house concerts and 21st century touring

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I am so happy that my first concert was a success. Some very unusual statistics for you to ponder:

1. I had the concert the afternoon of the SuperBowl;
2. Everyone who said they would come, actually showed up (we had 27 people); and
3. The artist made their minimum and sold a good number of CDs.

I’m so very pleased. And I need to thank you and CIYH for being a lifeline out there. I know that I didn’t specifically reach out to you for an assist, but knowing you were there (and using some of your helpful tips from “the guide”) was an immense help. You are angels out there in your support of live music.
– Gayle S.

Message from Fran:

The Call for Listening Rooms

It’s time. During the next few weeks, we’ll be sending invitations to venues who insist on a listening room environment. You know some of them - Eddie’s Attic, Coffee Gallery Backstage, Passim, etc.

Here’s the catch. The artists are in control. ListeningRoomNetwork will ONLY promote venues whose experience can be vouched for by our artists. You can’t just say you are a listening room. You have to prove it - consistently.

• If there’s a drunk guy making a scene during the show, you throw him out.
• If someone wants an espresso or a latte within earshot of the stage, they have to wait until the break.
• If anyone asks you to turn the game on, you shoot them in the groin.

It’s time that we recognize the special venues, support them, and inspire more to follow in their footsteps. More importantly, it’s time to get our fans to fall in love with live music again. Not just house concerts, but any place where the artist-audience bond is nurtured and protected.

Join us. If you know of a venue that could use our help, tell us here.

New CIYH Hosts: (artist members can search “member since 2011-03″ using the advanced search.)

18 New Hosts:
AZ-Denise, CA-Brad/Anne/Cindy/Marc, IN-Mark, MA-Stephanie, MB-Ali, MO-Craig, NJ-Kim/Joan, OR-Larry, PA-Laura/Anna, TN-Paul, TX-Bob/Tim/Gary

CIYH hosts can elect to do DinnerAndSong events instead of, or in addition to house concerts.

New CIYH Artists:

(Welcome Aboard!)

Al & Ann, Andrea Paquin, Bennett and Perkins, Chuck Allen Floyd, Elaine Romanelli, John Schmitt, Michael Ripoll, Rae Hering, Vinx

Our Audio 6-Packs (free downloads) are back! This month, download 2 tracks from each of our featured artists. Lovely music!

Look for these new artists here!

Renewed Artists:

(Signed on for another great year!) Amanda Pearcy, Beth Wood, Bill Evans & Megan Lynch, Castlebay, Dave Ramont, Jon Shain, Kerry Grombacher, Kim Richardson, Larry Allen Brown, Paul Phillips, Steve Meckfessel

We’re now putting some additional spotlight on artists who renew for 3 years - you make us feel good and we think you’re smart.

Schwag of the Month:

Everyone knows that food and music are the sustenance of life. Since Man cannot live on bread and water alone, be among the first to shout it from your elbowtops with this exquisite DinnerAndSong T-shirt? .
Okay, you’re finally getting all that winter yuk off your ride, and what could go better on your sparkling vehicle than sporting and shiny new Concerts In Your Home Bumpersticker? Well, quite frankly, nothing could so please make full use of this friendly reminder to stock up on some right now.

Host Reward Winners!

Congratulations to Russ & Julie Paris, and Nolan Pepperdine. Each host wins a $50 gear voucher from D’Addario and Planet Waves. We’ll look at the CIYH calendars each month and randomly pick two winners from our active hosts. Login and post your events! (It takes about 90 seconds.)

Tips for Artists and Hosts:

• Mother Hen Promotions joins the ListeningRoomNetwork (&CIYH) Family.
• BMI Offers Coffeeshop Discount, but…
• Take a Friend to a House Concert in April.
• ConcertsInYourHome.com Shut Down by Authorities.
• First-hand experience. DinnerAndSong works

Our new blog, for hosts only.

• Set the tone for the concert with our opening MC comments
• Love our artists = reply to their booking inquiries
• Tackle the suggested donation opportunity eyeball to eyeball
• “DNS clubs”
• Tame your DinnerAndSong preparation

Join us in Montreat, NC for the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference in May. It’s a great way for our hosts and artists to network with each other.

Artists and Hosts log in here

Please share this newsletter with people you like. — fran
Thanks to D’Addario and Planet Waves for their kind support of this community.

Sign up for this newsletter through RSS or by emailing us here.

The aim of an entertainer is to figure out what the audience wants to hear. The aim of an artist is to figure out what she wants to say. Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive, and the happy artist is one who develops a lasting audience of people who want to hear what she wants to say. — Fran Snyder

Message from Fran:

We failed!

One month ago we set the goal of 100 new hosts in 28 days. It’s vital to the future of our artists to create new opportunities, and to find ways to engage with new audiences. Well, I’m delighted to report - we failed. Sort of.

However, in the process of failing to reach that goal, we did break our previous record, and signed up 30 new hosts since the last newsletter. Thirty new hosts could mean more than 100 new opportunities per year for our community of talented artists. It could mean thousands of new people finally discovering the joy of house concerts, and maybe getting inspired enough to create some of their own.

So let’s fail again this month, and set another record! Please share this video DinnerAndSong.com with your fans and friends.

Folk Alliance Recap:
A big thank you to the Jacksons and Lee Herman for helping us host our best conference ever. We saw stunning talent on the main stages as well as our humble little hotel rooms. Thanks to all the hosts, artists and friends who attended our big yearly shindig. You simply must put it on your calendar for next year. Next conference? www.serfa.org in May.

New CIYH Hosts: (artist members can search “member since 2011-02″ using the advanced search.)

30 New Hosts in AL, ALB, AZ, CA (3), DC (2), DE (2), FL (3), KS, MD (3), MO, MT (2), NC, NE, OH, OK, ONT, PA (2), SC, UK, VT
CIYH hosts can elect to do DinnerAndSong events instead of, or in addition to house concerts.

New CIYH Artists:

(Welcome Aboard!)

Barak Hill, Connor Garvey, Danny Mitchell, Dave Stamey, elijah nisenboim, February Sky, Jerry Burgan - Songs & Stories, Mandalyn May, Mark Cormican, Professor Doug Bell, Stuart Michael Burns, The Levins, Tom Breiding

Our Audio 6-Packs (free downloads) are back! This month, download 2 tracks from each of our featured artists. Lovely music!

Look for these new artists here!

Renewed Artists:

(Signed on for another great year!) Bing Futch, Clint Alphin, Corey Webb, Craig Werth, Dana Hubbard, Drew Nelson, Hans York, Jennings and Keller, Peter Biedermann, Roy Schneider, Sabrina

Schwag of the Month:

And now we offer a truly original product never before available on this planet. Are you ready to be the first in the world to drink from the new DinnerAndSong mug? It’s such a one of a kind item that there is only one design so far, so collect all 1 several times and you get a matching set! Best used whenever a Dinner and Song event is taking place, when any meals are being served, or a liquid needs containing for pretty much any reason. It’s even ok to put it on your desk and fill it with pens and hi-liters - we simply ask that you keep it nearby.
Maybe you’ve noticed that blasted groundhog has sentenced many of you to a cold March, so ride Winter out with a classic “Your living room was made for live music” long sleeve sweatshirt.
Choose your style and size shirt here!

Host Reward Winners!

Congratulations to Ken Yavit and Dudley “Smitty” Smith. Each host wins a $50 gear voucher from D’Addario and Planet Waves. We’ll look at the CIYH calendars each month and randomly pick two winners from our active hosts. Login and post your events! (It takes about 90 seconds.)

Tips for Artists and Hosts:

• Video - Proof that you don’t suck?
• Is Your Artist-Esteem Low?
• BMI Live
• Email That Creates Thousands of Dollars
• Make Money from ConcertsInYourHome Before You Join!
• A New Email to Pitch House Concerts and DinnerAndSong to Your Fans
• Dave Cool Publishes Nice Conference Prep Guide - Free PDF
• Are Your Events Being Ignored?
• Simple email from artist to fans - creates hosts and gigs.

Join us in Montreat, NC for the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference in May. It’s a great way for our hosts and artists to network with each other.

Artists and Hosts log in here

Please share this newsletter with people you like. — fran
Thanks to D’Addario and Planet Waves for their kind support of this community.

Sign up for this newsletter through RSS or by emailing us here.

Happy New Year to the both of ya!
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what the two of you do, regarding Concerts in Your Home. I know you probably hear this from artists all the time, but CIYH is a great thing and I continue to reap the benefits of it. It truly helps me do what I do. — Ben Bedford

Message from Fran:

Check out our new video for DinnerAndSong!

100 New Hosts in 28 Days

That’s our goal, and we need your help. 100 new hosts will transform the effectiveness, the rewards, and the fun factor of our house concert community. More host collaborations, weekend circuits, friendships, and yes… more gigs.

And, I’m not talking about house concerts. Not really. DinnerAndSong.com is the key.

Jeff and I have learned that “starting small” (on weeknights) is the most powerful way to create the next generation of house concert hosts, for these reasons:

• Higher chance of success - anyone can gather 6-10 guests.
• More critical - weeknights are the toughest nights for traveling artists.
• More viral - if anyone can do it, more people will.
• More collaborative - imagine “the I-70 DNS corridor” with sequential weeknight hosts.
• More frequent - weekly DinnerAndSong Clubs allow hosts to take turns.
• More adaptable - we’ve already seen DessertAndSong, and soon DinnerAndWorkshop.
• Long term benefits - some DNS hosts eventually team up or mature into full house concerts. The artists who inspired these hosts become anchors of their yearly schedules.

Almost 25% of our active hosts have already logged in to add this program so they can do both types of events. Here’s the current (U.S.) map - we’re approaching 100 DinnerAndSong hosts. (3 in Canada)

What you can do today. Post our video link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8TQmolyuHg) on your Facebook page/profile, and start talking about it with your friends. Check out the new DNS blog and look at the interesting project we are planning. In a few days I’ll share more easy ways that you (hosts, fans, and artists) can help us inspire 100 New Hosts in 28 Days.

Thanks to all our friends who advised and helped us produce DinnerAndSong video. Special thanks to The Twangtown Paramours for providing the voiceover. Once we get video testimonials and some actual video footage of DNS events, we’ll do a few more versions.

Video/Tour Contest Update:
Let’s all congratulate Jeff and our hosts for lining up 11 shows for Suzie Vinnick, and 5 shows for Big Wide Grin for their big contest wins last fall. Here are the details, and there are still a few dates available for both acts. Barnaby Bright dates will be announced shortly.

New CIYH Hosts: (artist members can search “member since 2011-01″ using the advanced search.)

19 New Hosts in AR, CA (2), CO (2), GA, IN, KS, MD, MI, MO, MS, NJ, NY, OR, TX, WY, and 2 International: Berlin, Newfoundland.
CIYH hosts can elect to do DinnerAndSong events instead of, or in addition to house concerts.

New CIYH Artists:

(Welcome Aboard!)

Adam Levy, Addie Brownlee, American Double, Brad Cole, Caroline Jones, Chi McClean, Daddy Squeeze, Dn’A, Ellis, Greg Horne, Jon Brooks, Juni Fisher, Lauren Sheehan, Songster, Left On Red, Magpie, Mary Tebbs, Mikhail Horowitz & Gilles Malkine, Miss Brown To You, Neptune’s Car | Holly Hanson and Steve Hayes, Nick Annis, Peter Siegel, Radical Roots, Roger “Hurricane” Wilson, Sharaya Mikael, The Winterlings, The Yellowhammers, US

Our Audio 6-Packs (free downloads) are back! This month, download 2 tracks from each of our featured artists. Lovely music!

Look for these new artists here!

Renewed Artists:

(Signed on for another great year!) Albert and Gage, Ann & Will Rowland, Bill Toms, Edie Carey, JP Hoe, Mike Agranoff, Roxie Randle, Russ Franzen, Sally Spring, Suzie Vinnick.

We’re now putting some additional spotlight on artists who renew for 3 years - you make us feel good and we think you’re smart.

Schwag of the Month:

It’s time to proudly proclaim that you’ve heard the words! The words to all the songs at the house concerts you’ve seen, that is. Spread the awesome reality of this unusual but wonderful phenomena!
Why sit alone in wintry traffic jams? Let our “Ask Me About My Next House Concert” bumpersticker raise the curiosity about your next house concert. Don’t waste time being frustrated in traffic when you could be making new friends and new HC fans!
Choose your style and size shirt here!

Host Reward Winners!

Congratulations to Barry Kasindorf and Karen Webb Hachman. Each host wins a $50 gear voucher from D’Addario and Planet Waves. We’ll look at the CIYH calendars each month and randomly pick two winners from our active hosts. Login and post your events! (It takes about 90 seconds.)

Tips for Artists and Hosts:

• Upper Midwest Selected as Touring Region for Video Contest Winner Suzie Vinnick
• Give Hosts a Second Chance
• How you can play “Russ and Julie’s of Tomorrow”
• Music Conference Advice
• Dear Singer-Songwriter, “preserving language in song”
• The New DinnerAndSong Video - create your own version?
• Top Questions About DinnerAndSong program.
• Top 10 Tips for the Bass Player
• Finding Good Hosts for Your Upcoming Tour

Check out the great acts who’ll be showcasing with us at Folk Alliance!
Join us at FAI (Folk Alliance International) in Memphis, TN February 16-20. Visit folk.org

Artists and Hosts log in here

Please share this newsletter with people you like. – fran
Thanks to D’Addario and Planet Waves for their kind support of this community.