I went to this fantastic gig on Friday night at a house on Henry Street in Galway.
Having never been to a house concert before, I was curious as to how it would work. The band - Edited - are a Californian folk trio whose gorgeous vocal harmonies were reminiscent of Steely Dan and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
Fifty people crammed into the sitting room for the gig. It was like going to a house party, but to people you didn't know.
The fantastic thing about the gig was the unique atmosphere and the intimacy. The musicians moved freely about the audience during the breaks, squeezing through the crowd in the kitchen just like everyone else.
There was no official admission fee; you were asked to give a suggested donation of €10. This money went directly to the band. The hosts were doing it for the love, and not making any money out of it themselves.
There was a limited amount of space, but for an acoustic performance it was an ideal venue. The hosts were enjoying the novelty of having a pile of friendly people in their house enjoying fantastic music.
I found out about the gig from a friend, who booked me a place at it. These gigs are never advertised;it's all word of mouth. Anyone big into their music would love a gig like this. There is no bar or noisy rude punters in the background.
We brought our own booze, and afterwards there was a bit of a sing song. The hosts have recently restored the house, and have made a fine job of preserving the best of the old styles and mixing it with the best of the modern.
Edited loved the gig so much they plan on making it an annual event. The consumate musicians performed a polished set. They each sang solo to begin with, but it was only when the three sat down together that the magic happened. The vibe was seventies, Californian and laid back.
For novelty, this gig wins hands down as the best gig I have been to in ages.
