House concerts are just what they sound like…a complete concert performance with professional musicians located directly in the biggest room of a house (or other space). It is not a house party or a party with background music. It is a sit down, listening concert in a home. It is based upon a love of music especially when experienced as close to the musicians as possible. Many musicians share stories about their songs or life between songs that connects guests on a more personal level with the music and musicians. It is also a great opportunity to socialize with friends or meet other guests before the concert, during intermission and/or after the concert. Out of respect for the musicians, there’s no socializing during the performance. House concerts are not a commercial venture for the hosts. The "house" or host does not take any portion of the contributions. It is a great stream of additional revenue for musicians. House concerts support artists’ ability to make a living, they make music accessible on a grass roots level, and they connect people. What could be better than that, right?
Hosts and Artists can sign up and create an account for FREE! Once your account is created, Hosts can create a profile by adding photos and descriptions of their space. Your last name, email address, and home address are never displayed on your profile. Hosts can search through artists’ profiles to find an artist they would like to host and send a private message directly to the musician (or their agent) to indicate their interest in hosting a show and discuss show details. Artists set the crowdfund goal by indicating the target number of guests and per guest contribution. It is not a guaranteed minimum (unless the band requires a guarantee as noted on their profile and agreed upon by the host in writing). Artists can search for Hosts based on location or geographic area and send Hosts a private message to inquire about a possible show. An online booking tool makes it simple for Hosts to book a show. There are two payment options in the booking tool 1) flat fee paid by the host or 2) per guest contribution to the crowdfund. For the crowdfund option, the software will create a private crowdfund for the event plus a custom invitation to send to friends. The crowdfund page will be private and password protected to ensure that it’s kept strictly private. Hosts then forward the custom invitation with the crowdfund link to their circle of family and friends and send a few reminders along the way. Guests simply click on the link contained in the invitation and enter the secret code to contribute to the crowdfund and make a reservation for the event. Guests will be asked to give a crowdfund contribution via credit card for the event. After the show, Hosts and Artists are asked to complete a survey with three questions in order to confirm that the concert occurred and to report any issues. All of the crowdfund contributions collected online go directly to the musicians (minus the credit card and app fees). Artists are responsible for their own travel costs and overnight accommodations.
Hosts and Artists can contact one another about possible shows using the Search for a Host/Artist tab at the top of the home page once they are logged in. When viewing a profile, simply click on the "Contact" button to send a message. Once show details have been discussed and confirmed, Hosts initiate a booking by clicking on the "Book our show" button, filling out the booking offer, and then sending it to the artist (click "Finish and Send to Artist"). The artist will then review the booking offer, fill in the merchandise sales information, and then click "Perfect, Book it." or "Decline." Hosts will then be notified whether or not the offer was accepted and will be prompted to finish their event details. Hosts can send themselves the custom invitation for the show by clicking on the "Send me the Custom Invitation" button on the Host's event page.
House concerts/Booking agreements cannot be cancelled unless there is proven detention by sickness, accidents, riots, strikes, epidemics, or acts of God. Please notify the host or artist immediately as well as HomeDitty™ via customer service at info@homeditty.com in the event of a cancellation.
Yes, outdoor shows are allowed but traditional house concerts are held indoors. If you would like to host a concert outdoors, there are some additional factors to take into consideration. Weather is often unpredictable and humidity can be difficult on stringed instruments. Please have an indoor back up plan in case of bad weather. There is also a lot of competing outdoor noise such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, barking dogs, airplanes, etc. that can affect a performance negatively. House concerts are meant to be acoustic shows. Performing outside will likely require a sound system in order for guests to hear the performance. This could lead to possible sound ordinance violations. Many cities require a special permit for outdoor events such as concerts. It is the Host’s responsibility to comply with all permits and permissions required for an outdoor show. The host will need to get permission from the artist for an outdoor show and arrange for the necessary sound system requirements (unless the artist is able to provide a sound system).
No. A HomeDitty™ House Concert is not a commercial venture for Hosts.
Neither Hosts nor Artists are under any obligation to accept booking offers or inquiries. Please just respond by clicking it's "not a fit."
During the onboarding process for Artists, they will be required to create a merchant account with Stripe that is connected to the HomeDitty™ platform. When Guests RSVP “yes” to a house concert for that particular Artist, they will be asked to make a contribution for the crowdfund established to benefit the Artist. The contributions will go directly into the Artist’s merchant account at the time of settlement (less the credit card fees and App fee). The event is settled once HomeDitty™ has confirmed that the booking agreement was fulfilled from the host and artist. Please note that Stripe has a 7 (business) day waiting period on the first transfer of funds into an artist's bank account. After that, all transfers are made on a rolling two (business) day basis. Stripe’s credit card fees are 2.9% + .30 per transaction. The HomeDitty™ App fee is 10%. Neither HomeDitty nor the Host takes possession or control of the contributions. Cash at the door is prohibited as we need to track contributions for tax purposes and maintain accurate guest counts. In addition, cash at the door opens the host up to possible zoning violations and non-coverage by their homeowner's insurance policy. All guests are required to make an advance reservation through the HomeDitty™ platform. HomeDitty™ House Concerts are not a commercial venture for the Hosts. Artists keep 100% of all merchandise sales at any HomeDitty™ House Concerts.
That’s great! Simply ask the musician to provide you with a flat fee for that particular show. When filling out the booking offer, select the Host Payment option and fill in the flat fee amount. You will be required to pay for the show via credit card if the booking offer is accepted. No offline payments are allowed. Please report anyone suspected of violating this policy and terms of use at info@homeditty.com. Fee avoidance will result in de-activiation of a user's account subject to HomeDitty's discretion.
Federal copyright laws apply when copyrighted music is played in a public place. Copyright Law defines a public performance as one in “a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gathered.” To offer live music to the public requires a performance license. A Performing Rights Organization (“PRO”) is an agency that ensures songwriters and publishers are paid for the use of their music by collecting royalties on behalf of the rights owner and PRO’s collect fines and penalties for non-compliance. House Concerts are not subject to performance licensing requirements as long as: 1) The performance is in a private home 2) The performance is by invitation only. The intent of the “invitation only” regulation is that a person cannot just come without some connection to the presenter or artist (i.e. a “wide circle of family and friends”). The details of that compliance might include but are not limited to 1) not publicly displaying your address 2) by invitation only. HomeDitty House Concerts are to be kept strictly private and by invitation only. Nothing contained herein shall constitute legal advice by HomeDitty™. Please consult your legal advisor.
No, not at all, but house concerts are meant to be stripped down and the sound should adjusted for the size of the room. Concerts that are held outdoors will require a sound system. It is the responsibility of the artist to provide a sound system when booking an outdoor show unless the Host has offered to provide one. Please review the FAQ regarding outdoor shows for more information.
DittyReferrals is our referral program for individuals, businesses, non-profits and event planners who are looking to find a musician or band for an event that is not a house concert. There is no charge for this service. Musicians pay a small referral fee to HomeDitty after the event. If interested, send us an email to info@homeditty.com. Please include (if known) 1) date, time and location of event 2) preferred music genre 3) whether a sound system is needed and 4) budget range. We will recommend a band/musician for your event. We can even check availability and obtain a price quote for you, if needed.
Guests can still make an online reservation and contribution at the door. They can simply use their phone or other electronic device to do so. Cash at the door is prohibited as we need an accurate count of contributions for tax purposes and an accurate guest count for the host's profile. In addition, cash at the door opens the host up to possible zoning violations and non-coverage by their homeowner's insurance policy.
No, it is not required for hosts to contribute to the crowdfund (unless they've give the artist a minimum guarantee for the show). If a host would like to contribute, they are more than welcome to do so especially if your show falls short of meeting its attendance goal. It's a really nice gesture for hosts to do so but it's not required at this time.
You can support a local charity by hosting a concert for a cause. Simply ask your guests to bring an item with them that is needed in your community. For example, ask guests to bring a canned good for your local food pantry, toiletry items for your homeless shelter, a new toy for Toys for Tots, etc. The possibilities are endless! The host or a volunteer will need to deliver the items collected to the appropriate agency after the concert. You've not only helped out an artist but also gathered some much needed items for your community. It's a great way to give back!
No, there are no refunds for no-shows. Your credit card will be charged for your crowdfund contribution regardless if you attend the show. If the show is cancelled by the artist, however, all contributions will be refunded.
Absolutely not! House concerts can be anywhere and the possibilities are endless. If you live in a condo or apartment building, the community or party room in your building would be a perfect place to host a show. Other possibilities include barns, event spaces, garages, community centers, churches, etc. You can enjoy live music anywhere as long as it is a private, personal show (i.e. not commercial in nature)!
If you want your show to be open to the public, you will need to obtain the proper music licenses (contact ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for information). The house concert network is reserved for private house concert hosts only. If you are a business, non-profit or are presenting a public show, contact customer service at info@homeditty.com for our referral program, DittyReferrals.
Yes, we do! Here's a list of our tips: 1) After you send out the initial invitation, follow-up with direct, personal emails, phone calls, or texts. If someone hasn't RSVPd, work through your list and contact everyone personally. You really have to 'sell' how cool the experience will be. I usually say something like "Hey! Any chance you can make our house concert on Saturday? I'm doing some crowd building. I want to show this band how much our community supports live music. The show is going to be epic! Let me know if you can attend!" 2) Invite 3-4 times the number of people that you would like to attend. Cast a really wide net in your circle of friends and family! 3) Consider co-hosting with a friend or another couple and ask them to send the invite to their entire friend group. Don't forget to invite your neighbors and co-workers! 4) Whenever I bump into someone that I know who isn't on my list, I ask them "do you like live music?" and proceed to ask if they'd like to be invited to our house concert. I always explain that all the money goes to the musicians. 5) Highlight some notable facts about the musicians from their bio. For example, these musicians have opened for Lyle Lovett and Dierks Bentley! 6) Get their attention in your email by saying things like this "Do you like live music in small venues where you are up front and close to the musicians? Do you like supporting amazing musicians make a living? Are you looking for a unique date night idea?" Really play up the fact that this is a private concert and not open to the public. It's a VIP concert experience with a meet and greet with the musicians!
Yes, musicians can ask for a minimum guarantee prior to booking a show, and the guarantee should be written into the booking agreement or agreed upon in writing through the HomeDitty messaging system. It is the host's decision whether or not they are willing to offer a guarantee. If a host is not willing to offer a guarantee, then the musician must decide if they still want to book the show or not. If the host does offer a guaranteed minimum, then the host will be required to contribute any shortfall amount via credit card immediately following the show via the 'Contribute' button on the host's event page.