A Melbourne Muso's App Is Making House Gigs More Popular Than Ever

There's something to be said about the charms of an intimate live show held in the comfort of your home, and the setting is one picking up favour from artists and punters alike as fledgling app Parlour, created by Melburnian muso Matt Walters, breaks through in the market.

As Fairfax reports, Parlour utilises a business model "not dissimilar" from that of booking platform Airbnb, "cutting out the middlemen and allowing people to negotiate and stage gigs where they like".

However, it's not just that Parlour streamlines the experience of finding somewhere for musicians to ply their craft — it's that, all said and done, artists are pretty much guaranteed a captive, attentive audience, and walk away with 90% of the $10-per-person entry fee, with Walters' own experience pointing to the ways in which the "venueless" model can make musicians a pretty penny in a highly pleasurable environment.

"After the [first] show, I managed to meet and talk with the guests," Walters said in a statement. "Everyone was so relaxed and open — there was a beautiful community feeling to it. At the end of the night, I packed up the car and was ready to leave when the host chased after me. 'You forgot this!' he said, handing me an envelope with $600 inside it.

"I couldn't believe it. Not only had I played the most beautiful and meaningful show of my career, but I'd also been paid about five times more than I was used to getting for playing a venue."

It's been a whirlwind journey for Walters so far, having only established Parlour in January of this year, but it's already making an impact, with gigs already having been staged for the likes of Caitlin Harnett, Grand Salvo, Thelma Plum, Sam Lawrence, Ben Whiting, Rowena Wise, Jess Ribeiro and several others, with even more yet in the pipeline in the months ahead.

"This is what Parlour is all about," Walters explained. "We are building a platform that will finally connect artists and hosts and allow them to share the magic of house shows with the world. We are building a web platform that will encourage a host's creative expression. We are building a web platform that will transform the live music economy."

Parlour Gigs will host a Winter Series of gigs next month, starting with Tin Pan Orange on Wednesday, June 3, with shows also on the cards for Oh Mercy (and, boy, Alex Gow nails live performances), Jen Cloher and a yet-to-be announced artist towards the end of the month. See the Parlour Gigs shop for booking information.

For more details about past shows, Parlour's genesis and journey so far, or to put your hand up to play or host a house gig through the company, head to the Parlour Gigs website.