When Bev Barnett and Greg Newlon invited Texas folksinger Eliza Gilkyson to perform at their home in Campbell, she hadn’t yet been nominated for a Grammy and was unaccustomed to interruptions by sudden birdcalls in the background.

As Barnett relates, “We thought we’d thought of everything to transform the house into the perfect acoustic setting – but we forgot about the clock,” which makes birdcalls on the hour. “The Northern Cardinal let us know it was 9 o’clock just before she ended her first set, and the whole room was looking around wondering where the bird was.”

It’s a melodious example of what can be expected when you open your home to performers, music lovers, potluck, and community.

Barnett and Newlon, who run the True Wind Music Series, hosted Gilkyson in June 2004 because Espresso Garden and Café in San Jose, the venue where they regularly presented their series, was booked. (Gilkyson’s CD, Land of Milk and Honey, was nominated for Folk Album of the Year later that year.) But when the Espresso Garden closed last month, the couple decided that their house in Campbell was the next best thing.

“We’ve presented more than 50 concerts at the Espresso Garden over the past two years,” says Barnett. “The venue was so intimate, we’ve always said those shows were like house concerts, except we didn’t have to vacuum. So the joke now is, we’re in the market for a vacuum cleaner.”

Michael Timpanaro-Perrotta, who hosts house concerts – largely Celtic and Irish music – at his home in Cupertino, put on his first show in 2002. The impetus was simple: “A musician friend called and said he was going to be in town, and [asked] if we could host a house concert for him.”

The template for a house concert is straightforward: invite touring musicians you like to play, tell your friends and like-minded music lovers, open doors. The South Bay community revolves largely around folk music, though empty warehouses the world over and the occasional living room have long been known as venues for DIY-style punk rock. Some house concerts involve potluck, others put out a plate of cheese and crackers. Hosts aren’t in it for the money – for most, any money collected goes directly to the artists, while donations may be accepted for food and beverages.

Timpanaro-Perrotta doesn’t worry about his patrons getting rowdy. “I have opened the house to complete strangers,” he says, “but have not had any problems.” Barnett agrees, noting, “Community starts at home, so anyone contemplating hosting a house concert needs to ask themselves how it will impact their neighbors.” She points out that their house sits on a relatively isolated corner lot. “The music we have is mostly acoustic, and we’re done by 10pm,” she adds.

Barnett and Newlon started their series this year with almost a built-in community, comprised of the people who enjoyed the Espresso Garden concerts. “We definitely have a following,” says Barnett. They also rely somewhat on publicity from the folk DJs at KKUP. Publicity mostly comes down to word of mouth, says Timpanaro-Perrotta. He uses Bay Area Linkup, an online community site. An active Yahoo! listserv fuels the fire, with members from all over the country chiming in to suggest performers, promote their bookings, and share tips.

Martine Locke, an Australian singer-songwriter who now makes her home in the Bay Area, performs at house concerts often. She praises the coziness of the events: “I enjoy being able to connect with people on a much more intimate level. It gives me a chance to share part of me and also invite them to share part of themselves.”