Not to be confused with DIY punk and hardcore-oriented house shows, living room concerts are acoustic-oriented affairs with audiences that seek a quieter, more intimate live music experience than typically found in bars and clubs. Hence the name of venues catering to these audiences — listening rooms — and the title of the multi-day event that brings a range of artists to private homes around the Tampa Bay area: Florida Listening Room Festival (FLiRF).
The fest was founded and organized by singer-songwriter Fran Snyder, also the music entrepreneur behind ConcertsInYourHome.com. The third annual FLiRF kicks off this week at private homes around the greater Tampa Bay area as well as select businesses that signed up for the newly-launched Office Concerts series. (CL had our own serenade from Ed Woltil back in March and we’re due for another songbird, Mieka Pauley, to play here this Friday.)
Artists featured in the 2014 fest were selected from an international competition last summer. While you can’t necessarily get into any of the private concerts they’ll be playing this weekend in Tampa Bay and around Florida, you can reach out and introduce yourself to a host directly if you see a show you want to attend on the events page. You can also check out FLiRF’s crème de la crème at the Listening Room Festival Showcase Finale this Saturday at Palladium Theater. Among this evening’s performers are locally-grown fingerstyle guitar ace Shaun Hopper, Atlanta folk pop songstress Rebecca Loebe (who enjoyed some national exposure on the first season of The Voice), Victoria BC country-roots music duo Carli and Julie Kennedy, and Boston-bred alt folk rock singer-songwriter Mieka Pauley, a Starbucks ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’ winner.
Details: Listening Room Festival Showcase Finale with Rebecca Loebe, Shaun Hopper, Carli and Julie Kennedy, Mieka Pauley, The Currys, Kira Small, Sat., April 6, 6 p.m., Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg, $18. —Leilani Polk