House Shows: A Case Study
There is a growing temptation to create a cloister for one’s self amidst the chaos and busyness of life. A person might position themselves at the alter of the television, with a deep reverence toward the Netflix icon, and a Grubhub delivery driver arriving with a personal communion feast. I’ve often been a disciple of this monastic way of life, but I also recognize that our lives are too often pulled away from connection with others more than they operate to bring meaningful interaction.
Perhaps that explains why in the last year I’ve helped form a nonprofit organization, Vox Pop (voxpoptulsa.com), that is bringing people together around food and drink, music, film, and other important life issues. Along with a few good friends, we began to seek out national and local artists who might share their gifts in a more intimate setting. So we started hosting house concerts, poetry readings, art showcases, and documentary film showings for people to experience the beauty and truth found in each setting. We’ve found that at every event people were amazed at the transparency of artists while also feeling as if their own voices were heard in the process. At Vox Pop we try to value the perspective of each individual who is in attendance at our shows. Some may sit in quiet and let the experience wash over them, some enjoy engaging by asking questions and singing along, some enjoy meeting new friends before and after the shows.
But what is a house show really like? What makes it unique in contrast to the traditional concert? Is it awkward being in someone’s home watching a performance?
While those may be valid questions, we want to clarify just what we do and what we hope happens at these events. Here’s a case study of our last show (4/20/2018), featuring Tulsa’s Casii Stephan and Nashville-based artist Ernie Halter, for a little context:
At every Vox Pop event, we try to combine artistry, hospitality, and friendship. Most of our shows feature a food truck hosted by The Benjamin Brothers (they have the best meat-topped baked potatoes you will ever have). Due to a scheduling conflict, on this night we held a potluck instead which featured a bevy of delicious foods (with a lot of cheese!). This was coupled with a BYOB-policy alongside our hosts’ tasty sangria. There is always leftover food and drink at these shows, and this night was no exception. You will never leave a Vox Pop show hungry or thirsty.
Casii Stephan started the show and played a short set that was interspersed with her reflections about life and the pursuit of relationships. One of the elements we prize at our events is the conversational nature of the performance, and Stephan opened up about navigating the obstacles of modern dating and using technology to interact with others. It was not only a beautiful set-list but offered insights into understanding her as a person and as a musician. Casii finished by singing a stripped down version of her song “GhostShips”.
Next up was Ernie Halter, an L.A. → Nashville transplant who did a fantastic job of mixing stories about himself, telling self-deprecating jokes, and selecting tracks from his backlog of albums. A couple of years ago Halter produced a record of 90s cover songs and performed a personal favorite of mine, “No Diggity”. Halter encouraged the audience to sing along, which is another great aspect of our house shows. Our visiting artists are often not content with simple consumption and frequently encourage audiences to engage and have fun with the show. Ernie has done many house shows in the past, and also spoke to the fact that these events are helping to preserve independent music.
Stephan and Halter also hung out for a time after the show to sell merchandise and interact with our attendees. The after-show is one of the most vital parts of our Vox Pop events because it allows for more fellowship and honestly more food and drink. Chris and Erin, who host our events in their gorgeous home, are incredibly hospitable and encourage people to stick around and enjoy themselves. We have found that most people don’t leave in a hurry but continue to enjoy the experience. Another testament to the power of the house show.
So if you’ve not been to one of our events yet, we have several coming up in the near future. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and discover up and coming artists. You can be the hipster who lets everyone else know that you discovered an artist much earlier than they did!
