A private concert in your own home, at no cost to you?? - See the demo video 

Yes! It's possible! In fact, it's becoming more and more common!
They're called House concerts. It's an alternative way for professional, touring musicians and entertainers to expand and increase their audience and exposure, as well as minimize expenses for "off nights" or "Unbooked nights" while on the road. AND you and your friends get to have a private concert, in your home. It's intimate, fun and easy!

Here's how it works /FAQs:

Q: WHO CAN HAVE, or "HOST" A HOUSE CONCERT?
A: ABSOLUTELY ANYONE! You can live anywhere. You don't have to have any Experience, or any involvement of any kind with the music business. You don't have to be a musician. All you need is a place that's suitable, (a house, apartment, living room, deck or patio, etc. Places big enough for a small party, say, 15 or 20 people or more.) You also need a love of music. That's it!

Q: WHAT KIND OF ARTISTS ARE AVAILABLE TO DO HOUSE CONCERTS?
A: PROFESSIONAL, TOURING and RECORDING ARTISTS. People like Dana Cooper, Tom Kimmel, Tom Presada-Rao, Katie Wallace, Emily Kaitz and of course, John M, just to name a few. These are all people with CD's available, who tour regularly, perform in venues of all sizes, have appeared on radio and television, etc.. and who regularly perform house concerts!

Q: WHY WOULD ARTISTS LIKE THESE DO A PRIVATE SHOW AT MY HOUSE?
A: IT'S TO EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT, INCLUDING THEIRS. It's all part of life on the road, for a traveling entertainer. Musicians love to play. Most of them feel that no matter how busy they are, they would like to play more than they do. But traveling, even for those who love it, is tiresome and expensive. On virtually ALL musical tours, there are some "dead" or "Unbooked" nights. Any night an artist is on the road and not performing somewhere, he must find food and lodging, generally at his, the artist's own expense and often has nothing to do on such a night but "hang out at the hotel." A House concert, at a house like yours, provides the artist with a free place to stay for the night and some free food that evening (and breakfast the following morning) AND gives him another chance to do what he loves to do.... What he's out traveling for in the first place... to play for an audience! In addition, the artist can sell a few CDs and make a little extra money for traveling expenses. In exchange for helping the artist in these ways, you and your friends get a private, intimate concert. Everybody wins!

Q: DOES THE ARTIST GET PAID FOR THIS? DOES HE/SHE PERFORM FOR FREE?
A: Generally, there is a donation collected at the door. You, the host and the artist can decide between you what the suggested donation should be. They can range anywhere from $8.00 to $15.00 or $20.00,.. but $10.00 is typical. This donation is usually comparable to what one would normally have to pay at a nightclub to hear the artist. In addition, at a nightclub, they would also have to consider food, drinks, parking, gas, etc., etc. Factor in all these additional expenses and as you know, a typical night out at a club to hear a performer can run as high as $20.00, $30.00, or more! So at $10.00 each, your guests get a more intimate performance, *just for them*, for much less than they would have to spend to see the same artist perform elsewhere. We ask that the host invite at least 20 people to a concert. More, if you have room for them. Most of the touring house concert performers that we know are asking for a guarantee of $200, or more. (20 people, at $10.00 each.) WE ARE ONLY ASKING YOU TO GUARANTEE $150.00. If you invite 20 people and only 15 people come, that covers our guarantee, you pay NOTHING. If, say, only ten people showed up, out of the 20 invited, that would be $100 and you would owe us the difference of $50.00. The donation collected at the door goes to the artist. This and whatever he/she can make for selling CDs plus room and board for the evening, is the artist's pay. What the host gets out of it is a free concert and party in the privacy and comfort of his/her own home.

Q: WHAT ABOUT FOOD/REFRESHMENTS?
A: 1.- Pot Luck. The house concert can be done on a "Pot luck" basis, where the guests are all encouraged to bring some type of food or refreshment to be shared with the other guests.
2.- Limited food & refreshment provided by the host. The host knows in advance who and how many are coming to the concert. (Guests must phone, or RSVP.) The host can provide a limited amount of soft drinks and/or appetizers, finger foods, etc., or even pizza. All of these things can be provided at very low cost and can, if the artist agrees, be paid for out of donations collected at the door.
3.- B.Y.O. This is the simplest and least costly way to handle the question of food and refreshment. There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to handling food this way. Ultimately, it's the host's decision. YOU decide.

Q. WHAT DO I, (the HOST), HAVE TO DO?
A. The host provides the place, invites the guests, collects the donations and provides the artist with a place to sleep for the evening, (a couch, guest room, etc.) and breakfast the following morning. THAT'S IT!

Q. WHAT DOES THE ARTIST HAVE TO DO?
A. The artist performs a private concert for you and your guests, in your home, (generally a two-hour program, with one or two breaks). The artist will assist and advise you in organizing and providing promotional materials, (flyers, pictures, etc.)

Call or e-mail John M,  or Penni Merrick  (818-989-1617)
We can give you all the information you need, help you plan, refer you to other resources and even help you book your own house concert with JOHN M.