Feeding Your Artists

Am I responsible to feed the artists who are staying with me?

Good question. Artists experience quite a variety of hospitality on the road. Some hosts are a bit overwhelming and doting. [Some even like the challenge of catering to vegans and gluten-free acts and use it as an excuse to try new recipes!]

Others are more casual and even sometimes a bit aloof.

The important thing is communication. What might serve you best is telling the artists what you intend to have available day of show so that they can let you know if they’ll partake.

“We’ll have lasagna, salad, and veggies for dinner at 5:30pm – please let me know if you’ll be joining us for dinner or making your own arrangements.”

or

“We’ll have a pot-luck buffet during the show and a pepperoni pizza available. Please let me know if you want us to set aside a few slices for you if you prefer to eat after the show.”

Statements like this offer food (always appreciated) but allow artists to bring their own without fear of offending the host.

Many hosts cherish the opportunity to cook and cater to their guests. Some even create little care packages for a lovely send-off the next morning. However, artists are grateful for even minimal tokens of hospitality, and you should not feel like you have to be Martha Stewart (at home, not jail) to be a great house concert host. Communicate well, and artists are happy to adapt and appreciate your underlying generosity of being a concert host.