What is a house concert?
We’re glad you asked! A house concert is exactly what it sounds like, a concert in your house! The Whiskey Boys will travel to your house and play for you, your friends and your family.
Is this going to be wild, drunken night like a house party?
Absolutely not. The people will be in your house will be people you’ve invited and with whom you feel comfortable. Alcohol will only be available if you choose to provide it.
I have neighbors, will this be very noisy?
It will be no noisier than a room full of your friends talking when we’re not playing and 2 acoustic instruments and 2 voices while we are playing. If you are worried about noise, consider having a concert on a weekend afternoon instead of the evening!
What does it cost?
We ask that you mention in your invitation to the concert that there is a suggested donation of $10 to the performers. If you think that our show will be worth more than $10 to your guests, please suggest any amount, $10 or more.
What are my responsibilities as the host?
To provide a space for us to perform, a space for the audience to sit or stand and to invite everyone you know who might enjoy our music. Some hosts choose to provide food and drinks for their guests but this is not a requirement for us to perform!
I’m worried that not enough people will come!
Worry not! The Whiskey Boys are happy to play for any number of people.
How far are you willing to travel?
We’ll happily journey to anywhere in MA, CT, NY, NJ, VT, NH or ME. We’d love to have a conversation with anyone hoping to host a concert in another state. We perform frequently all over New England so if we’re nearby because of another performance we’d be delighted to play for you.
Will this mean inviting strangers into my home?
Only if you’re comfortable with that. If you say it’s alright we will advertise the concert to our fans on our website, Facebook and Twitter. We will never make your address public, however. Anyone wishing to attend the concert would be required to RSVP to us, and then we will forward them the address.
What People Are Saying
If you’re considering hosting a Whiskey Boys house concert, our advice is: you should do it! My husband and I are so glad we decided to have The Boys over; they created a memorable evening for us to share with our friends and neighbors, and it turned out to be quite a manageable undertaking. We weren’t sure how 20 adults and two kids would fit into our house but it worked out great. (FYI: the space used was the 12’ x 15’ living room and adjacent 9’ x 10’ dining area.) With only very minor rearranging of furniture everyone had a spot and more could have fit comfortably. For our first house concert we made a pot of chili and a big batch of soup, filled the fridge with beer, and asked people to bring sweets. (A potluck meal and BYOB would have worked fine too.) During the first hour everyone ate and socialized, and David and Mark were friendly and approachable. Then the music began and the evening really got good. For anyone who has seen The Whiskey Boys live, you know what great performers they are. An acoustic show in your home with your friends is a very special event -- we all felt really lucky to have been a part of it. I expect they’ll be hearing soon from a least a couple of our guests who want to host their own concerts.
As hosts of a recent house concert, we were already fans of the Whiskey Boys. But I was a little worried about how their music would be received by a crowded house full of friends who were strictly there on our recommendation. Well, weeks later, people in attendance are still mentioning how impressed they were by the professionalism, poise, playing, and most notably, the original material presented. The Whiskey Boys played two sets of music from their new, melodic CD, “Crescent Moon,” but also chestnuts from “Mary Come to Boston.” They've played these songs hundreds of times, but they attacked the songs with the energy and enthusiasm that made everyone feel as if they were playing them for the first time. People really enjoyed hearing what the songs were about, their obvious camaraderie, and the comfortable, fun-filled banter between them. The Whiskey Boys proved to a room full of strangers that night that they are more than just musicians; they are true entertainers.
What an amazing idea ... house concerts! Music in a small venue is always the best and the Whiskey Boys do not disappoint. Talented and lots of fun, they entertain with great music of their own, as well as a variety of other choices, along with lots of personal thoughts and stories. Make some soup, bake some bread and invite your friends. What an excellent night!
"One of the most common responses that I got after the Whiskey Boys played at our house was 'that was awesome, but how exactly do you get a band to play at your house?'. It really was as easy as sending an email and finding dates that work. They show up, set up and facilitate a great time. Don't think of it as hiring a band, think of it as having a bunch of friends over that happen to all be really really talented musicians and really great people."
"The Whiskey Boys played to rave reviews at Farmington Libraries in Connecticut in March, 2011. The audience quickly became enthusiastic supporters and cheerleaders for the passionate musicians who gave a stellar performance that could be likened to a well-woven tapestry. Combining fast and slow tunes that were sometimes witty, sometimes sad, sometimes haunting and sometimes jazzy, the duo was so popular, requests were made for an encore performance. As a result, The Whiskey Boys will be presenting an outdoor concert on the grounds of The Barney Library in August!"
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