Ok, we really just got tired of seeing "FAQ" on every website and there are actually 25 questions and we included the answers.
Because we do not charge for tickets in advance and only collection by donation at the door, we have found that too many people make reservations early and then cancel at the last minute or don't show up at all. This often happens after many others have been turned away while seeking to make reservations when the guest list is already full.
We often have empty seats on the evening of the concert, even though the reservation list has been full for weeks. PLEASE, do not make reservations unless you know you can attend and never make reservations for more than 4 people.
Those who do not show consideration for others and cancel often or fail to show up after making reservations will be permanently removed from the invitation list. Thank you for your consideration of your hosts and fellow music lovers.
No! But sometimes it seems that way. And here is how you can often conquer our conspiracy to always have full concerts. We send a reminder out to confirmed guests about 4-6 days before each concert. This often seems to remind some folks to reconsider their plans. This then leads to the "miracle" of last minute available seats.
So even if the concerts has shown as full, soon after the invitations went out, there is hope. Starting 4 to 5 days before the concert, check the Evite invitation page whenever you can. You will often find seats available as other folks have made cancellations.
We do not keep a waiting list. We have tried, but it is way too difficult to manage. Just keep an eye on the list over the days leading up to the next concert. One person's change of plans can become your seat at our next party.
Música Del Río translates as “music of the river”. Our home, the place we have our house concerts, is on Del Rio Road about a half mile above the Salinas River. So the location helped us create a name fitting for us and we hope, you.
No, Música Del Río is done for the love of music and friends. (See “What do you get out of doing this?” below.) All of the ticket donation money goes directly to the performers. 100%
100% goes to the performers. It is considered a donation. But in order to keep musicians coming back, it is really important that all in attendance pay their share.
It is our hobby, so we are. From time to time as we update and improve the way we present music; you are welcome to help out financially if you wish. But we will never ask. Fred’s business, “Travel With Fred”, underwrites the cost of maintaining this website and the Evite software.
We love live acoustic music. The closer, the better and it’s really cool that our favorite musicians come to our house to entertain us and 60 of our friends and acquaintances.
We have a page all about that. Go to "A House Concert?” and get the answers.
We host one concert a month from September through May. We occasionally, but seldom, will add a special concert date to fit artist schedules and the interests of our friends.
We have heard many of the performers we invite at other house concerts, music festivals and showcases. A remarkable number of artists find us via the network of house concert presenters we stay connected with. As a general rule, we only book artists who we have heard live, have a ‘Live CD’ for us to evaluate AND play the types of music we personally enjoy.
The focus is on the singer/songwriter reflecting Americana, folk, bluegrass, Celtic, world and blues. We have a special fondness for the fiddle, the mandolin and the piano. Of course a good guitar really helps too.
Generally, we use limited sound reinforcement, so everyone can hear all the musicians. We have found that many instruments and vocalists need some amplification to insure a well-balanced presentation for everyone in the room. (An electric piano needs amplification or there is just no sound.) We are slowly adding a more elaborate sound system to better support the needs of our performers and guests.
FRIDAY concerts start at 8:00 PM. SATURDAY concerts start at 7:30 PM. You are welcome to arrive 45-minutes before the concert’s published starting time. There will be a 20-30 minute intermission between 2 sets, of about 45-60 minutes each. We then welcome you to stay and visit after the second set.
Send a email to invite@musicadelrio.org with the word “please’ in the subject line. You must include your name, city and home or cell phone number. You will then get an invitation via email for all upcoming concerts. We use an event announcement web tool called Evite to send out all invitations, manage all replies and keep track of the guest list. Your contact information is never released to or used by anyone else but us. You must RSVP, as we cannot accommodate walk-ins.
Absolutely, just RSVP with the number of people that will be attending. We do limit the number of people, per reservation, to four. Better yet, have your friends add themselves to our email list. (See “How do I get invited?” above)
Generally yes. When guests are interested in bringing children, we prefer to clear this with the artists. So please let us know. When making your reservation, there is a message box included for a private note to us. Parents need to remember that we are presenting a 2 hour concert in an environment with very limited space for children to move around. Unless they are going to sit on the floor up front, we ask that you donate for their ticket.
Our front door and the entrance to our living room are wide; however the doorways to our bathrooms may be too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair. Email ahead if you have any type of accessibility question. Also, please email ahead if you have questions or need a disabled parking space. We'll be glad to help whenever we can!
We own an open meadow next to our house for parking. At the furthest, you will have to walk about 250 feet from your car to the concert. BUT, car pooling is encouraged because we do not have room for 60 cars. Do not park on the street. Del Rio is a rural road with a soft shoulder and no streetlights. If you are disabled, we have room for 3 vehicles with firm access. Please contact us in advance for disabled parking.
We will generally provide soft drinks and coffee. Helping out with a semi-potluck snack or dessert offering is optional when you feel like it. You are also welcome to bring beer, wine, and soda or fruit juice to share. Please do not bring hard liquor.
There is no smoking in our home. You may smoke during intermission, only on the concrete driveway to the far right as you exit the front door. All butts must be disposed of in the metal pail on the driveway. Smokers who don’t follow this rule will work “yard cleanup” before the next scheduled concert.
We have returned to sharing our home with one furry friend. We are now the proud parents of Enzo, a Welsh Terrier. She is usually not present during concerts, but she will be in the house. Please contact us with any concerns.
Add a friend to the invitation list. You can host a performer in your guest room on the night of the concert. You can contribute to our "sound enhancement" fund to build a better sound system. But always come and have a good time.
Most musicians have CDs for sale, and some even have T-shirts and other gear. You may want to bring some extra cash or your checkbook to take home a lasting part of the evening. And don't forget to ask the musicians to autograph whatever you buy! You also may want to bring a small cushion for your chair. Our folding chairs are unpadded.
We have room for 54-62 when the performers number 3 or fewer. With 4 or more musicians performing, we may need to slightly rearrange the seating for a total of 54-58.
House concerts are a private party. We would like contact with our guests before they show up at our front door; this is our home, after all. After you sign up on our invitation list (See “How do I get invited?” above) you will receive an invitation email to our next concert, which includes our address and phone number. If you RSVP "Yes"; about 4-6 days before the concert you will receive a reminder email with directions to our home and other important information. Remember you must RSVP; we need to know how many people are coming.
The best way we have found to keep track of the email list, all invitees and who is attending is with a web tool called Evite. It is the simplest tool we found for list management and reservations. Because we do this as a volunteer effort, we want to keep it easy for everyone, including us. Evite also lets you see who else is attending the concert and who has been invited.
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