The concept of house concerts is not a new one. Originally called salons centuries ago, patrons of fine music opened up their homes to musicians for performances. The idea was put away for some time as musicians began performing for large audiences and needed a stage and amplification. Now, singer/songwriters and bands alike are welcoming the idea of performing ‘unplugged’ in a cozy living room. It gives an opportunity to look the audience at eye level and the ambience and attention more relaxed and inviting. Little Lake Hill (read more on the Little Lake Hill link) is located right off of Wade Avenue on Dixie Trail in Raleigh and very near the beltline and I-40, very convenient to folks from everywhere! There is one item to be leery of if you or a member of your party is allergic to dogs. There are (at present, January 2009) four Border Collies who live here. They will NOT be present for the shows (they would like to steal the show!), but some folks are highly sensitive to dog dander no matter HOW clean the indoor area is....so please keep this in mind.

Little Lake Hill opened its doors to its first house concert in July, 2000, presenting Leslie Ritter and Scott Petito in a wonderful and highly successful show! Little Lake Hill provides an elegant and intimate setting for such performances. The home built in 1932 sits on 3 acres of land in the center of Raleigh. It rests on a hill overlooking a pond (to be restored) thus, the name Little Lake Hill. Lush gardens, stone walls and steps, rock gardens cultivated many years ago grace the area. You can learn more about the home on the Little Lake Hill link.

The House Concert Series hosts an array of entertainment … many genres and many performers that are well known, and many that are not, but rest assured, are very deserving of being heard! There will always be an assortment of goodies on hand, but sharing is welcomed also. Not heard of Little Lake Hill House Concerts? It was voted one of the top places for entertainment by Independent Weekly in 2002! It takes quite a bit of effort and time to host a successful house concert. We attribute much of the success of the Little Lake Hill House Concerts to our vast array of contacts (via music, conservationist, artisan and political). The hosts must share a true love of the artist's music AND the confidence of the performance.
The June 12, 2004 issue of the online magazine "Indie-Music.com" contains an article about HOUSE CONCERTS! (Little Lake Hill House Concerts is interviewed!) You can read about it!

One thing the article does not capture is the amount of work it takes to put on a show and the wonderful response from the audience that really make the musicians feel appreciated. We put a lot of time and energy into the Little Lake Hill shows. This includes booking the artist; building & maintenance of the email and snail mail lists; a website with information about the artist including music selections which gives everyone a chance to preview; house rearranged (and cleaned!), chairs and sound set up, and torn down, food bought and prepared, etc. I estimate that we spend 48 hours getting ready for the concert. Our rewards are great since we get to see the satisfaction of a happy audience & happy artists and a chance to promote great music & the arts. I know that many of the artists  lead a hard (but creative) life on the road and struggle to make ends meet. This venue assures that 100% of the gate goes to the artist. Many  folks have come to nearly all of the shows here, so it's like being with family! (a LOT of family! ;-) Artists also get room and board! And some even stay with us when they are in the area playing at other venues. What we hope to achieve is that the audience will get a warm setting for music, a chance to for artist and audience to share an intimate evening with music and for the artist to explore and take risks where other venues would feel comfortable in doing so. The audience makes these evenings special for the artist and the artist often gives some of their best and most creative performances here. Each show is the BEST!

For those of you that haven't been to a house concert yet, perhaps reading the article above will get you out to explore one!
Scroll down to see our past shows and highlights over the years since beginning in July, 2000!
We have a GREAT 2009 season planned. We've had several already this year and several more on the way.  If you'd like to be put on the reminder email list click here. We are excited to have blues guitarist Mary Flower for her first performance here in late July, Free Planet Radio returns for their 3rd visit in August and songwriter Claudia Schmidt will make her debut at Little Lake Hill early in October!! Billy Jonas returns in November and Al Petteway and Amy White will be here for two shows in December----these are a few to mention!

NEXT SHOW:

Mary is a 2008 Blues Music Award Nominee for "Acoustic Artist of the Year," and is renown for a uniquely personal vision of roots music that blends ragtime, acoustic blues and folk styles. She boasts more stylistic diversity than just about any other artists currently performing under the 'acoustic blues' banner. Working in both the intricately syncopated Piedmont fingerpicking style and her own deeply bluesy lap-slide guitar, Mary Flower has earned raves from critics and audiences alike for her springwater-clear vocals and guitar mastery. As the only woman in history to twice place in the top three at the legendary national Fingerpicking Guitar Championships, and with eight critically acclaimed CDs and five instructional DVDs to her credit, Flower is in demand for festivals, concerts and guitar workshops on both sides of the Atlantic. You may have heard her on Prairie Home Companion, E-Town, or BBC Radio. She has taught workshops (online now too!) in many places including Fur Peace Ranch, Swannanoa Gathering, Steve Kauffman's Acoustic Camp to mention a few. We are so fortunate to have her here! You can read more about Mary at her website AND you can listen to a few song samples below.
 

Reservations ($15) for this show  are necessary and can be made at (919) 787-6378 or by email. Please allow 3 days for a confirmation and limit your reservation party to four people. We are excited to have Mary here and so a many others----don't wait too long to make your reservations!

PAST SHOWS OF 2009!!
 

Scott is no stranger to our stage. His first performance (2nd show) sold out, as did his 2nd performance and his third & fourth! Drawing on the musical legacies of Delta Blues legends Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, the East Coast's Blind Blake, and Durham's own Reverend Gary Davis and Blind Boy Fuller; Scott is a noted performer and scholar with more than a decade of experience teaching elements of African and African-American music to students of all ages, both in the classroom and from the stage. Coming of age during the Civil Rights era, Scott continues to have a deep reverence and affection for cross-racial exchange and approaches the tradition with the care and respect it is due. Scott honors the African and American roots of the tradition and presents a mesmerizing tour of both the music and the history of the Blues. 

Scott is described as a magnificent musician and a mesmerizing historian, he presents concerts on the African roots and the American diversity of the blues, America's most influential indigenous music. Using anecdotes from the lives of original performers, history and sociology, Ainslie tracks the movement of African musical and cultural ideas across the Atlantic and across the South with visits to the East coast's ragtime blues, the Mississippi Delta's deep blues, slide guitar and early gospel music. He's written the best-selling book "Robert Johnson/At the Crossroads" on Mississippi blues legend Robert Johnson as well as produced a teaching video, "Robert Johnson's Guitar Techniques: on Starlicks Video's Master Sessions series. He has five popular CDs to his credit.  His latest release, Thunder's Mouth is one good reason to come to the show! Have a listen to a few songs from this wonderful new CD!
 

You can hear more songs and learn more about Scott by scrolling down to the 2nd show, 30th show and 50th & 51st shows. Yes, it takes two nights to get all interested people in! SO---another two-night stay for this upcoming show! Also, visit Scott's website to learn more.

Reservations ($15) to this show are necessary and can be made by email or phoning (919) 787-6378. Please limit reservation parties to 4 people and allow 3 days for a confirmation AND don't wait long---this is a show NOT to be missed!

SHOWS OF 2007

SHOWS OF 2006

SHOWS OF 2005

SHOWS OF 2004

PAST SHOWS from 2000-2003

some scenes from past shows. some memorable moments!

	David Roth asks Bett to join him on his encore. The entire audience sings 'The Water is Wide' with us
Billy Jonas' outdoor show. We must have had nearly 300 kids (and 'old' kids on the front lawn. This show fell on the weekend after September 11, 2001
	As you can see, this was a great show, and appreciated by kids of ALL ages!!!

	ANDY IRVINE AND RENS VAN DER ZAM IN A SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY SHOW
PRESTON REED STAYED ONE EXTRA DAY FOR A WORKSHOP! BOY, DID SOME OF US FEEL LIKE BEGINNERS ALL OVER AGAIN!

	SOME OF JOEL HAAS' YARD SCULPTURE. HIS CREATIONS WERE FEATURED ALSO AT THE COOL JOHN FERGUSON CONCERT. PHOTO COURTESY OF SLAMMIN' SAM
FINGERS FAST AS LIGHTENING! THEY GLIDE UP AND DOWN THE NECK OF THE GUITAR SO QUICKLY. COOL JOHN MAKES IT LOOK SO SIMPLE!   PHOTO COURTESY OF SLAMMIN' SAM
	IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT DOWN AND HEAR COOL JOHN FERGUSON PLAY. THIS SHOW WAS A STANDING AUDIENCE. THERE WERE CHAIRS ON THE OUTSKIRTS AS THE MUSIC COULD BE HEARD EVERYWHERE....BUT FOLKS WHO WANTED TO SEE COULD SEE AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ALL DANCED THE NIGHT AWAY! PHOTO COURTESY OF SLAMMIN' SAM