Parlour Gigs Unveils New Online Booking Platform For House Shows

In 2015, Parlour Gigs changed the face of live music — giving music lovers the chance to host a show from their own homes, and giving musicians a unique, intimate and financially sustainable opportunity to perform. A year on, Parlour Gigs is set to expand into an online booking platform.

Founded by Melburnian muso Matt Walters, Parlour Gigs works by cutting out the middlemen, like the "AirBnB of live music". Established and emerging artists perform at a host's home — basically guaranteeing a captive audience — and will leave with a portion of the ticketing fee. It has already facilitated over 150 performances including Thelma Plum, Dan Kelly, Mia Dyson, Oh Mercy, Tinpan Orange and Lisa Mitchell.

This expansion will allow hosts to create a new gig in minutes, with electronic ticketing and a personalised list of recommended local artists. Local musicians will also be able to sign in directly, curating a profile similar to Bandcamp or Soundcloud, before being recommended to potential hosts in their area.

"We love the idea that your next favourite artist could be in your postcode," Walters and co-founder Glenn Luck explained in a statement. "The fact is, fans don't always want to go out to clubs and see headliners come on at 11.30pm. We want to connect music lovers with these great local artists in their area — and, of course, host them in their house and showcase them to their friends."

Currently, Australian musicians make an average of only $7200 a year. With the expansion of Parlour Gigs, Walters and Luck hope to create more opportunities for musicians to make a fair wage.

Parlour Gigs artists take 78% of ticket sales, which equates to an average fee of $550 for a 45-60 minute set (the minimum payment is $300 per show with no maximum payment). Incredibly, a recent show in a small regional town church saw a band leave with $2,500.

The app launches on 19 May. For more information, head to Parlour Gigs' website or watch the video below.