How Sofar Sounds is Revolutionizing the Intimate Gig

This concert startup has taken the international music industry by storm by providing innovative spaces for intimate shows. But what has made this company really unique to music listeners all over the world?

Written by Emily Gruner

Photo courtesy of London Resident Magazine

Disclaimer: this isn’t a sponsored article, it’s just a damn cool company!

Finding a cool new artist, a secret show at South by Southwest — nothing beats the rush of knowing you’re on the edge of discovering something new and exciting. London-based company Sofar Sounds has capitalized off our want for this feeling to create a company where artists and fans come together in an exclusive setting. As of now, Sofar Sound has been internationally successful, but to understand why, you first have to know how the company works.

First off, what is a Sofar Sounds show?

“Sofar transforms everyday spaces — like a living room or retail shop — and turns it into a captivating venue for secret, live shows, creating an immersive experience that brings guests and artists closer together. Each Sofar is small, and typically features three diverse acts, with no headliner.” — Sofar Sounds

In other words, the tickets are based on a lottery system. You can apply up to five days in advance, and you get an email from Sofar if you have been invited to buy tickets to the show. If you buy the tickets, Sofar will send you the address of the gig the day before the show. Once you arrive at the intimate venue, you find out who the artists are. Featured artists can be anyone local and small to large, well-known artists. For example, Shakey Graves has played a Sofar Session in Austin, Bastille in London, and even Billie Eilish in Los Angeles.

So, why is this company so successful if people have no idea where they’re going or who they’re going to see?

There are so many different aspects of Sofar that make the already intimate experience even more memorable, despite the inherent uncertainty of it all First, the aspect of being chosen makes the intimacy of the show even more exclusive. Not only are you witnessing a cool event, but you were chosen to witness it. Moreover, venues have ranged from rock climbing facilities to people’s living rooms; no matter the venue, it’s always a unique space. On top of that, Sofar is expert at curating cool artists to bring to shows.

Sofar’s greatest strength is their ambiguity. You know when a friend asks you, “You want to know a secret?” and you say yes, but they go, “Oh, it’s not important anyways.” You’re left just aching for them to tell you — and Sofar evokes that same desperate feeling. There’s a show happening, but they pull fans in with the mystery of it. Their shows scream: I have a cool secret, but you have to inquire within.

Image courtesy of Washington Square News.

Although you know hardly anything about the show or the artist when you apply for tickets, Sofar’s reputation assures you the show will be good anyways. People who go to Sofar shows have a love for live music — they know they’ll be listening to amazing talent regardless of the artist. Sofar engages with avid fans of music, using it as a universal tool with added intimate benefits to attract fans to their gigs.

Lastly, the people who go to these shows will all remember the memories they’ve made and the people they’ve met. Not only has Sofar’s focus on ambiguity in the show details and connection through the universal language of music made this company successful, but the intimacy of each venue allows fans to connect with the company on a personal level. Sofar wants to make every aspect of the fan’s experience unforgettable, and that’s what’s making people all over the world come back for more.