The live music company that repurposes spaces and creates community.

Imagine, if you can, being at a typical gig.

A cavernous dark room. People jostling for a view of the artist not hindered by the person in front. There’s a din of chatter that is only just covered by the sound of the speakers.

Maybe you’re forced to view the whole performance through someone else’s smartphone. Occasionally you get a small shower of cold liquid swiftly followed by a plastic cup that clatters off your forehead.

This may mean nothing to you if you’re not the gigging type. It may be that you’d like to go but are put off for exactly these reasons.

You may think this is all part of the fun (it’s certainly never put me off.) Although the phone thing is particularly annoying.

Regardless of your experiences, there’s no denying that it’s far from an ideal way of enjoying the music.

Sofar Sounds, founded in 2009, seeks to offer an alternative ‘that is free of distractions, respectful to performers and where guests feel they are truly included and not just attending’.

I’ve been going to Sofar Sounds nights for about a year now so I thought I’d take a look at what makes them tick and if their product lives up to the promise.

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Unique live experiences in intimate spaces

I was first introduced to Sofar Sounds by a friend who runs it in Hull. They asked me to take some photos for Instagram stories in exchange for a free ticket and I’ve been part of the team ever since.

This was not your typical gig. For a start it took place in a church – Since then we’ve hosted them in offices, a shopping arcade, someone’s garden and a rock-climbing centre.

There were three acts, no headliner and in between acts, guests chat and enjoy drinks that they’ve brought themselves or bought at the venue.

This is all fairly typical for a Sofar Sounds live music night (the ‘Sofar’ stands for Songs From A Room but I guess also doubles as a slightly esoteric way of spelling sofa, indicating the homely nature of the events).

It was all started by Rafe Offer in London almost by accident. Frustrated by the common distractions described at the top he started to invite friends’ round to his flat to have drinks and listen to a live performance from a musician.

It grew from there and they began to host events across the city and eventually the world. Sofar sessions now happen in almost 450 cities around the world.

Not everybody’s happy about the start-up. Some have lumped them in with other tech powerhouses like Uber and Lyft which present the middle man with the promise of autonomy and a pay check whilst pocketing most of the profits themselves and not really respecting those who the business is built upon.

I think this is an interesting debate but I don’t want to engage with that too much here. Ultimately, the artists aren’t unreasonably compensated in my opinion and it gives them another platform to perform to new people that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

I’m more interested in looking at the aspects of the brand that Sofar does well.

The lure of exclusivity

One of the main things that makes Sofar Sounds unique is that each event is secret. The idea is that ‘guests’ (a bit more personal than attendees) sign up for tickets without knowing who any of the 3 acts are.

The location is also only revealed once guests have been allocated with tickets.

In a consumer driven age where Amazon, Netflix and Spotify afford us an almost unlimited supply of entertainment options or products, this is an interesting move. With these providers we’re able to select exactly what we want and the options offered to us are often tailored exactly to our tastes and spending habits.

Sofar rejects this in favour of a more exclusive, curated experience. It’s risky and may appeal to more of an older generation but I think it has some benefits which set it apart.

The secrecy could be seen as trying to give it the sort of exclusivity that comes with being part of a club or owning a limited-edition item of clothing.

Indeed, brands like Supreme and Kanye West’s own Yeezy brand are built on the sense that their products are not accessible to the masses.

By not revealing what the audience is getting, up front and holding it at a secret venue they are tapping into a desire to take part in something exclusive. This gig isn’t happening anywhere else and won’t happen again in the same format.

It’s also quite refreshing when compared with what providers like Netflix or Spotify offer.

Being paralysed by choice when looking for a film to watch or a playlist to listen to is a regular occurrence for me. Sofar Sounds make the choice for you and take away that burden.

The question is, do you trust them?

Getting close to the music

Now I have a pretty varied taste in music so I’m easily pleased but when you’re paying for a gig, you want to be pretty sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

It would seem that Sofar have managed to build enough trust in their brand that people are willing to take the risk. Certainly, none of the events I’ve been to have failed to draw a crowd.

This is possibly less to do with the quality of the musicians and more to do with the experience of being close to them.

The quality is generally very high. This is partly helped by a database of musicians who have performed at other places around the country and the work of the local team who are dedicated to bringing along quality artists, eager to perform in a new city.

But there is something about listening to music in an intimate setting that brings it a whole new life. You can see every expression on the artist’s face and watch them as they show off their skills.

Because they’re not necessarily someone you’ve heard of, you’re just taking in the music for what it is and discovering something new.

There’s definitely a certain kind of artist that frequents Sofar Sounds performances. It’s unlikely that you would see a heavy metal or punk act or even a straight guitar band at any of these gigs.

There’s nothing explicitly saying you couldn’t have this and it’s certainly something I’d be open to seeing but the environment lends itself to more of a chilled, acoustic vibe.

As such that’s what the brand is associated with and therefore attracts the kind of crowd that are into that. It would be nice if it seemed more inclusive to other genres but that does rather heighten the risk of disappointing your paying guests.

Whoever’s playing, you can’t help but be transfixed by a professional musician performing only a meter away. It’s an experience that’s definitely worth paying for.

Sofar Sounds provides community

Arguably the best thing Sofar has to offer is its creation of community.

Brands and start-ups that are able to create communities and conversations around their product are always on to a winner.

The real promotion for these events is probably more likely to happen in a group chat on WhatsApp than a Facebook ad.

Each Sofar Sounds event is an opportunity for people to gather around a common interest and over time the local gigs begin to gain repeat customers who in turn bring their friends.

Because of the way each night is set up it’s possible for people to socialise but equally it’s not forced so you can be a part of a small crowd without necessarily jumping out of your comfort zone.

So much of our lives are experienced through the lens of social media. But it often fails to satisfy our hunger for connection and living in the moment. Sofar Sounds exists on social media to a point but fundamentally it is an experience shared by those in the room.

Through live music Sofar provides a vehicle for community without overtly forcing people to connect.

There’s also the use of venues within the city. Repurposing buildings and spaces that would otherwise never be visited is of course interesting but it’s also a way of helping local businesses.

Whether that’s cafes and clothes shops or more diverse things like a rock climbing centre or office, by hosting an event there, you’re opening people’s eyes to other places they can engage with in the city.

Live music in your city

I think Sofar Sounds is a really interesting brand to follow. As people’s social media habits gradually change and people crave greater connection it has a reasonably affordable live experience to offer as an alternative night out.

It’s also not governed by the same scale of growth as other young companies. It’s expanded into cities around the world but individually the idea is for the events to be kept relatively small.

Growing into massive events would remove the exclusivity and intimacy that are so integral to what they’re about.

If you hadn’t heard of it, you have now. I can definitely recommend Sofar Sounds both as an event and a brand. Jump on their website and see if there’s any shows near you!

Images: Elliot Mann (@ell_jm) + Olly Cooper (@ollycooper)

I write blog content and web copy for arts and culture brands and businesses. If you’re interested, drop me an email at hello@timgoodfellow.co.uk

Sofar Sounds // The Brand Review