Sharon and Jaya Carl take entertaining houseguests to an extreme.

With Auburn House Concerts, this Auburn couple has been presenting live music in an intimate setting — basically, their living room — for the past couple years.

“It’s as old as music,” Sharon Carl said of hosting in-home concerts. “This is the way people used to do it, and it’s kind of coming into vogue again.”

Both Sharon and Jaya Carl are musicians, and got the idea to host house concerts from a fellow musician. Their first house concert was in September 2007.

“The first one was a real thrown-together thing,” Sharon said. “But it worked wonderfully. The audience wasn’t large, but it was enthusiastic.”

Since then Sharon and her husband have hosted nearly a dozen shows. They’ve already got concerts booked out as far as May 2010.

“We’re having a great time,” she said. “We love bringing the music to those who might not hear it otherwise.”

Carl said she and her husband prefer to keep seating at 50 or less, and that they pick musicians who share a similar taste in tunes.

Past performers have fit into Celtic, American traditional and folk genres, among others.

Today’s Auburn House Concert features Allan MacLeod and Dick Holdstock, performing 19th century sea shanties.

Carl and her husband also host monthly song circles, which is how they got to know MacLeod and Holdstock.

“They’re both very entertaining gentlemen, just to talk to, so a concert with them is not to be missed,” Carl said.

Those interested in attending a house concert are asked to make reservations — “They aren’t really public performances,” Carl said — and to pay the suggested donation, knowing that all contributions go to the musicians.

“This is not a money-making thing for my husband and I,” Carl said. “It is a labor of love, and it brings music into our home.”

Joe Offer, of Applegate, has been to a couple house concerts at the Carl residence, in addition to many of their weekly song circles.

“It feels like you’re part of a community instead of an audience,” he said. “A lot of people sing along, and it seems like at least half of the people know each other.”

What should first-timers expect if planning on attending tonight’s show?

“They can expect to meet just about everybody in the room,” Offer said. “They’ll feel comfortable and they’ll be drawn into an experience you don’t get in a larger audience. The best thing about a house concert is the intimacy and warmth.”

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Auburn House concert

Featuring: Allan MacLeod and Dick Holdstock

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Cost: $20 suggested donation

Contact: Make reservations and get directions by calling (530) 885-4292 or by e-mailing info@auburnhouse

concerts.org.