Photo by Ryan Waggoner
Christopher Luxem, Topeka senior, performs at the Wonka House on January 18. Luxem, who has lived at the house since August 2007, says his main motivation for hosting musicians was "to make a space available for performance in Lawrence for people I knew that would be traveling through, or other people that I would meet while living here could play at."
FOR THE PERFORMERS
The excitement of playing a house show comes with the setting: the house. Houses are already intimate in nature:They are places people eat, sleep and live.People naturally feel at ease in a home,so when a performer plays a house, an air of ease surrounds the performance.People come to the house to hear them perform, not just to drink.
That doesn't mean that the fridge did not see its fair share of six packs, but that the overall concern of the night was keeping the music going; moments of silence for applause were the only non-music filled points of the evening. This crowd didn't frown on drinking. Those who participate in this movement aren't against keeggers or other parties.The performers visibly enjoyed that. They fed themselves on it, the energy and pulsing of the moment.
"God, I'd rather play somewhere that's nice, that lends a nice glow to people's faces that look like they're having fun rather than super drunk," Frederick says. "It's fantastic."
People were still drinking and enjoying themselves, but there was a communal feeling to the event. Performers met and talked to the audience after sets. They then became a part of the audience for other's sets, which entailed either listening intently, dancing or playing along in the audience. They got silly, but it wasn't the kind of silly one sees at a kegger. It was the kind of silly that you see in a preschooler. Excited. Uninhibited. Fun.
YOU CAN DO THIS TOO
The performers explained how they got involved in playing shows like the one at the Wonka House. I had imagined this intricate social web that included an online presence. Turns out that they're all just friends in one way or another. They've met either playing at events or through hosting them. I poked and prodded the hosts on how others could get involved and know when these are happening. The answer was simple: Instead of going out and searching for these parties, people should just make them for themselves.
"If you get a strong enough sense of community about Lawrence then places will start popping up and you can start going to all these great places. It just seems like a no brainer. Just do it," says Szlauderbach, Wonka House resident.
The next time you're looking for fun, you could look to your friends to provide it. Everyone knows someone who plays guitar. Have them over, invite some friends and make it a night. If you're worried about not having a name for your house party like the Wonka House, Luxem gives some good advice:"If you want your house to be called something, give it a name." JP
Photo by Ryan Weggoner Subtle swooning: Christopher Luxem, Tapela senior, sings and plays guitar while Leonor Correia of Portugal looks on at the Wonka House on January 18.
That doesn't mean that the fridge did not see its fair share of six packs ...
things to remember when throwing a { counter kegger }
01. Have guests leave their shoes at the door.
02. Provide percussion to pass around: shakers, tambourines, hand drums or wood blocks.
03. Put away valuables and the fine china.
See page 14 for more photos from this party, and view an audio slideshow with this story at www.kansan.com/jayplay.
04. Decorate with Christmas lights to set the mood.As Christopher Luxem,Topeka senior,says,"Add some twinkle lights and then you've got a party going."
05. Invite enough people who want to perform so that there isn't an awkward lull in the flow of the evening.
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