How did Dark Dining Room get started?

Matthew Larsen started doing these types of shows back in 2002. He is a cancer survivor who underwent a stem cell transplant at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in 2005. For a long while, he couldn’t go out in public. Because he was stuck at home for a long period of time, he started inviting friends over to play music in his dining room. Gradually, friends invited other friends. It grew from there!

At many of these Dark Dining Room shows, a cancer-related charitable organization is highlighted. So far, Dark Dining Room shows have raised money for cancer-related charities such as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Amercian Cancer Society, The SAMFund, The Jimmy Fund and The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Who has played a Dark Dining Room show?

We have really lucked out with our performers. Past performers include The Low Anthem, Winterpills, KaiserCartel, Will Stratton, Matthew Carefully, Haunt, Andrew Vladeck, Deep River, and others.

How can I find out about Dark Dining Room shows? How can I attend?

The main page of this site has a list of shows and details for each show. You should also check out our Facebook page. We post new shows there as well as details on how you can attend.

What are the rules? What’s expected of attendees at a Dark Dining Room show?

1. Be quiet during performances. Listen to the performer. Forget you own a cell phone.

The performances usually last 30 minutes, and there’s a 15 minute break in between each act to do things like mingle, make/take a call (this goes for texting too if you can help it), grab a drink or a bite to eat, etc. The idea of this is to try to be ‘in the moment’ as much as possible. The fewer distractions the better. Try and arrive on time and stay for the whole evening if you can help it.

2.  BYOB/BYOF. Don’t be obnoxious.

A limited supply of food and beverages will be on hand of course, but you are welcome to bring something to share with the fellow guests. Please please, don’t get fall-down drunk and/or obnoxious. We’re not a sports bar. Keep it classy.

3. Support the performers. Bring some cash.

Hosts volunteer the space for the show and musicians sometimes drive for hours (and sometimes four hours) from out-of-state to perform for you. They deserve some financial support . Try and be as generous as you can be. Support their art. If they have a CD, buy it. You won’t be sorry… and they’ll be grateful!

4. Be sure to RSVP. Respect the host.

Hosts only have a limited amount of space and chairs available, and it’s deliberately kept  small so that the performers and listeners can have a wonderful shared experience. Please respect the guest list and the host and let us know if you are bringing any extra folks with you. Also respect the host’s privacy– don’t broadcast their exact address on Facebook, Foursquare, etc.

Can I host my own Dark Dining Room show?

Yes! If you are looking to host a Dark Dining Room house concert in your space, email matthew@darkdiningroom.com. Most people have never hosted a house concert before. Feel free to bombard us with questions about number of guests, sound level, parking, food, etc. The great thing about these shows is that they can always be tailored to your specific space or wishes. We’ll do our best to guide you through the process. It’s a lot of fun!

I’m an artist. Can I be booked for a Dark Dining Room show?

Because we are not a regular concert venue, we need to coordinate dates/locations/logistics for each and every show. We keep our eyes and ears open, and have a good list of artists/bands who we think would work great for a Dark Dining Room show. Much of the time, we hear about other musicians through people who have attended or performed at a previous Dark Dining Room show. If you’re interested in getting on the roster for future consideration, send some info to booking@darkdiningroom.com. Include any other musicians whom you think would be a good fit for your music. Better yet– tell us how you’re connected to any of the past Dark Dining Room performers or attendees and how you heard of us. We can’t often respond until we know who might be able to host the show. Sometimes that takes weeks, months, or years.

I’m part of the media/press and would love to do a story on the Dark Dining Room house concert series. Who can I talk to?

For press inquiries, email matthew@darkdiningroom.com. We love all forms of media, so if you have a good idea on how you can do a podcast or video or some sort of audio/video streaming situation, that would be quite great. Lighting could be a challenge. After all, it IS a DARK Dining Room show.