Debbie Grisham: It all started with Spaghetti.

It was 1966, in the small town of Brunswick, Maine. As images of the Vietnam War flickered across the tv screen and protests raged on college campuses across the country, friends and family would gather at the Alexander home for a spaghetti dinner. But, the focal point of the evening wasn't the pasta. It was the after dinner entertainment. As soon as the dishes were cleared, any one in attendance who could play an instrument would break it out, and the rest of the guests would sing along. It happened every Saturday night and, on more than one occasion, among the musicians in attendance that year was a 21 year old pedal steel player from Nashville named Doyle Grisham, on active duty with the Navy and stationed at the nearby base. "I come from a musical family. My parents sang, I played guitar a little - and sang. We looked forward to those 'Spaghetti Feeds' in our home," says then thirteen year old Debbie. "My uncle had a band at the time and Doyle was in it, so he would come by some times and sit in. I had a big crush on him, but he barely even noticed me."

Forty plus years later, Parrot Heads will recognize Doyle Grisham as a long-time member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band... And the young teenager in puppy love with the steel playing sailor back in 1966? She is now Debbie Grisham - wife of Doyle - and head of Deb Grisham Entertainment, the Nashville based artist management and booking group that includes among their clients Nadirah Shakoor, and top trop rock artists John Frinzi and John Patti.

I'll let Debbie take it from here...

"When Doyle finished his active duty in Maine, he moved back to Nashville. In the meanwhile, I got married, kept singing and playing guitar - for fun, mostly, although, my husband at the time kept saying I should do it professionally. One day, a drummer with a local band - Ralph Lashua and the Four Coachmen - walked into the place where my husband worked and told him they were looking for a female singer. I auditioned and got the job. I wound up singing with them for the next ten years!"

 

So, how did you and Doyle reconnect?

"Around 1979, Doyle came back up to Maine, to visit my uncle. He heard me sing and, between the two of them, they convinced me I should go to Nashville to record some songs. The next year, I went down and recorded an album ("I'm My Own Woman" on Doyle's label). We finished the whole thing in two weeks, then I went back home to Maine. By 1983, I was ready for a change and moved full time to Nashville. I started working with Doyle, singing back up in the studio and doing demos for songwriters. I also recorded two more albums between 1983-1986. I had gotten divorced by then, Doyle asked me to marry him - and here we are!"    

Sounds like you had a nice singing career going. What made you get into managing bands?

"I liked singing - I still do it now, whenever the opportunity comes up. But, by around 2004 I had decided that after almost twenty years and three albums, I wasn't going to be a big star making music. I figured my best contribution would be helping others with their careers. One day, I met Kevin Max of the Christian Rock band DC Talk. I knew alot of people in Nashville by then, so started helping him get gigs. And it grew from there."

How did you start working with Nadirah?

 "I knew Nadirah, of course, through Doyle. We were down at Meeting of the Minds one year - 'Nod To The Story Teller' had just come out. I asked her, 'Who is booking you?' She said, 'nobody' and I immediately said, "I'd love to work with you!' By January of the next year, I had her first booking."

And you built your roster from there?

"Yes. It wasn't long before I had other artists come to me and ask if I could work with them, too. The funniest thing was that, after I started working with and getting gigs for people like John Patti and John Frinzi, Doyle and I were sitting together one day when suddenly he asked, 'How come you don't book me?' It hadn't dawned on me!"

So, what is a typical day for you?

"If I'm not on the road, with Doyle on a Buffett tour or with one of my artists, you will generally find me in my home office on the phone and computer. If I'm not contacting venues to try to get my artists gigs, then I'm following up on dates we have already set up - sending out contracts and riders, doing press releases, working on social media to get the word out. I spend about fifteen to eighteen hours a day doing that. I also pitch songs to record labels in Nashville"

I want to get back to that, but first - how do you find the venues for your artists to play?

"I have built up a full list of clubs over the years. Alot of it is repeat business, places we have played before. But, new places open all the time. And, often, I will have an artist tell me they have heard of a place that might be good. In those cases, I will do some research, contact whoever is in charge of booking and we go from there. Some times it's a phone call, sometimes an email. It depends on the club."

Now, tell me more about pitching songs...  

"Through connections I have made over the years, people like Jim Glaser, I have been able to get on the 'approved list' at the major labels in Nashville. That means I have permission to pitch songs to their A&R people or producers. First, I find out which artists are looking for new material - I get a thing called a 'pitch sheet' - and then take them songs from music publishing companies that hire me, as well as the artists I work with, when it fits. It used to be that you would go by and play the songs for the folks at the labels. These days, they mostly want you to drop off a cd or send the song via MP3. But, without that previous permission, I'd never get through the door." 

Let's talk about some of the artists you work with... We already talked a little about Nadirah...

"As I said, that started at Meeting of the Minds and our relationship has grown from there. I work with her solo and with her band, Outside Art. I really love her sweet spirit. She's giving, respectful, kind - very easy to work with. Just a good person. And the fact that she's one hell of a talent doesn't hurt anything!"

How about John Frinzi and John Patti?

"John Frinzi started hiring Doyle to play on his records in the early 2000's, and he also came up and recorded in our studio. So, I knew him but hadn't started working with artists then. One day, a few years later, at Meeting of the Minds we got to talking about booking him. The same thing with John Patti, it was at MOTM in 2008, he asked me if I'd be interested and I said 'yes'. Seems like alot of things happen in Key West!"

What about Jim Mayer?  

"I have been working with Jim - 'Uncle Jim' - on his kids' shows, getting out his anti-bullying message, which I think is great. I call schools all over the coungtry, talk to Principals and Superintendents. We're just getting started with that, have done maybe a dozen shows in the last six months."

And Coral Reefer Soul?

"That's also something new. Nadirah came up with the idea of doing some shows with members of the Coral Reefer Band, around Jimmy's tour dates. We did one in Las Vegas with Nadirah, Mac, Robert and Ralph. It went so well, we said, 'why don't we try to do these before EVERY show?' So, we are. The line up will depend on who is available - in Atlanta it's Nadirah, Peter and Ilo Ferreira. We have another big show booked on June 24 in Wisconsin. Doyle, Nadirah, Mike Utley - along with John Patti, and JD Spradlin from Radio Margaritaville as the host!""

I haven't forgotten about your husband, Doyle, who you also work with. But, I have a whole interview with him to post here soon, so I'll leave that for another time. How do you choose who to work with?

 "I do alot based on instinct. I have to be passionate about the artist, really believe in them."

Do you have any plans to add to your roster any time soon?

"I don't feel I could right now, no. There are a hundred very talented people out there, but I want to be able to give the people I'm working with my FULL attention. If I had too many people, I couldn't do that."

For more on Debbie and the artists she represents, check out her website at:

http://www.debgrishamentertainment.com/index.php

Music from the Mailbox

I’m a Trop Rock fan. Big surprise. If the song is about beaches, bars, or boats, chances are I will like it. Lucky for me, there are literally HUNDREDS of artists out there these days singing about my three favorite subjects – and I’m discovering new ones every week.  As a fan, I listen to this kind of music most of my waking hours anyway. But, I’m also a mobile dj – the only one that I know of in my part of the country that features Beach Music and Trop Rock as a regular part of my playlist, from weddings to pool parties. So, I also get a regular chance to play these tunes for other people - not just Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Bob Marley, and the Beach Boys – but independent singer/songwriters and bands. My wife and I also have a business – Bahama Llama – that brings “great food and a tropical vibe” to festivals around the Atlanta area. Our booths are always beach themed and, of course, the music we play all day is Buffett and Trop Rock. At some festivals, that could mean tens of thousands of people passing by our booth (hopefully, at least some stopping) and hearing what we’re playing. On top of all that, I have this blog. One of the main reasons I started it was to help expose people around the world to Trop Rock and the folks who play it - hence the second word in the title. 

For all those reasons, hardly a week goes by that I don't walk out to my mailbox and find a package full of cds from somewhere around the country. Some are new releases from artists and bands I have known about for some time, others are from people I've only recently been introduced to. Either way, I'm like a kid in a candy store - I can't wait to get back inside and hear what the mailman has brought me.

Here are some of the more recent releases I have gotten in the last few weeks... 

 Paul Roush "Today's The Day" - Paul is a veteran music maker from Missouri with a storied history. He was a founding member of the band Phins, 2008 winners of the Trop Rock Horizon Award, and also fronted the 12 Volt Band. He decided to go solo last year and the result is this cd. Recorded at Orca Sound Studios in Maryland, it was produced by Captain Quint's Kevin Johnson, who also plays keyboards, bass and drums on the disc. The ten tracks include a few notable covers; "Layin' My Life On The Line" comes courtesy of Jerry Jeff Walker, "Daddy Was A Sailor" is a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band composition, "I Wanna Be A Pirate" was originally found on the Captain Quint cd, "Unsinkable Still", and it doesn't take a die hard Springsteen fan to immediately identify "Thunder Road". The rest of the material is all original, including "Bad Day On Vacation" - a glass-half-full look at a bike ride on the beach, "Today's The Day" - a feel good ditty about discovering a love you already had, and the retrospective "Just To See If I Could". Two of the more melancholy songs, "Three Sailors" and  "Fools, Drunks, And Children", are updated versions of Paul's tunes originally penned for Phins projects (the former can be found on "Welcome To The Beach", the latter is the title track to their 2002 cd). Howard Livingston fans will also appreciate Paul's hilarious ode to the multi-award winning Florida Keys' musician, "I Wanna Be Howie" (with a nod to Brent Burns).  http://www.paulroush.com/ 

Captain Josh "Whitecaps & Nitecaps" - Josh Ramsteck, aka "Captain Josh", hails from the Orlando, Florida area and is a true Parrot Head - member of the Parrotheads of Central Florida. "Whitecaps & Nitecaps" is his third cd - following up on 2008's "If I Had A Hammock" and "Music In The Lower Keys" from 2007. Like the first two, it consists of original material with some carefully chosen covers, most notably on this one Ricky Nelson's 1972 hit "Garden Party" and the Motown Classic (later re-recorded by Linda Ronstadt) "Ooh Baby Baby". Josh's original tracks often take a humorous look at the Parrot Head lifestyle, and this cd is no exception:  "Parrotheads in Paradise" boogies along on a bed of Buffett references, the double entendre filled "Deep Vee Bottom" is a tongue firmly in cheek look at boats, "Room Key" tells the (true?) story of an amorous fan at a festival date Josh played in Panama City, Florida, and "I'm Into Leather But I Could Be Suede" speaks for itself. Of the "serious songs", "Ship To Shore" would be a great one to listen to as the sun sets and the title track is a nautical ditty with squeeze box accompaniment. Guests on the cd include Trop Rocker Jimi Pappas and guitarist Rob Seay. http://capt-josh.com/

John Patti "Cabana Breeze" - From appearances on various Trop Rock records, to a tropical take on the Folger's Coffee theme with John Reno (top ten finalist in a national contest), to the recent Coral Reefer Soul show in Tampa, and upcoming dates in Costa Rica with Jim Morris, John Patti is a busy guy these days. Playing the steel drum from an early age, Patti cites a chance encounter with the Coral Reefers in Key West back in 1998 as a turning point in his musical career. "Cabana Breeze" is his second cd and features Buffett band members Peter Mayer, Doyle Grisham, and Nadirah Shakoor, who adds vocals to the soulful and sexy "Steamer". The other ten tracks are all-instrumentals. Songs like "Start The Party", "Catamaran Race", "Tiki Groove", and "Tauranga" make you want to run, not walk, to stick a lime into a long neck and your toes in the nearest sand, and "Wonderful Tonight" is his reggae-fied (and slightly more upbeat) take on the Clapton classic. John is a member of the Deb Grisham Music group of artists, which also includes Nadirah Shakoor, and both Peter and "Uncle" Jim Mayer. http://www.johnpatti.com/

Scott Kirby "Row Me Home" - As an unabashed Scott Kirby fan, I was thrilled to connect with him via telephone recently to conduct an extended interview (found elsewhere on this very blog) and talk about some of his music, including tracks on this - his sixth cd, released last year. Produced by world renowned drummer Russ Kunkel (Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Dan Fogelberg and countless others) and featuring an all star cast of musicians like Leland Sklar, Dean Parks, and Coral Reefers Jim and Peter Mayer and Roger Guth, "Row Me Home" is full of Kirby's trademark warmth and poet's eye for detail. Favorite tracks include "Blow Me Down To Cayo Hueso" - an ode to his own song line, which has taken him from New England to Key West, "Port Outbound Starboard Home" - a catchy Jackson Browne type rocker about not looking back, the pretty, country tinged "Out Here Near The Edge" and the cleverly titled acoustic ballad "Row Me Home To Juliet". Kirby recently kicked off his Spring/Summer tour in New Hampshire and will be travelling South and West, with dates in Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Washington and more through July.  http://www.scottkirby.com/

 Hana & Satchwell "Chillaxin" - Another group featured in a full length interview on this blog, Ricky Hana and Alan Satchwell split their time between the California coast and Hawaii. Successful musicians in their own rights, 2010's Chillaxin is their second cd as a duo and the second to win a Hawaii Music Award as "Pop Album Of The Year". As the name implies, "Chillaxin"' is all about slowing down and taking things one day at a time. "Island Daze Island Nights" rides a lazy horn-driven groove, the beautiful and relaxing "My Sunset" features their trademark smooth vocal harmonies, "Duval Street" and "Cali Samba" are jazzy instrumentals, "Island Gurl" is the perfect soundtrack for a cruise along the North Shore, and "First Day Of Summer" and "Lighten The Load" are reggae tinged and danceable. Much Aloha!  http://hanasatchwell.com

Shurl Gates: Passionate Parrothead

When it comes to music, Shurl Gates is the first to tell you she can't play an instrument, isn't going to win any karaoke contests. But, she more than makes up for that lack of performing skills with a deep love - make that an unbridled PASSION - for music. "I'm not much of a tv person, but I have music playing in my house 24/7. I love listening to it, going out to hear it, being around it", says Gates. That passion has led her to become one of the most familiar faces in the Trop Rock world and most ardent supporters of the people who make the music.

Shurl Galiher Gates story begins in the small Oregon coastal town of North Bend, where she moved as a kid. She went to school, married, and raised a family there. But, as all great stories go, something happened that changed her life forever. In Shurl's case, that "sudden twist of fate" was divorce.

"It was 2001, I was single again and looking to make some major changes in my life. Two of my kids had moved to Florida so I decided to go there." "There" was just outside of Tampa, where she met and started dating a Parrothead. "I had always loved Jimmy Buffett's music, but had never been exposed to the whole lifestyle". Looking to make friends in her new home, she joined the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. A former Mormon, it didn't take long for the colorful, and gregarious Phlockers to get her life going in a new direction. "That was it. I found myself - the 'me' I didn't even know was missing. It was a celebration of a new beginning." Through the TBPHC, Shurl began attending events and hearing her first "Trop Rock" bands. "I LOVED it, became a huge fan. I've always been a very social person, so I would make a point of going up and introducing myself, telling them how much I enjoyed hearing them," explains Gates. "One of the great things about Trop Rock is that the people involved are so down to earth, so approachable." Before long, she counted among her friends hard working musicians like Jimi Pappas and John Frinzi, and started getting calls from artists that were looking to play in the area. "Guys would call and say, 'I'm coming down there on my way to Meeting of the Minds. Do you know anyplace to play around Tampa?' So I'd make some calls. I started getting to know the clubs and the people who ran them. It was just something I would do as a favor to friends. I also got to know the people at Radio Margaritaville, like JD Spradlin and Steve Huntington. Steve, it turned out was a big baseball fan, so we had that in common" (Gates' son in law is All Star Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Roy "Doc" Halladay - Fred). In 2007, she was introduced to Deb Grisham - wife of Coral Reefer Doyle Grisham and owner of Deb Grisham Entertainment, which represents a number of artists, including Nadirah Shakoor, The Mayer Brothers - Peter and "Uncle Jim", John Frinzi, and John Patti. "We became on line friends, trading emails and talking about music and places for artists to play in Florida." Her list of connections continued to grow until 2008, when Michelle Becker of the Margarita Mafia called Shurl to see if she might be able to help bring in some well known presenters for that year's Trop Rock Awards in Key West. "I called Doyle and asked him if he'd be interested and he said 'YES'! Then Nadirah and Tina Gullickson agreed to do it." Her efforts not only helped cement her reputation as a true mover and shaker in the Trop Rock world, but also won her the first ever "Fan Of The Year" award.

Things REALLY changed for Gates the next year. "I was having dinner with (trop rock artist) Rob Mehl. He mentioned to me that he was looking for a Manager and I replied, 'I need a job!'", although she says she wasn't being serious at the time. "The truth is I was looking for something constructive to do - alimony only goes so far!", she jokes. "But, I had never thought that what I had been doing for all those years just to help my friends might turn into a business. Later, I was talking to Steve Huntington and he encouraged me, said it would be perfect for me". Gates Music Management was born. "It really just came out of me trying to create a job for myself, doing something I loved to do."

Two years later, Gates Music Management boasts a close working relationship with a number of top Trop Rock acts, some she managers and some she helps and supports in whatever ways she can. "I feel it's important for them to find work however and wherever they can. So, in that regard I'm not exclusive with anyone. And I only work with artists I truly believe 100% in." 


"I don't expect to get rich from this. I do it because it makes me feel good and that makes it worthwhile"




I asked Shurl to give me the low down down of some of her favorite artists (note: Some of the bands mentioned can be found in previous posts in Beaches, Bands and Bars - Fred):


Homemade Wine - "They're from Knoxville, Tennesee. They started as a three piece, by brothers Ryan and Todd Sheley. Now, they're a full band and one of the most sought after acts in Trop Rock. They'll be playing on Thursday night at this year's Meeting Of The Minds."


Jimmy Parish & The Ocean Waves Band - "From Jacksonville, Florida. They stay extremely busy. He was just down here to play a pre-Buffett show party and will be back later this month to play at The Yard (more on The Yard later - Fred). Jimmy is the complete package. A great singer, songwriter and a true gentleman."

John Reno - "John is originally from New Orleans, so he has a definite jazz influence in his music. He lives in Fairhope, Alabama now but he spends alot of time here in Florida - especially in the Ft. Myers to Tampa area. He plays a wide variety of music, from soft, romatic ballads to over the top funny songs. The one everyone always wants to hear is 'Jello Shots'. He's an amazing songwriter and has a great feel for the audience when he's playing live."

Mike Aiken - "I've known Mike for many years. Back in the days of MySpace, I would look around for new music. I came across Mike's page and liked what I heard. But, I couldn't buy his cd - there was something wrong with the site. I'm not one to give up easily, so i looked around until I found a phone number, called and spoke to a woman. I asked her if Mike ever came down to Florida. The woman turned out to be Mike's wife, Amy, who put Mike on the phone. We developed a friendship and FINALLY, after six years, I was able to get him a gig down here at the Yard!"


Mike Miller - "Mike is from Illinois, a retired police man and founding member of the Boat Drunks. When he retired, he moved onto a sailboat and now spends his winters in Florida. We hosted a cd release party for him in September."


Freebo - "Bass player from California, has played with Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young, Dr, John - lots of great people. I met him at Meeting Of The Minds one year and loved his music. It's not traditional Trop Rock but it fits in with it. He played a gig here with John Frinzi."


Jim Hoehn - "From Wisconsin. I also met him at a MOTM and became a fan. He's an amazing storyteller and has been a big support to me."

Rob Mehl - "He's from Hawaii where they have a long history of 'talk stories'. He's a great storyteller."


AJ Swearingen - "Another local guy. He was hired to play my son's engagement party. There were lots of things going on but, in the middle of it all, I kept stopping to listen to him. I thought, 'I really love this guy!' He reminded me alot of John Frinzi. When it was over, I went up to talk to him and it turned out he knew John - had grown up in the same area! He's not really what you'd call Trop Rock, but close enough that Jeff Allen has started playing one of his songs on BeachFront Radio (Trop Rock internet radio station, featured previously in BB&B - Fred)."


Michael Weiss - "One night I walked into one of my favorite places in Tampa, the Hideaway Cafe, and Michael was playing. I became an instant fan. He's starting to make a big splash around here - played a Pre-Buffett party, has a song on BeachFront Radio."


Trop Rock Junkies - "They're from the Tampa area, do a Buffett tribute but also some originals. They played the B Stage before the recent Buffett show last month."


"Also, people like Paul Roush, John Friday, Bob Karwin. And another guy I have been talking to is Eric Stone, from the British Virgin Islands. Eric stays very busy there in the BVI, but I would love to work with him if the opportunity came up."


I also asked Shurl about her favorite spots - for live music, as well as food and drinks - in the Tampa area:


The Yard- It is literally a backyard of a home owned by a wonderful couple, Mark and Sharon Leveratte. About three years ago, they decided they wanted to host a House Concert. It was such a success that they decided to do more. As guys would come to me, I would suggest it as a place for them to play. Before you know it, they had built a palapa style stage with a tiki bar and were hosting shows once a month. Now they have a fire pit, bathrooms in the backyard, they're building a bunk house for travelling artists to crash in. It's amazing. They won "House Concert Venue Of The Year" at the Trop Rock Awards in 2010. And they don't make a dime. Every thing collected at the door goes directly to the artists and every dollar raised from raffles (of Sharon's handmade jewelry and Mark's carved wood signs) goes back into making the venue a better place for artists to play.  They do it all because they love the music!" (note: they are currently in need of a website and looking for a Trop Rock fan who might be willing to donate some time to make that happen - Fred)


Hideaway Cafe - "In St. Pete (St. Petersburg, FL), owned by Josh Kelly, who is an artist himself. It's a great listening room that hosts all indy artists, playing all original music."


The Palm Pavilion - "It's my favorite beach bar. Right on the beach in Clearwater, owned by a guy named Ken Hamilton. Great food, lots of room, a great place for artists."


Whiskey Joe's - "On the Causeway right as you come into Tampa. The Tampa Bay Parrothead Club meets there every week. They're building a brand new music venue right on the beach that will hold about 1500 people. I can't wait to do shows there!"


Skippers - "In Tampa. We just did the Coral Reefer Souls Show there, which was a huge success. Lots of possibilities for the future there."


Rapscallions - "In Land O Lakes, a suburb of Tampa. The bar there is named after Billy Peoples, a well known Florida Parrot Head. They host alot of Trop Rock."

"Also, two other places I love that are outside the Tampa area are Archies in Ft. Pierce - It's sort of a biker's bar, but with a Pirate theme - a great place, and The Nav-A-Gator near Arcadia, Florida- It's famous in Trop Rock circles."

http://www.facebook.com/people/Gates-MusicManagement/100001472834315

http://www.debgrishamentertainment.com/about.php

http://www.radiomargaritaville.com/

http://www.finsup.com/_/index.html

http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp

http://www.margaritamafia.com

http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm

 

http://www.johnfrinzi.com

http://www.gigmasters.com/Acoustic-Guitar/Jimi-Pappas/

http://doylegrisham.com/

http://www.nadirahshakoor.com/fr_home.cfm

http://www.petermayer.com

http://www.unclejimrocks.com

http://www.tinag.com/

http://www.johnpatti.com/

http://www.robmehl.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homemade-Wine-the-Band/117718255508

http://jimmyparrishonline.com/

http://johnreno.com/

http://www.mikeaikenmusic.com/index.html

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-R-Miller-Musician/113707452013105
http://freebomusic.com/
http://jimhoehn.com/http://ajswearingen.com/
http://michaeljweiss.com/fr_splash.cfm
http://www.troprockjunkies.com
http://www.phinsband.com/
http://www.johnfriday.com/ 
http://bobkarwin.com/
http://www.boatsongs.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/TheYard-Tampa/100001031214679

http://www.hideawaycafe.biz/

http://palmpavilion.com/

http://www.whiskeyjoestampa.com/whiskeyjoes/

http://skipperssmokehouse.com/

http://www.rapscallions.net/

http://archiesseabreeze.com/

http://www.nav-a-gator.com/

Mi Casa es Su Casa: The ABC's of House Concerts

House: "A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family."  Concert: "A performance given by one or more singers or instrumentalists or both."
Definitions courtesy of American Heritage Dictionary...

When it comes to places to catch a live show, most folks are familiar with the usual venues: bars, cafes, theatres, concert halls, festival stages, and stadiums - both indoor and outdoor. But, what if you could sit with a small group of dedicated fans and hear one of your favorite artists perform in a really intimate setting - say some one's living room? That's the idea behind "House Concerts", a concept that has been catching on with both audiences and artists, especially in the area of Trop Rock. So, what are they, how do they work, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and how does one go about booking a house concert for themselves?

Unlike, say, miracle weight loss products and most people in singles chat rooms, a House Concert is exactly as advertised: A concert in (usually) a house. I say "usually" because it is often literally held in some one's living room, den, basement rec room, or backyard. But, a house concert can be held in any open space. All you need is a relatively quiet area (more on this later) with enough room to hold a small "audience" of anywhere from 20-100 people. Wilmington, NC's Hugo Duarte, one of the most ardent proponents of house concerts, tells of performing in a Yoga studio after hours and the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance (full disclosure: I'm one of the founders) is hosting a number of them in an apartment complex's clubhouse this Summer. The other key is that the space be FREE, to assure the minimum cost to the organizers and, in turn, that the maximum amount go to the artist.

The set up is simple: The performer(s) are given a designated "stage" area - usually just a corner and a couple of stools, if available - and the rest of the room is left for seating, which can be anything from carefully pre-arranged folding chairs to pillows on the floor. Sound and power requirements are minimal, since both the crowd and the space are usually (and purposely) limited. For a small enough setting, shows can be all-acoustic - with no amplification at all - or, if some sound reinforcement is desired, most performers travel with their own portable PA's, plenty of power to fill the room. The goal is that everyone can hear, but no one is blown away.

Cost: Unless they recently won the lottery and have no further need for something as frivolous as money, performers want - and deserve - to be paid for their time. But, unlike other venues, at a house concert there is no promoter or bar owner to pick up the tab. So, what the artist makes at a house concert is determined by two factors: how much you, as the host, feel you can charge, and how many people come out to see them. Prices for shows can range from "passing the hat" and hoping folks are generous, to $10-$20 per person - usually collected as people come in the door (although, you can sell "tickets" in advance if you expect a sell out...the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance utilizes Pay Pal for this). Entrance fees aside, there is usually no other cost to the attendees. If the show takes place around lunch or dinner time, food can be individually "byo" or in a pot luck style. As for adult beverages, being that we're talking about events involving Parrot Heads and Trop Rock fans, it would be difficult to do a house concert without them. But, unless the space you're using has it's own liquor license (such as a VFW hall) and you want to allow guests to purchase their own, providing or selling alcohol on your own is inadvisable, for legal and tax reasons way above my pay grade. Whether you, as the host or organizer, get any reimbursement for your time and efforts is a sticky situation and one that is, again, governed by those pesky business and tax laws. In any case, the general idea is that the performers get all the proceeds. Using the ATRA as an example again, our rule is that ALL money goes to the performers. Oh, to further cut down on expenses, it's customary for someone to put the performer up if they're coming from outside the area...A guest bedroom or pull out sofa and a couple of square meals is usually sufficient.

Pros and Cons: Let me go on record as saying I love live music - in any setting. I've been on the working end of the concert business and involved in the ownership/management of several bars that featured live music. So, I understand and respect the service those places perform. House Concerts aren't meant to REPLACE other venues by any means, just an additional way to see your favorite performers. So, you may ask, "Why would I pay $15 to see someone I can see for free at places like the Bull or Hog's Breath in Key West, or the Nav-a-Gator in Arcadia?" Go ahead, ask, you know you wanna. My answer? While it's true that many of the places that Trop rock acts play don't charge a cover, at how many of those can you sit with a completely attentive audience of real fans and actually HEAR the stories your favorite artist has to tell? Not only that, but ask questions - and get an answer?! That's one of the other great things about a house concert; besides being intimate, it's also interactive. And, think about it, even if you pay nothing to see an artist in a "live venue", you still have the added costs of drinks and/or food. As I mentioned above, except in special circumstances, you bring your own to a house concert - no $5 beers, $10 hamburgers, or bartender/waitress tips to budget for. Face it, a "free" concert can easily cost you upwards of $30-$40 (more if you've paid a festival fee or convention registration). So, paying $15-$20 for a house concert is often a bargain. Performers also seem to love the concept. And why not? One of the main "rules" of a good house concert is that the audience be respectful - of the artist performing, as well as everyone around them. That doesn't mean the event has to be church quiet or that you have to hang a "no fun" sign, just that everyone who comes should be prepared to LISTEN. So, you've got a cozy, (usually) smoke-free environment, where the artist doesn't have to fight to be heard over the sound of people talking, plates banging, and glasses rattling. And, best of all, they're playing to a fully receptive audience, one that is there just to see them perform. That means they can play their own material, as opposed to all the covers they would have to have for a barroom set list. And, they can take the time to tell the stories behind the songs. A win-win, any way you look at it.  

Ready to host a house concert but not sure how to get started? It helps to have a receptive audience you know you can draw from...a Parrot Head Club or a group of Trop Rock fans in your area. To make a house concert work, you're going to need at least 20-30 people. Then, find a venue; some one's home or suitable substitute, like the ATRA's clubhouse. Next, reach out to one of your favorite Trop Rock artists. All have websites and/or Facebook pages. In addition, there are several top notch artist management companies - like Deb Grisham Entertainment in Nashville (debgrishamentertainment.com) and Gates Music Management in Tampa (gatesmusicmanagement.com) - that will be happy to help. Find a date that works, email all your friends, then sit back and enjoy a truly unique musical experience. For more tips and info, you can always contact us at the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance. Find us on Facebook at AtlantaTRA@groups.facebook.com or email us at atlantatra@yahoo.com. Good luck!