Meeting Grace house concerts are no longer booked regularly. There may be special occasions when I invoke the name. This page marks the history of the series. For those who were there, you know!
About Meeting Grace
“I hate a song that makes you think that you are not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are too old or too young or too fat or too slim too ugly or too this or too that. Songs that run you down or poke fun at you on account of your bad luck or hard traveling. I am out to fight those songs to my very last breath of air and my last drop of blood. I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world and that if it has hit you pretty hard and knocked you for a dozen loops, no matter what color, what size you are, how you are built. I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work. And the songs that I sing are made up for the most part by all sorts of folks just about like you. I could hire out to the other side, the big money side, and get several dollars every week just to quit singing my own kind of songs and to sing the kind that knock you down still farther and the ones that poke fun at you even more and the ones that make you think you’ve not any sense at all. But I decided a long time ago that I’d starve to death before I’d sing any such songs as that. The radio waves and your movies and your jukeboxes and your songbooks are already loaded down and running over with such no good songs as that anyhow.”
– Woody Guthrie
Past Performances
Eric Lowen Benefit-October 8, 2010-presented at Swedenborg Hall – featuring Tom Prasada-Rao and Cary Cooper, Berkley Hart, and Jack Tempchin
Eric Lowen Benefit-April 12, 2008-presented in conjunction with Dark-Thirty House Concerts at Swedenborg Hall – featuring Berkley Hart and Joel Rafael
Berkley Hart & Friends-March 28, 2008 – end of another chapter in Meeting Grace history
Joel Rafael-August 16, 2007
Steve Poltz-June 20 & 21, 2007
Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart-April 19, 2007
Berkley Hart-December 9 & 10, 2006
Peggy Watson, David Beldock, Joe Rathburn-October 19, 2006
Barbara Nesbitt Trio & Deadline Friday-September 21, 2006
Christopher Dale-August 24, 2006
Tom Brosseau-July 20, 2006
Berkley Hart Mother’s Day Show-May 14, 2006
Dana Cooper-April 20, 2006
Johnsmith-February 23, 2006
Cathryn Beeks Ordeal-January 22, 2006
All-Star Holiday Show-December 15, 2005
Holiday & the Adventure Pop Collective-November 17, 2005
Tom Kimmel-October 27, 2005
Tony Scalzo-July 10, 2005
Sons of the Never Wrong-July 6, 2005
Lisa Sanders-April 21, 2005
Dead Rock West-March 24, 2005
Chuck Brodsky-February 11, 2005
Eve Selis-January 20, 2005
Jack Williams-December 9, 2004
Tim Flannery & friends-November 11, 2004
The Rowan Brothers-October 14, 2004
the 7th Day Buskers-September 16, 2004
Gregory Page-August 26, 2004
The Coyote Problem and Dave Howard-June 3, 2004
An Evening with Dana Cooper-April 23, 2004
Berkley Hart w/the Prince Myshkins-March 25, 2004
the return of Meeting Grace! The Dreamsicles (with Berkley Hart)-February 24, 2004
All-Star Winter Solstice Farewell Show-December 19, 2002
The Joel Rafael Band-November 7, 2002
Dead Rock West-October 17, 2002
Eve Selis-September 19, 2002
Gregory Page-August 8, 2002 (sorry, no photos are available for this show)
Jack Williams w/Jim Earp-July 18, 2002
Berkley Hart w/Mary Dolan and the American Folk Singers-June 20 and June 21, 2002
Bug Guts-May 16, 2002
Annie Gallup-April 18, 2002
Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen-March 21, 2002
Chuck Brodsky-February 10, 2002
Kate Campbell-January 13, 2002
Tim Flannery & friends-December 1, 2001
Chuck Pyle-November 15, 2001
Steve Poltz-October 11, 2001
Lowen & Navarro-September 5 & 6, 2001
Peter Sprague-August 2, 2001 (sorry, no photos are available for this show)
Berkley Hart-June 21, 2001
Deborah Liv Johnson & Dani Carroll-May 31, 2001
Lorin Rowan-April 26, 2001
Dave Howard and the Prince Myshkins-March 22, 2001
Gregory Page-February 15, 2001
Don Conoscenti & Berkley Hart-January 11, 2001
Tim Flannery & friends-November 16, 2000
The Clear & Lizzie Wann-October 5, 2000
Lisa Sanders & Peggy Watson-August 24, 2000
The Joel Rafael Band-July 20, 2000
Tim Easton, Kat Maslich & Dave Howard-June 8, 2000
Eve Selis-April 27, 2000
Berkley Hart, Dead Rock West & Gregory Page-March 9, 2000
Setting
First established in 2000 in the sleepy community of Golden Hill, Meeting Grace was born in a beautiful Craftsman home built in 1919. The memories of wonderful nights soaked in song are now huddled happily in the house’s dark wood walls and hardwood floors.
In 2004, Meeting Grace returned, brought back to life in yet another Craftsman home, now in the neighborhood of Normal Heights, home of the Adams Avenue Roots Festival, the Adams Avenue Street Fair and former neighborhood of Jim Croce. Adopting an equally cool vibe, Meeting Grace’s current home has hosted some of today’s most well-known folk acts and San Diego’s finest talent.
Meeting Grace: The Blog 
I have a friend who is an extremely talented young singer-songwriter. She’ll be in the San Diego area in late June. Would you be interested in hosting a house concert at that time? If you’re already booked for late June, would you consider hosting my friend as a guest? She travels alone and I worry about where she will rest her head at night. You can find her on MySpace under JennyWoodNashville or if you friend me on Facebook you can see some of her recent live performances on video.
Thanks,
Jenny Findling
(from Wichita, KS)
Hi!
I am a aspiring singer/songwriter and I am currently looking for some venues. Of you are interested, email me and I will send you some of my music. 🙂
Thanks,
Katy Gross
Hi!
My name is Jeanne Kuhns from Door County , Wisconsin.
I wondered if you are still booking house concerts? I am performing in Altadena in October on the 8th and am looking for other venues while I’m in California. I am performing with Fiddle player Lynn Gundmundsen and Songwriter Chris Irwin. I write and perform hopeful songs and love to sing progressive folk with touches of blues and jazz. Please see my website, http://www.jeannekuhns.com or check me out on cdbaby. I saw that my friends The Sons of The Neverwrong played in your series, so thought I’d contact you!
Your site is beautiful!
Jeanne
Hi! I am a jazz vocalist and entrepreneur in San Diego looking for places to have small concerts. I am starting a series of concerts which will be housed in unusual places, entitled the “Jazz in Your Neighborhood” series. It is my hope that we can bring top local musicians to homes and small venues to increase the appreciation of jazz in San Diego and, in turn, to allow for people to hear great music without having to go downtown, find parking, etc. I want to make music more accessible and jazz in particular more friendly. Have you any input on this subject? And do you have any venues you know about that would be appropriate for this series?
Mary Talbot Fee 619 857-5487
Hi. Are you still hosting concerts? I’m a nationally touring singer/songwriter/fiddler (often compared to Joan Baez, Alison Krauss, and Emmylou Harris). I tour with my duo partner Luke Halpin – multi instrumentalist (guitar, mando, fiddle) singer/songwriter. We’ll be in CA in January 2011 playing in Lake Forest on the 8th. Looking for more gigs that weekend and it’d be great to come on down to San Diego (or come through there on the way). You can hear / see us at the website: http://www.stephaniebettman.com. We are friends with Sons Of The Neverwrong, and Johnsmith, as well…. I think you’d really love what we’re doing. No negative messages here! ; ) Check us out. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best,
Stephanie
http://www.stephaniebettman.com
#5 album on Folk DJ – “It All Comes Back To Love” / #3 Song – “Fiddler’s Bend” (“It All Comes Back To Love”)
“Impressive versatility…a dulcet voice, pure and clear” – Music Connection
“That Stephanie has reached a level comparable to others like Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, and Alison Krauss so quickly is a bit astounding…” – Country Jukebox, Germany
I got your name and site from the HouseConcerts.Com website. We’re an NYC-based folk/pop act with a hint of Celtic lilt, looking to book one night at a San Diego house concert while we’re in southern CA in January.
Not sure how your calendar looks or even if you’re still hosting concerts, but we are in town Thurs Jan 20 through Mon Jan 24, 2011.
I’m a huge fan of house concerts, and I think I’d be a particular fan of Meeting Grace; I absolutely *love* the Woody Guthrie quote you posted! (Totally agree.) I have fans in San Diego who would love the ambience and experience of a house concert and would be thrilled to attend, if there is room.
My website, http://www.elaineromanelli.com, has clips, gig dates, photos, and links to video. You may reach me on my cell phone at (415) 515-9920, or here via email at elaine@elaineromanelli.com at your convenience.
Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you!
Best,
-Elaine Romanelli
P.S. Happy Belated Birthday!!
http://www.elaineromanelli.com
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Praise for Elaine’s new album “Real Deal”:
“It is humbling to hear Elaine’s songs. Her strong voice and cogent compositions are so very impressive… her graceful control is abundantly clear.”
— Chris Costantino, Founder, sonictribe.com
“Vivid…inspired…poised and playful … artsy pop tunesmith Elaine Romanelli transcends any label you might be tempted to peg her with.”
— Lucid Culture music blog
Hey there!
My name is Jessi Lynn, I’m a singer / songwriter based out of… well… the car. 🙂
i’ve seen your concert series all over the place and I am interested in talking with you about the possibility of including a house concert in my upcoming tour with tour mate, Sarah Peacock in March/April. We’re hoping in the Toyota Corolla in Atlanta, GA and spending 45 days on tour headed to California.
Check out our music and if you have any interest in discussing a show with us, I’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for helping indie artists survive out there!
http://www.jessilynn.com
http://www.sarahpeacockmusic.com
Hi, My name is Julio Reyes. I’m a classical guitarist interested in giving a recital in your Concert Series. I started at age 5 with my father, Carlos F. Reyes. he was a student of a protege of Agustin Barrios. Barrios’ music has been a big part of my life and I would now like to share his music with your audiences.
I invite you to see my website, http://www.julioreyesguitarist.com where you can know more about me and hear excerpts from my CD.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Julio Reyes