house concerts and 21st century touring

Ned Treanor is a folk historian, with more memories than you’d expect from someone who was part of the Woodstock generation. Maybe the haze only filtered out the boring events.

I was compelled to share his recent enlightening and funny emails to me in what I hope will become a monthly series.

You want credentials? Shawn Colvin used to baby-sit his kids. Take it away, Ned

Fran-

Here’s hoping that everything’s going well in your neck of the woods. Here’s another “flash-back” that may interest your readers.

For the very first Earth Day, in 1970, Pete Seeger had gotten Lola & Robert Redford to be his co-chairpersons for the celebration to be held at Battery Park in Manhattan. He then commissioned an orchestral piece to commemorate the event. The piece was to be played in a way that would feature Pete’s environmental workboat, the “Clearwater.” The ship, which Pete had built in 1969, was a replica of the ferry sloops that had populated the Hudson River during the previous century, carrying cargo between Albany and the Port of New York.

The scenario was such that 1/3 of the orchestra would be located at the United Nations Plaza, another third would be on Roosevelt Island in the middle of the river and the final third would be on board the passing ship! As soon as all three sections were within range of each other, they were to make musical history by performing this piece, despite the logistical nightmare that it presented.

Oh yeah… there was one more “wrinkle” in the plan - Mother Nature!! No one had checked the weather report for the “big day,” so as the good ship “Clearwater” sailed south toward orchestral “history”, the heavens opened with a torrential downpour that had Manhattan at a near standstill. All of the dignitaries that Pete Seeger & the Redfords had assembled, as well as an army of musicians and craftspeople were all scattering for “cover,” to protect their instruments & wares.

However, at the height of this deluge, the rain abruptly stopped... the sun came out… and the “Clearwater” reached the point at which “musical history” was to be made. The three sections flawlessly performed their historical work… and practically as the last notes of the symphony were played, the storm resumed for the balance of the day, making for a flock of soggy, dis-spiritred craftspeople, musicians & politicians.

Mother Nature ruled. On Earth Day, no less. Anyhoo. Best wishes.

-Ned

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House Concerts and Genre Diversity

Artists often ask something like this,

Hi Fran,

We play “bluegrass waltzes with a horn section of blind aborigines” (that’s our genre) - do any house concerts book that kind of music?

Please let us know because we want to rock (um, waltz) the house concert scene.

Sincerely,

Australian Three-Step

So I just did a rough count in some of the more popular categories. Interesting numbers… a few surprises.

Genre(s) and the number of hosts who are interested in them. (7/22/08)

• Folk or acoustic - too many to count!
• Rock 45
• Blues 43
• Americana 40
• Bluegrass 34
• Country 28
• Singer-/songwriter 25
• Jazz 26
• Celtic 18
• Pop 15
• Classical 8

Where are the flamenco/klezmer/polka lovers?

Artists: You can get your own results on the “advanced search” page at concertsinyourhome.com
.

Another interesting survey we did a few months ago: House Concert Fast Facts
.

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See for yourself!

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