Dan McCullough wanted more live music in his life so he created The Outback along with his wife Colleen.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Within a typical Kelowna suburb is an underground music venue that was tailor-built for house concerts.

House concerts are normally held in a hosts’ living room or outdoor area. The Outback, however, is behind the Kelowna home of Dan and Colleen McCullough, in an old storage facility that was converted into a tiny music hall.

The initial intent was to create a jam space, as Dan enjoys making music with his brothers. But after discovering how popular the house-concert format is becoming, they decided to make their own venue.

“We saw people were doing them all over and thought, we could do that,” Colleen said.

The decor and lighting make it feel like being in a cozy living room. There is enough space for about 40 guests at the busiest gatherings.

The McCulloughs held their first concert in 2015. There have been about 30 so far, and the pace is accelerating.

“I really like to see the people that come for the first time,” Dan said. “People who have never been before will walk in and say, ‘oh my god, look at this place.’”

“Once the band has set up and starts to play, the place, it becomes this incredible silence, filled with nothing but music,” Colleen said. “It’s infectious – people who experience it want to know when we’re having another one.”

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Admission is always by donation and all funds go to the artist.

“We don’t keep any money, we just do it because we get to have live music in the backyard,” he said.

Even if it is just a handful of shows each year for audiences of a few dozen, the McCulloughs are trying to fill a musical void. After the closure of local venues like Doc Willoughby’s and Fernando’s, and the announcement that the Vancouver Folk Festival won't be happening anymore – opportunities for independent musicians seem to be drying up.

“It leaves all the musicians with their hands up in the air not knowing what to,” Dan said.

And the steep rise in inflation is making it more expensive to go on tour.

Admission is normally $25 to $30; the artist chooses the donation rate. There is a revenue of $500 to $1,000 on a typical night. 

“It’s not the answer but it’s a whole different model now, just like the acquisition of music," Dan said. 

There’s no limit to the genres or dynamic of musicians who perform at The Outback. Bands that have performed include Kentucky Eileen, Layer Cake Mountain, and the Greg Drummond Band.

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But the McCulloughs try to foster an environment that encourages audiences to engage deeply in the music they’re listening to – concerts where a pin drop can be heard if the artist isn’t making any sound.

The Outback doesn’t have an online presence however a Facebook page is being planned. 

Anybody who's interested in experiencing the venue can receive information about upcoming shows by emailing houseconcertkelowna@gmail.com. The address is shared with confirmed guests shortly before the event. 

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

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