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You are here: Home Leisure Arts & Culture Musicians look to living rooms for a fresh spotlight

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12/05/2011Musicians look to living rooms for a fresh spotlight

Musicians look to living rooms for a fresh spotlight Imagine a five-piece band that splits concert ticket sales five ways on a weeknight. Now imagine the front man of that same band charging EUR 20 a head at a living-room size venue that’s cosy, friendly, and with a nice pay check for one.

As the music industry continues to plunge into unpredictable territory, where output relies solely on file sharing and concert sales mean more than ever, artists are getting closer to their audience.

Way closer. Enough to take what was once an alternative business, like Kees Jonkheer's Live In Your Living Room (LIYLR), and push it into a brighter light where bands and fans scramble to be.


The idea is simple: take an acoustic act and have them perform in a living room. The host supplies the space, is given a budget for drinks, and assumes an audience of at least 30 to break even. LIYLR promotes, the host spreads the word, and a fee is charged at the door for a two-hour performance. The crowd is usually a mix of random fans and host friends, and in the end musicians are paid an attractive amount.



Dutch musician Lea performs in an Amsterdam living room as part of a Live In Your Living Room performance. Photo: Kendall Rattner.

What started out as just a bunch of friends hanging out has shaped itself into an organisation that, as a business, books bands in people's living rooms across the Netherlands, New York City, and recently Barcelona. Supply and demand are high amongst both performers and hosts, leaving Jonkheer's business in a fun and favourable position to sit back and enjoy the vibes.


"There are local spin offs, but I like to think the reason why we're still here is that we're doing a great job. We've been around for a long time, and we have a large host database," says Jonkheer, a Netherlands native.

For a LIYLR roster, current acts playing living rooms in the Netherlands include The Tunes, Awkward i & Lea, and Joost Dobbe. LIYLR has also caught the attention of media (3voor12, for example); meaning decent promotion outside house venues for artists, too. The concept has been such a hit that musicians are trying out tours solely via LIYLR performances.

"It's a delicate thing when you open the doors of your house as a host and you have people come inside that you don't know," says Jonkheer. "Of course you invite your friends, but it's open admission; everyone can attend."





Another jump into new waters is this month's LIYLR tour in the Netherlands of American singer songwriter Rachael Sage. Keeping the theme of a laid back and friendly atmosphere, the concept of a "living room" will branch out to art galleries and small venues where Sage will perform.

"A lot of performers come to us, so it's a bit of a luxury position. There are many acts that aren't really fitting the programme, but it's never junk," says Jonkheer, who has been trying to bridge the gap of LiYLR musicians in New York City with those in the Netherlands via similar arrangements and duo performances rightfully titled the "NYC/NL Connection".

Amsterdam's alternative art cafe Canvas op de 7e was one of the first venues to book Sage's performance this Sunday, 15 May. Playing along with the theme, cafe space will be furnished with couches, bean bags, lamps, and home-style rugs to set a cosy vibe for patrons.


Sage, who has performed LiYLR spaces in New York City, will have a total of six dates in the Netherlands. Her tour is a fusion of playing living rooms, galleries and small cafes under the umbrella of Live in Your Living Room. Most venues will carry a living room theme.

Financially impressive and bringing a new attitude to the term "house party", LiYLR is one of the many creative and local ways the music industry is flowing for sales and survival. If the trend catches on, the number of music venues in the world could expand into a limitless sea of stage.

A. Sykes / MokumGroupie / Expatica

Interested in attending a Rachael Sage LiYLR event? Here are the dates below. For more information on LiYLR go to liveinyourlivingroom.nl.

13 May Den Haag: Quirky Gallery Cafe, Tasmanstraat 128 (cafe)
Time: 22.00 Cost: FREE (open mic)

14 May Utrecht: Wolvenstraat 4 (open house)
Time: 20.00 Cost: EUR 10

15 May Amsterdam: Canvas op de 7e Wibaustraat 150 (cafe gallery)
Time: 16.00 Cost: EUR 5

20 May Utrecht: Wolter Heukelslaan 69 (open house)
Time: 20.00 Cost: EUR 10

21 May
Location: Dronten, XL Kunstmanifestatie De Amstel 60 (art hall)
Time: 22.00 Cost: FREE

22 May
Location: Amsterdam: Andenken Galerie: Bilderdijkkade 60 (art gallery)
Time: 20.00 Cost: 7.50


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