Now That's A House Concert!

They say a man's home is his castle. Well, it can also be his nightclub. These days hundreds of people across the country are playing part-time music promoter. That's sweet music to musicians and fans alike.

The Saturday Early Show explores this phenomenon and even visits a house concert.

There's a big crowd coming, but the attraction isn't just the potluck lasagna or the friendly folks in the kitchen.

They are having a house concert.

"It's just like you were having a party, and then in the midst of the party you've got this talented person sitting there singing, you know, some of your favorite songs," says Tim Blixt.

Fed up with high ticket prices and rowdy concert goers, many fans are seeking refuge in house concerts. There are now at least 55 different series in 17 states.

At sites ranging from backyards in Texas, to condos in the Carolinas, on any given weekend, all kinds of people are turning their homes into miniconcert halls.

There's an admission charge, usually $10 or $15. CDs are sold, and all the money goes to the artist. But the rewards are more than financial.

"For an artist who's starting out, it's a great opportunity to play because they might not have any name recognition, and so it can be a way to get in front of an audience," says Richard Shindell, a musician.

Shindell once relied on house concerts but outgrew them long ago. He's now a top-selling singer-songwriter, and last year he was a member of the folk supergroup Cry Cry Cry, which staged one of the top moneymaking tours of the year.

But Shindell still does the occasional house concert as a way of keeping in touch. "It's a much more intimate environment, and that is a great thing; that is what makes it wonderful,...just the human contact that you wouldn't normally get in a big 2,000 seat hall or something."

The up-close-and-personal format attracts people like Vanessa Wills, who endured a three-and-a-half-hour bus trip to attend her first house concert.

"This is totally different just because it's more homey," explains one fan, saying that you get to talk to the performer and other fans.

And unlike nightclubs, there's no cigarette smoke or pricey drink minimums.

For Tim Blixt, who's been hosting his monthly Cabin Concerts series for five years now, introducing people to new music is almost a mission. "I feel passionate about the music."

"These musicians really have something substantial to offer," he adds. "You really get an emotional wallop when you're sitting or standing as close as you are here to somebody who's singing something that means something to you."

In fact, this weekend, here is probably a house concert playing somewhere near you. If you want to learn more, check out www.houseconcerts.com.

And for more on Richard Shindell, go to www.richardshindell.com.