House concerts are bringing live music closer to home

Diamond Valley, Alta., resident Sandra Sokoloski has hosted 10 concerts at her home since 2019. 

Using a space in her basement, Sokoloski has created a concert venue that's close to home for her neighbours — a nearby hangout to enjoy live music. 

These at-home shows are part of a long-running, if not widely known, alternative to traditional concerts that has seen growing interest over the last few years.

But how does it work?

"You just open up your space," said Sokoloski. "I just open it up, put a few chairs in and invite the artist."

After being inspired to turn her home into a venue when a friend took her to a house concert, Sokoloski says there are three key elements that keep her wanting to host more and more.

"My first is my love of music. My second is trying to support the musicians, and show them appreciation for what they do," she said. 

"The third reason — and it kind of was a bit organic how that realization came to me — is the sense of community that it fosters."

Sokoloski's house concerts have become an integral part of community-based connection, and she says a regular concert-going crew has even formed from the events in Diamond Valley, a township in Foothills County, south of Calgary.

On Sunday, Sokoloski held a performance from the musical duo featuring Jenny Allen and Peter Loughlin.

The house concert experience is different than any other venue, say the local musicians. 

"It's the people. For me, it's intimate, like they came to listen. You get to connect with the people better than in a club or at a bar or pub or anything like that," said Loughlin.

Loughlin says bar venues don't always attract attendees who just hope to listen to the music. 

"I appreciate the folks that come out to the [house] shows because they want to talk to you … it's pretty genuine," he said.

And Loughlin's Sunday concert collaborator agrees. On average, Allen says she does at least one house concert a month.

"I love house concerts. They're really my favourite venue to perform in because it's so intimate and people are there specifically because they want to hear music," she told CBC News before the show on Sunday.

House concerts aren't a new concept

"The real joy is to be able to perform in front of people, because that went away for a while," said Allen, adding that backyard concerts were pretty much the only way she could perform during the pandemic years. 

Dave Donovan, founder of Calgary House Concerts, says that when he started organizing shows over a decade ago, only a couple other people were doing the same thing. 

Donovan believes that the COVID-19 pandemic increased public interest in house concerts throughout the city, but it also posed new challenges for organizers.

"Since COVID, things have really changed in trying to bring people together," he said. "Once COVID kind of shut us down, I ended up doing a lot more [concerts] outdoors and in my garage."

Since his first house concert in 2011, Donovan says he's put on close to 200 shows, featuring award winning artists and up-and-comers alike.

Now, he's started partnering with neighbourhood organizations to get more community involvement, but still keep it "grassroots," and a good attendee turnout can be anywhere from 20 to 30 people. 

"On the financial end, most shows cost me a little bit of money because I'm [supplying] food and ... whatever comes up as funds normally goes to the artist. So, it's a labour of love."

'The music is special, and it's for you'

The Calgary House Concerts founder says he's built a community of regular concert-goers in northwest Calgary, and concert news typically spreads through word of mouth. Donovan believes having a family-friendly, nearby venue makes enjoying live music more accessible. 

"The motivation is about building community and and making it a safe place for people to share those moments together," said Donovan.

He says the music is what gets people's attention, but the camaraderie and "sense of belonging" is what keeps folks coming back.

But for some, house concerts are still pretty new.

Linda Reynolds had never heard of anything like this until she attended her first one at Sokoloski's Diamond Valley home.

"I think what you get [out of the experience] is music, people are focused and they're quiet … and you get to talk with the artist and be up close," said Reynolds. 

"It just feels that the music is special, and it's for you."

And while these shows hit close to home and are accessible for attendees, Allen says the views in rural Alberta are a treat for the musicians, too. 

"Any chance to come out to beautiful Diamond Valley is good for me … I'm happy to be here."