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House concerts are not ehe future. They are the now.

Friends and I are putting on neighborhood house shows during all this COVID mess. 30-something shows later we’ve paid out over $30K.
IG page here.

We’re in Austin, and it’s easy to find talented musicians who want to work, but it’s easy anywhere and will work when you try it.

First you need a PA and someone who knows how to work it. If you do not know how to work one, only invite musicians who know how to work one. Sometimes you need a PA. Sometimes artists have one. You can also rent one.

Bose are easy. Keep it very simple.

What I’m getting at here is that there are very few barriers when putting together a show like this. So no need to make them (excuses) in their absence.

TWe have found the following to be true evry time:
_Folks really like seeing music this way
_ People love showing off their pads
_Having Musicans at your house really impresses the neighbors

The vibe for this kind of thing is very strong. People like or like to like live music and they want to help. They know they are helping and have accordingly given generously

It is the now.
Step one tomorrow: How to Schedule a House Concert.

-jd

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The mighty Zoom L-12! Thoughts below.

  1. All the Sub mixes.
    Send the drummer a click? Yes. Hear my vocals dry and in all their pitchy glory but with plenty of reverb out front? Yes (I guess.😬). 
  2. Save a bunch of mixes.
    I have a playing-solo mix, an in-the-studio mix, a playing-with-a -drummer-only mix … 
    If you use tracks or loops live you need to be looking at this mixer.
  3. It’s a really great DAW interface.
    Seriously. I was not expecting this. Real convenient. I actually just put my UA Apollo in the drawer/ to-maybe-sell pile. I use it with Ableton.
  4. Sounds great.
    It is very transparent, and it will only sound great IF you spend some time with it. And not even that much time. 
  5. It’s light.
    If you are a gig’ing pro or you rearrange your home set-up a lot (daily?), which should be everyone reading, this is huge. Real livable.
    Easy-to-manage wall wart. Etc.
  6. Bonus:
    Record every show and roll tape the next morning. How was the the gig really?
    Great for practice too. 8 gig cards hold a lot, and how many of those do you have sitting around? 
    **Also, you can go semi-old-school and occasionally step away from the DAW.**

I shopped around for a year. Real satisfied. Please ask questions etc. 

-jd

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What a great, breezy book. Jeff Tweedy emphasizes the writing-of is the thing, not necessarily the One Song itself. Love of the process, which is its own reward, is more important than the goal.

How to Write One Song reads universally enough so that anyone can ape this do-your-first ethos for whatever it is that you want (but have yet to).

Before 2016, I’d written maybe 5 or 10 songs total, but I definitely (ridiculously) considered myself a songwriter, even though I would never have told anyone. But luck intervened, I randomly joined a song writing group, and now I’m in the 100’s. It took me over 45 years to start in earnest.

I needed a push. This book is a great push.

A total delight.