Hello group. I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house concerts in a space I am currently leasing that sits above a business (a small restaurant). I do not live in the upstairs space, in fact, the space isn't even zoned for residential usage but I would like to put on 2-4 house gigs a month there and try and avoid turning it into a business-situation where I will have to deal with local/state/ federal government.
Here's my question: is it possible to do a members-only type of deal where the only real form of advertisement for the concerts would be via a blog, e-mail list and message board and pay the performers by suggested tips/donation without having to submit to the city, county or state? Does anyone here do this in California and if so, would you be willing to share some tips/give advice to a house concert-wannabe?
On 26 May 2007 23:27:03 -0700, criza...@gmail.com wrote:
>I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house
>Here's my question: is it possible to do a members-only type of deal
You have to get an answer in the Sacramento, CA area. This could involve regs from _any_ jurisdiction. Best to consult a local attorney than to rely on the kind of wild mythology you'd get on a forum or news group.
Sacramento is fortunate to have the person of Joe Offer living thereabouts (Auburn) & offering a monthly jam at his very own house. And another at someone else's house.
Joe is as knowlegable & generous a folkie as you'll find the world over. I don't know how good he sings, though.
If you can't find him in the phone book, you'll find him at www.mudcat.org.
Good luck.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- I am Abby Sale - in Raleigh, North Carolina
<NO_SPAM_as...@ft.newyorklife.com> wrote: >On 26 May 2007 23:27:03 -0700, criza...@gmail.com wrote:
>>I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house
>>Here's my question: is it possible to do a members-only type of deal
>You have to get an answer in the Sacramento, CA area. This could involve >regs from _any_ jurisdiction. Best to consult a local attorney than to >rely on the kind of wild mythology you'd get on a forum or news group.
An entertainment lawyer would probably be his best bet. I don't think regular contract law would be sufficient. Especially these days when restaurants are regularly hounded by ASCAP enforcers, ur, legal representatives "protecting" musicians' interests.
I think this is primarily a zoning issue, and the city would probably be concerned about noise, parking, that sort of thing. I'd begin by starting at the city's zoning department (or county, if the venue is located outside the city limits) and see whether there are zoning ordinances regarding house concerts. If there seem to be issues, then maybe an attorney might be helpful. But I'd start first at city hall and go on from there.
"Karen Rodgers" <n...@a.valid.address.for.newsgroups> wrote in message
> On Sun, 27 May 2007 11:28:14 -0400, Abby Sale > <NO_SPAM_as...@ft.newyorklife.com> wrote:
>>On 26 May 2007 23:27:03 -0700, criza...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house
>>>Here's my question: is it possible to do a members-only type of deal
>>You have to get an answer in the Sacramento, CA area. This could involve >>regs from _any_ jurisdiction. Best to consult a local attorney than to >>rely on the kind of wild mythology you'd get on a forum or news group.
> An entertainment lawyer would probably be his best bet. I don't think > regular contract law would be sufficient. Especially these days when > restaurants are regularly hounded by ASCAP enforcers, ur, legal > representatives "protecting" musicians' interests.
> Hello group. > I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house > concerts in a space I am currently leasing that sits above a business > (a small restaurant). I do not live in the upstairs space, in fact, > the space isn't even zoned for residential usage but I would like to > put on 2-4 house gigs a month there and try and avoid turning it into > a business-situation where I will have to deal with local/state/ > federal government........
Hi Chris
Your description made me immediately think of Strings in Oakland. Joey Lent has been running this venue for many years in the Oakland/Berkeley/Emeryville neighborhood. He has addressed many of the issues you raised.
Undoubtedly the local situation in Sacramento is different from that in Oakland, but you will probably be able to find some useful advice at strings. Their website is http://www.strings.org/
In article <1180247222.958751.116...@r19g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, criza...@gmail.com writes: > I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house > concerts in a space I am currently leasing that sits above a business > (a small restaurant). I do not live in the upstairs space, in fact, > the space isn't even zoned for residential usage but I would like to > put on 2-4 house gigs a month there and try and avoid turning it into > a business-situation where I will have to deal with local/state/ > federal government.
> Here's my question: is it possible to do a members-only type of deal > where the only real form of advertisement for the concerts would be > via a blog, e-mail list and message board and pay the performers by > suggested tips/donation without having to submit to the city, county > or state? Does anyone here do this in California and if so, would you > be willing to share some tips/give advice to a house concert-wannabe?
Regulations would vary widly depending on your local zoning and other assorted regulations. I know of one group that had no problem when they asked for donations, but ran into trouble when they started selling tickets, and had to move out of the house environment into other locations. They currently operate as a 501C3 non profit organization.
In article <4665ba9...@news.greennet.net>, Ken Goldman <kg...@watson.ibm.com> writes: > I'll bet the show stopper will be homeowner's insurance, which will > probably not cover liability once you start charging admission.
Perhaps, but your insurance agent isn't going to come by, shut you down, and write you a ticket like the local government will.
> Hello group. > I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am considering booking house > concerts in a space I am currently leasing that sits above a business > (a small restaurant). I do not live in the upstairs space, in fact, > the space isn't even zoned for residential usage but I would like to > put on 2-4 house gigs a month there and try and avoid turning it into > a business-situation where I will have to deal with local/state/ > federal government.
> Here's my question: is it possible to do a members-only type of deal > where the only real form of advertisement for the concerts would be > via a blog, e-mail list and message board and pay the performers by > suggested tips/donation without having to submit to the city, county > or state? Does anyone here do this in California and if so, would you > be willing to share some tips/give advice to a house concert-wannabe?
> Any help would be much appreciated.
> Chris
"HouseConcert" is an 889 member Yahoo group whose mission is "A discussion list of how to mount a House Concert. Discussions shall include booking tips, refreshment options, chairs :-) etc. Although my interest is in folk music. I'm sure small country or other mainly acoustic groups could be hosted. Outside the house (yard/park) may also be discussed. Related to exterior concerts, discussion about the use of sound systems is also welcomed." You may try posting your question there.
> Regulations would vary widly depending on your local zoning and other > assorted regulations. I know of one group that had no problem when they > asked for donations, but ran into trouble when they started selling tickets, > and had to move out of the house environment into other locations. They > currently operate as a 501C3 non profit organization.
One of the best house concert venues in our area http://www.foxrun.org/indexFoxRunHouseConcerts.html ran into trouble with the state Department of Revenue because they were giving a portion of the money collected to charity. They had to change that policy. They now give 100% to the performers.
