House concerts bring music home in Marblehead

Aug. 19—Leah Bokenkamp and Mike Rozinsky had never even attended a house concert when they hosted their first one back in 2015.

Seven years later, the Marblehead couple regularly opens their door at 23 Rowland St. — and their backyard — to musicians and fans as Homegrown House Concerts.

"We didn't mean to start something, it was just that we liked it, our friends liked it," Bokenkamp said, "and we thought 'This is a fun thing to do and maybe we can keep going with it.'"

The couple says it all began with a Kickstarter campaign by Marblehead's own Hayley Reardon, which included a "house concert" for donors at a certain level if the campaign's goal was met.

"We had heard her, we liked her music and we liked her and Kickstarters were kind of new, new to us anyway. There was a level that included a house concert. We had never been to a house concert, we'd been to a lot of other live music and it was a new concept to us. We thought that sounds fun, let's try it out. And we did and it's just grown since then," she said.

The couple said they were impressed 40 or so folks showed up for that first concert.

What's a house concert?

House concerts are performances at private homes or settings such as backyards, orchards or even barns. House concerts are donation based.

The music tends to be low-key, softer without the volume of classic rock or thrash metal. Concert-goers usually bring lawn chairs, picnics, blankets and something to wet their whistle. The hosts either spread the word by mouth, text or social media, their own website or Facebook pages. Some post announcements at local coffee shops or music stores. Others, like Jeff Boudreau who has hosted hundreds of house concerts in the Boston area and across Massachusetts, have carefully curated contact lists of patrons to email. Some may omit street addresses in announcements all together, instead using a web address or phone number as a contact.

Boudreau, administrator of the New England House Concert Network that serves house concert presenters, patrons and artists, said house concerts, like "listening rooms," are totally different than a night out on the town.

"House concerts are a unique experience, it's not like going to a club," Boudreau said.

"When you go to a house concert or listening room, you are there for the show... It's not a dinner theater, you're not there to have a loud, boisterous time — you're there for the listening. If you can't be quiet for an hour or two, don't go," he said.

"When there's music playing, it's a completely different, respectful environment for the artist, it's a one-on-one with the artist," he said.

Homegrown House Concerts, for instance, welcomes youngsters, although they are asked to be respectful.

"We have typically encouraged an adult-only audience, but we love exposing kids to good music... So if your kids will sit quietly and be a respectful audience member, feel free to have them along."

Early days

After that initial show, Rozinsky said — in the early years — concerts there were often friends on stage and friends in the audience.

"The first couple of years we were kind of low-key, a couple (of shows) a year. Then, we got a little more serious. We got interested in doing more of it, with more musicians we were 'into' and ones that we were discovering," Rozinsky said.

During the first five years, pre-pandemic, Homegrown House Concerts' efforts grew into 5 to 10 shows a year, most outside in the backyard with room for about 80 seated comfortably with inside shows seating about 35. Audiences usually number between 40 and 60, Rozinsky said. Prior to the pandemic, the couple's kids, Kai, 14, and Joanna,12, often baked up munchies, charging $1 a cookie or bag of popcorn.

A professional sound system makes a difference, Bokenkamp said, but pointing out indoor performances usually are all-acoustic, minimally mic'ed affairs.

The performance space in the backyard is becoming a favorite with musicians and fans alike, Rozinsky said.

"You know it sounds good, tucked down in the corner of the yard, surrounded by giant trees — it really sounds good to us and I think the artists are finding their experience, how they sound, really works for them."

Attracting talent

House concerts can be a staple of touring musicians, particularly those starting out. Often, they're looking to pencil in smaller, intimate shows on off dates that will keep tour costs down, make some new fans and possibly put some money in their pockets.

Networking and traveling to major music festivals like Falcon Ridge, Green Mountain Bluegrass, and Arcadia Folk Fest are great ways get to find and attract new acts, Bokenkamp and Rozinsky said. The hosts develop relationships with the artists, who often become close friends who hang out, have coffee intown or share meals.

"It also feels great to support the artist — that was a big part of why we started doing this, originally, with that Kickstarter for Hayley and that's continued. It's not easy to make a living as a musician. It feels like a win-win-win, a win for them, they get to expand their audience and hopefully make some money, we get to experience their music and the audience gets something to do that's enjoyable," Bokenkamp said.

House concerts' history

House concerts are not new, yet they have enjoyed a resurgence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Much of the reappearance of house concerts can be tied to the folk revival that blossomed in the 1960s and continues on today.

Technically, "house" concerts probably date back to the age of European royalty when kings and queens would have famed musicians from across the Continent perform for a select few in their personal chambers. There's a school of thought that says that's how the genre "chamber music" was initially named.

But for the masses, for most, music could only be heard on the porch, around the parlor or kitchen or campfire.

House concerts, formal ones with "donations," appeared in the 1930s in sections of Harlem when apartments were rented out for blues performances and other entertainment.

American folk, country and blues all have long, rich histories of artist performances in private homes and backyards.

Love of music

With 100 percent of the donations going to the artists, Bokenkamp said they are grateful to help musicians and spread the joy of live music.

"We love music," she said. "It goes back to that experience with Hayley — it was fun. We love the sense of community, of people coming together. A lot of people were our friends, but the audience has gone beyond just our friends. It's a cool thing to create a space and an event that brings people together for a common experience."

In a town like Marblehead with its strong local music scene thanks in part to Me&Thee Music coffeehouse, Homegrown House Concerts have been embraced by the community and local music fans, Bokenkamp said.

"We have wonderful neighbors. It hasn't been a problem. We haven't heard any complaints, actually quite the opposite," Bokenkamp said.

Obviously, neighbors are notified ahead of time of upcoming shows. And some, she said, even coordinate their own backyard parties to take advantage of Homegrown House Concerts' music. The couple said because audience numbers are small, there's plenty of on-street parking. Shows typically are wrapped up by 9:30 p.m., Rozinsky said.

Live music fits so well in Marblehead, Bokenkamp said, as "we're on a perfect perch over a busy downtown."

IF YOU GO

Homegrown House Concerts

Marblehead

Rain or shine

Heather Maloney

Friday, Sept. 2

Doors at 7, music at 7:30 p.m.

Backyard Show

http://homegrownhouseconcerts.live

Saints & Liars

Friday, Sept. 16

Doors at 7, music at 7:30 p.m.

Backyard Show

http://homegrownhouseconcerts.live