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Licenses and such
#1
Hi, its me again. I have felt very optimistic and excited about the chance to try out the house concert idea. Since I was a Pastor and worship leader for 36 years, engaging crowds is not an issue for me. But i just read an article by Fran Snyder entitled House Concerts: You're Probably Doing it Wrong in which a question was raised in the comment section about getting licenses and paying fees and such, and it kind of put a dampener on my emotional momentum. What I loved about Shannons book was her encouragement to get out there and get your toes in the water approach. But all the talk about the necessity to get a license/permit from different agencies (Performance Rights Agencies like PROs, ASCP, BMI, SESAC, etc) to not only play other people's songs, but your own, felt like a kick to the throat and punch to the stomach, not to mention it sounded like a lot of money to pay out just perform songs in someones home. Did you and Shannon jump through all these hoops?
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#2
(14 Sep 2018, 08:36 AM)Peter75 Wrote: Hi, its me again. I have felt very optimistic and excited about the chance to try out the house concert idea. Since I was a Pastor and worship leader for 36 years, engaging crowds is not an issue for me. But i just read an article by Fran Snyder entitled House Concerts: You're Probably Doing it Wrong in which a question was raised in the comment section about getting licenses and paying fees and such, and it kind of put a dampener on my emotional momentum. What I loved about Shannons book was her encouragement to get out there and get your toes in the water approach. But all the talk about the necessity to get a license/permit from different agencies (Performance Rights Agencies like PROs, ASCP, BMI, SESAC, etc) to not only play other people's songs, but your own, felt like a kick to the throat and punch to the stomach, not to mention it sounded like a lot of money to pay out just perform songs in someones home. Did you and Shannon jump through all these hoops?

Hey Peter! HECK NO. We've done 500+ house concerts and we've secured precisely zero licenses and paid precisely $0 in fees. That's ridiculous. Get out there and do it. If someone at some point in the future tells you you need a license or a fee – which pretty surely they won't – apologize and deal with it then. But that realistically won't happen. Lawyers don't care about small fish like us. Go get 'em. Smile
--
jamie hill
shannon's husband & partner in crime
co-inventor of the house concert model & co-author of the book
which is why i reply so often on here
i produce, mix, & master records
you can hear my work at  deptofenergymgmt.com/work
Tacoma, WA, USA
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