads perfect for laid-back folk radio, and building monthly newsletters.

Please share this information with people you like. — fran

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Quote of the Month:
“I’m finding the new house concert calendars and (especially) the flyers soooo helpful. My friends are really responding. Thank you!” — B. Friedrichsen

Visit Roy Schneider’s Music and Previous Cartoons

Message from Fran

It’s great to see all the activity on the house concert calendars, and the number of hosts who are using the e-flyers to send to their friends. I’ve been getting great feedback on this, and we’ll be tweaking the flyer soon (larger fonts for seniors & yahoo map vs address option.) Thanks for your suggestions.

New CIYH Hosts

(artist members: search “member since 2009-03″ using the advanced search. )

New House Concert Presenters in ON, AZ, CA, CO, FL, KS, MI, MO, NC, NH, NY, OK, OR, TN, TX, VA

New CIYH Artists

(Look for these new artists here!)

2for2 Acoustic Duo, Andrew Solomon, Anna Dagmar, Bob Gramann, Carter Sampson, Chuck e. Costa, Cliff Eberhardt, Dan Krikorian, Dean Madonia, Dirty Dishes, Don and Karen McNatt, Ellis, Frances Drost, Greg Lamboy, Jennifer Lee, Joe Green, Joe Virga, Keith Curtis, Ken O’Malley, Kerry Grombacher, Kevin Higgins & Barbara Malteze, Kori Linae Carothers, Lauren Zettler, Linda Sack, Luke Brindley, Lydia Adams Davis, Marion Walsh, Mark S. Mooney, Mars Arizona, Michael Land, Michael Reno Harrell, Misner & Smith, My Brave Love, Porter, Rain Perry, Robin Spielberg, Ryanhood, Scott Cook, Sheryl Paige, Susan Clark, Susan Gibson, Sweet Bitters, The Hudsons

Featured this month: Juni Fisher, Carolann Ames, and Jill Jack.

Renewed Artists:

(Thank you for your continued support!)

Darren Raleigh, Kyle Knapp, DC Sills, Juni Fisher, Gates & Goodell, Ric Sandler, Dan Montgomery, Nathan Aswell, Doug Wilcox, Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Zach, D.C. Anderson, Mars or the Moon, Banshee in the Kitchen, Craig Bickhardt, Delmark Goldfarb

New Agency Members:

We’d like to welcome Cynthia Lange of Wired Music Management. She represents Cliff Eberhardt and Chuck e. Costa.

Agencies should be mindful about artist riders… many hosts are not aware that these terms are negotiable, and may choose not to book if the terms are inappropriate. If house concerts are important to your artists, and they should be if you joined us, then it would be very helpful to develop an extremely simplified rider for house concerts.

Tips for Artists and Hosts:

• Back to Basics: Choosing the right performer
• Promoting the idea to your fans: The Big Push
• Using the site: The Booking Lights

Schwag of the Month:

Bob Sima makes my day by snapping a self-portrait during his 2am snack. We debuted these shirts at the Folk Alliance conference and we still have a bunch looking for a new home. Could be a fun giveaway item at your next house concert!

They’re only $15, email me if you’d like one. Big discount if you want 3 or more.

Letters from Ned:

“tap tap… is this thing on?” Another fun story from our resident historian, Ned Treanor. See “Killing at Carnegie.”

—

Artists log in here | Hosts Log in here

Please share this newsletter with people you like. – fran

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