Barry Osborne’s Intimate First House Concert

Barry Osborne: “I’ve been in and out of music since college, playing indie rock on the bass and old-time banjo, but always in bands. A few years ago, I started writing songs and playing them solo on my banjo. I wanted to play out, but was nervous and decided I needed to get some experience first. So I booked a house concert – in my living room – for my wife and kids. I put posters on our refrigerator and bathroom door to hype the show. The poster said, ‘A brief ice cream social will be held immediately after the show.’ I diligently polished my set: eight originals and one cover.”

“For the concert, I sat on a stool and placed my setlist on a TV tray while piles of folded laundry sat within arm’s reach on an ottoman. It all went off all right, despite my jittery new-performer vibe. The audience was very encouraging, and afterward I made good on my ice cream promise. Later, I posted a photo from my performance on social media. Picking up on the TV tray, a friend quipped, ‘All that’s missing is the Swanson’s dinner.'”

Barry Osborne plays the Chimney Place in Lakewood with Jenny LaJoye and Luna Nuñez on March 7.

Editor’s Note: The Denver Bootleg is a series chronicling the history of local music venues by longtime Denver cartoonist Karl Christian Krumpholz. Visit Krumpholz’s website to see more of his work.