Community News

There are many venues in the Oswego area where people can go to listen to live music.

During the summer months there are concerts at Breitbeck Park, on the Veterans Stage and in Market Street Square every week along with numerous bars, event spaces and restaurants hosting bands, solo artists and open mic events on a regular basis. And don't forget Harborfest and Porchfest!

Local lovers of live music Ranjit Dighe and Anne Pagano added another venue to the local music scene recently when they hosted touring Nashville musician Michaela Anne in their living room.

"It's called a house concert," Ranjit said. "Oftentimes artists will play a small event at someone's home to fill in a date between scheduled shows while they're touring."

Anne Pagano said, "Some friends of ours hosted several house concerts in Oswego. We went to a couple of them as long ago as 2013."

"We had been wanting to host one, and we took the plunge in 2023," she continued. "Last year we had Florence Dore, who played along with members of two of Ranjit's favorite bands; The dBs and Son Volt."

Anne also said they sold tickets online through ticketing agent Eventbrite, which simplified the ticketing process. Tickets for this year's show were also sold via the online agent.

"I had briefly met Michaela Anne in 2022," said Ranjit. "Her booking agent actually reached out to us after seeing my social media postings about the various live events I've attended."

According to Syracuse-area musician Jeffrey Pepper-Rodgers' website,  a house concert is "...a small, up close and personal performance with an artist or small band playing before an audience of neighbors and friends. There are often refreshments or food available, as well as a tip jar for the artist."

Ranjit Dighe also said, "An artist will sometimes be offered the opportunity to stay overnight at the host's or a friend's home. Florence Dore's band took us up on the offer last year. Michaela Anne had made arrangements to stay with a friend who lives nearby."

"A house concert is an intimate way to listen to music with all of your senses," Anne Pagano said. "We hosted just about twenty people last week, and everyone enjoyed being able to be just a few feet away from Michaela...to see and hear her fingers slide along on the strings of her guitar."

Tim Nekritz, a friend and local musician who attended the performance, said, "I was...thrilled to catch a different kind of venue, and happy to see so many music fans and friends supporting it." (Nekritz also hosts a well-attended monthly songwriters' circle in his West Side home.)

When asked if they would like to do it again, both Pagano and Dighe answered, "Yes!"

Ranjit added, "I might want to tweak a few details. I was actually a bit concerned about advance ticket sales, but by the weekend before the show I knew we'd be alright."

If you're the adventurous sort, love live music and have a space big enough to set up a stage and seat several friends, maybe a house concert might be in your future. There's a significant number of performers out there who would love the opportunity to fill in an open date between tour stops, and plenty of local musicians who would jump at the chance to play a relaxed show for friends and family.

With access to the internet, it's easy to find artists or their booking agents online. Reach out and see if they're interested and available. And while you're at it, be sure to invite iHeartOswego.com along to check out the show - we'd love to join you!