Confession. There is one thing about hosting a Homesong that I still haven’t nailed. It causes the most stress. In fact it’s the only real stress now.

I’m still haunted by the question: who the hell is going to turn up?

For our particular Homesongs I’ve got a mailing list from our small town of 4,000 of over 50 addresses. People who in theory are interested in coming along. I send them out 2 or 3 emails before the gig, and ask people to respond if they are planning to come.

Some people do respond. Either to say they plan to come or that they can’t come. Some of those who do come don’t tell me. Folk who have said they were coming don’t always come. Some tell me at the last minute that they can’t. And some people were initially happy to be on the list, have never responded at all.

The upshot is that I only have a vague idea on the day of the gig who will be there. Sometimes I’m hopeful and end up disappointed at the turnout. Sometimes I’m anxious and end up being delighted.

The perfect scenario is of course that there is enough demand that I need to put a limit on attendances. And I still think that’s achievable, but it hasn’t happened so far.

My own take on this is not: to build a bigger mailing list; do more facebook promotion; seek more local advertising. It’s too easy to start trying prematurely to make something bigger when in fact it simply needs to be made better. And Homesong should be first and foremost about the community who are already in existence. I want to value them not lose them. I want them to always want to come along to the gig (Covid and Life Circumstances allowing).

So my first step will be to try to appreciate and look after those people better. I don’t know quite how yet. But it’s pointless talking grandly about Homesong networks and tours, if I’m not taking care of home.