VOA慢速英语2014 私人住宅举办迷你演唱会愈发流行

 

Music Shows in Private Homes Gain Popularity¹ 私人住宅举办迷你演唱会愈发流行 

Attending a live musical performance in a huge sports center with thousands of other supporters of the musician is exciting. Even in a smaller place, such as a restaurant or theater, a skilled performer can provide a great show. Here in the U.S., a very different kind of performance space is gaining in popularity.

Singer-songwriter Annalise Emerick is getting ready to play a show in Nashville, Tennessee. It is something she does most nights in coffee houses, bars, auditoriums², and other small spaces across the country. But tonight, the setting is even smaller. Ms. Emerick will play for a few people in Kristina Shulz’s home.

“An artist will come into my house and play music and I don’t have to go anywhere. All I have to do is provide the atmosphere, which I am absolutely happy to do.”

Ms. Shulz has been holding such performances in her home for about four years. As many as 30 people have attended past shows. The crowd is usually a mix of family, friends and neighbors. But some strangers might show up, too. The performances are listed on house concert websites.

“We’ve done rock, we’ve had blues³, we’ve had pop, folk…pretty much anything…anything we’ll have here.”

House concerts have become an important part of Annalise Emerick's earnings⁴.

“I can play a bar for 100 bucks⁵ (dollars), but I can play a house concert and if there’s 50 people there and they all paying $20 I’m having a great night. And they’re all buying CDs. It’s amazing.”

Ms. Emerick says house concert audiences tend to make more supportive fans. They follow her career, buy her new releases, and go to her shows when she is in town.

“There's just a totally unique experience as opposed to playing like a coffee shop or a bar or something like that where people are usually there, but you don’t always know if they’re there for you.”

This show is Janice and Steve Anderson's first house concert. The personal setting appeals to the couple.

“You’re just with a bunch of friends, you're sitting around listening to new music...and it's just...

“Kinda like sittin’ around a campfire outside.”

"Yeah, like she said, it’s just like a level that you don’t get when you go to a concert. It’s more personal.”

Charlie Dahan teaches music management courses at Middle Tennessee State University. He used to organize shows for artists like Annalise Emerick. Mr. Dahan says house concerts can be financially risky⁶ for artists.

“The downside for the artists is that most house concerts don’t pay guarantees. So you have no assurity of how much money you’re going to make. In fact, most house concerts by law are not allowed to charge admission. Most of them can only do a suggested donation.”

On the other hand, he says house concerts can help fill an artist’s performance calendar and build a loyal following.

Annalise Emerick says she has played in some homes so often the owners have become close friends.

“They always say our door is open if you’re traveling through and you need a place to stay in Virginia, or something, or Maryland, or wherever you are. So that’s been really nice too, 'cause these people are just good people that love music.”

Ms. Emerick says not every house concert goes quite as planned. She recently booked one in Idaho. It turned out the home was in a nudist colony -- a community where people do not wear clothes.

1 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

2 auditoriums   

n.观众席( auditorium的名词复数 )；听众席；礼堂；会堂

参考例句：

• The walls and ceilings of contemporary auditoriums usually conceal light, sound, and air-conditioning equipment. 当代观众厅的墙壁和天花板常设灯光、音响以及空调设备。 来自互联网
• The interior follows an exceedingly compact plan of different types and sizes of rooms and auditoriums. 在室内装饰方面，不同类型不同尺寸的空间以及观众席都追寻一种极端简洁的装饰风格。 来自互联网

3 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

4 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

5 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。