Doing the House Show Right

d.i.y. it right.
*friendly advice on how to throw a house show with minimal hassle.
there are some things you should know

House shows in Nashville are a thing perched precariously on the edge here in 'Music City.' I went to two last week alone, despite several of my favorite spots being shut down by noise complaints, lack of permit knowledge and countless complaints from frustrated neighbors over the last few years. I love a good house show. There's an intimate vibe. In the digital age, there tends to be a more curated experience. The guest list is likely fairly trusty, as you are usually expected to DM someone directly for the info. It can be done well and when it's a hit, it hits big. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but, like, i looked stuff up.

first things first.

do not be a dick and do get to know your neighbors!
while we realize it's not possible to befriend everyone on your street, it's a good idea to know your neighbors for a lot of reasons. friendly neighbors keep an eye on your place when you're away, offer a hand when your car needs a jump, and don't call the cops when you have friends over.

it helps if you introduce yourself relatively soon after you move in (or they move in), but that's not always plausible. some people opt for small gifts (pies, donuts, a copy of your most recent ep), but a friendly introduction will do. who knows, you may get a pet sitter or an unlikely best friend out of the deal? knowing your neighbors can keep what could have been a simple 'turn it down' text into becoming a noise violation.

pre-plan parking or encourage ridesharing

I've found that many of the complaints that come with house shows is the problem it creates for parking in a neighborhood. the free parking situation in nashville is more than annoying, and with a severe lack of driveways, it can get wildly irritating not being able to park in front of your own home. Encourage your friends to rideshare or carpool and you'll save yourself a lot of resentment in the long run.
*it is important to note that if your friends do drive to your party and end up catching a ride home, you should encourage them to come get their cars at a reasonable hour. a random car parked in front of your neighbor's house all day is sketchy. no one wants that. a little common courtesy goes a long way. plus, the less people who drive, the better for... you know, the entire planet, so that's also something.
*once, my roommates and i all went out and drive separate cars and it was really weird.

be reasonable

it's helpful to your neighbors and roommates if you come up with a couple of house rules you strictly follow. you don't have to follow these rules, but they're things i strongly suggest. there will always be those people who hate joy and complain, even if you do it all right, but there are a lot of simple considerations that might make them chill out some.

go acoustic at a reasonable hour. no drums after 11 unless you soundproofed adequately
keep the party contained to the best of your ability
encourage your guests to be respectful of the neighborhood/your house/ your roommate's stuff
backyards are great, if you have them. if you have them, encourage your guests to utilize them.

keep the guest list as exclusive as possible

we want to be able to party with everyone, but not everyone needs to be partied with. not everyone needs to be at your house. just to be real, not everyone needs to know where you live. Part of the appeal of the house show, for me, is that the majority of the audience is invited directly by the bands and hosts. That isn't to say that you don't have any sketchy friends, but the fewer randos that show up, the less likely you are to have surprise conflicts, theft, or any major unfavorable funny business. plus, an intimate setting can allow for making new friendships and connections with friends-of-friends. i always, always, always have a 'no kooks allowed' rule for anything happening at my house. it's served me pretty well.

treat it like a party

if you have a strict no-weed/drugs policy, let your guests know. just know they'll probably smoke before they come. the same goes with underaged drinking. if you're not carding people at the door, you could get guests of any age. it's a risk you have to be willing to take as the host, but you also assume the responsibility of your guests, and most especially the underaged ones.
and if you're hosting the party, make sure you're giving yourself permission to enjoy it (kevin). any smart person would be nervous about having a bunch of people in their house with all their stuff, but uptight hosts are a mood killer. try not to be that.

know the laws and city ordinances
(for outdoor events)

this is the part that gets so many people. there are city regulations that you may want to consider. if you follow this, your neighbors can't say shit.

Setback

The stage and sound amplification equipment shall not be oriented toward any residence located within three hundred feet of the property line upon which the small outdoor music event is to be held. Further, sound amplification equipment shall be oriented so that sound is directed away from the closest residential property. For purposes of this subsection, "sound amplification equipment" means small portable sound systems of maximum three hundred watts, microphones, and amplified acoustic musical instruments.

Noise

A maximum noise level of seventy-five decibels on the A-weighted scale shall be permitted to occur at the boundary line of the nearest residential property.

Limitations on Number of Events and Hours of Operation

No more than one small outdoor music event shall be held on the property in a calendar month, with a maximum of eight events per calendar year. All small outdoor music event activity shall take place only between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, and between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekends and shall last a maximum of four hours. The applicant shall provide the zoning administrator with a list of the date(s) and time(s) of the scheduled small outdoor music event(s) prior to obtaining a permit. The permit holder shall annually update the information on file with the zoning administrator regarding the event date(s) and time(s), and the zoning administrator shall be notified of any change in the date(s) and time(s) of events at least ten days prior to the event.

Attendance

Small outdoor music events shall be limited to a maximum of one hundred fifty people if the lot size is less than twenty thousand square feet in size.

Parking

Adequate off-street parking shall be provided.

Street Standard.

At a minimum, primary street access for the event shall be from a nonresidential collector street.

Traffic and Parking Management Plan.

A traffic and parking management plan shall be submitted at the time the application for the use permit is filed. At a minimum, such traffic and parking management plan shall include the number of vehicles expected, a list of the streets to be used for ingress and egress, and a list of surface parking areas to be used to accommodate the event.

Lighting.

All light and glare shall be directed on-site to ensure surrounding properties are not adversely impacted by increases in direct or indirect ambient lighting levels.

Event Notification

The applicant shall provide written notice of every small outdoor music event to all properties located within six hundred feet of the subject property at least ten business days prior to the date of each event. Such notice can be via first class U.S. mail or hand delivery. An event notification plan shall be submitted by the applicant prior to obtaining a permit identifying the method by which notice regarding the small outdoor music event(s) is to be provided. Such notice shall include the following:

a.
The date, location, and hours of the event;
b.
The name, email address, and telephone number of the person(s) responsible for the event;
c.
The telephone number of the zoning administrator's office for purposes of making complaints regarding the event; and
d.
A statement that noise complaints during the event shall be made to the metropolitan police department.

Revocation of Permit

The zoning administrator shall have the authority to revoke a small outdoor music event permit upon the violation of any of the terms and conditions of the use permit or of the provisions of this section. Prior to taking action to revoke a small outdoor music event permit, the zoning administrator shall have received a petition documenting the violation(s) signed by owners/occupants representing a majority (fifty percent plus one) of the properties within the event notification area and a copy of the matter of record report from the metropolitan police department, provided that no petition shall be required whenever the zoning administrator determines that there has been a repeat violation of this section or has grounds to believe that a repeat violation has occurred within the past twelve months. Upon revocation, applicants shall not be permitted to apply for another small outdoor music event permit for a period of one year. Revocations may be appealed to the board of zoning appeals pursuant to Section 17.40.180 of the Metropolitan Code.

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