Artists performing at a Backyard Music Co. concert.

Image Credit: Backyard Music Co.

Kelowna homeowners have the chance to promote local artists through a backyard concert.

Backyard Music Co. is looking for homeowners in Kelowna who want to host a concert in their yard to promote local original songwriters. The company has organized more than 60 shows around the world and hopes to have more than 100 around Canada this summer. 

Canadian Billboard artist Scotty James started Backyard Music Co. after performing a series of shows on his lawn in Nashville during the pandemic.

“I grabbed some songwriter buddies and we set up outside of our house in Nashville and invited the whole neighborhood to come watch us perform our original songs. It was really successful,” he said. “It was an amazing thing. People were listening, and they wanted to attend an experience like this. The idea behind the business was to bring this opportunity to artists all around the world.”

James says life as a struggling artist is full of challenges; namely finding opportunities to get paid for playing original songs.

“I did that whole thing of struggling to find gigs and the only gigs I could get were cover gigs and background music, I never had an opportunity to tour and play shows where I was appreciated for my original music, they were rare,” he said. “Our goal is that artists don’t have to do background music anymore.”

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Finding the right backyard is more about finding the right homeowner.

“We’re just trying to find the right fits. We want to find homeowners that are enthusiastic about hosting a show in their yard, they’re enthusiastic about supporting the community, supporting original music,” he said.

Homeowners who host a show can make it public, and Backyard Music Co. sells tickets, or they can make it a private show where only friends and family can get tickets. If the event is public and sells 150 tickets, hosts get 20 per cent of ticket sales to keep or donate directly to a charity of their choice.

The concerts are focused on rising songwriters, and the dates and lineups are announced last minute.

“We’re selling the experience of discovering two to three new artists so when people buy tickets they get an email with a description of all the artists that are performing shortly before the show. It’s not about the names of the artists, it's more about discovering new artists,” he said.

“We’ve been getting tons or responses per community group that we’re reaching out to,” he said.

Homeowners who want to host a show reach out to Backyard Music Co. and then have an online interview to see if their yard would be a good fit. Artists who want to perform reach out and get connected with a local homeowner who wants to host them.

James says running the company has been smooth sailing because the shows are on private property.

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“We’ve had so much support from homeowners across Canada and in the U.S. who have made it really easy to support these artists,” he said. “There are some logistical issues where I have had to do my research, city bylaws and permits and that kind of thing but it’s been pretty easy.”

He says they are still looking for more homeowners who want to host shows in Kelowna.

“Put the word out,” he said.

Find out more and apply to host or perform a concert here. 

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