A lot of artists will play a Sofar show leading up to a venue gig, hoping to get a bigger audience. But we're not setting out to replace the normal concert - we want to supplement it. That's a valuable experience for up-and-coming artists. They don't know who you are or your social following. And we can provide this room and audience, who will decide how they feel about you based on the music alone. There are so many musicians in each city looking for a way to get in front of people. Is the success of your model a reaction to the traditional venue show? Ross: As an artist, I didn't always appreciate having to bring a huge draw or people talking while on stage. Some artists who do this exceptionally well are Randy Mason and Ellevator. Somehow, they find an interesting way to strip it back, whether it’s playing a cajon instead of a drum kit or rapping with a guitarist instead of a track. Pozniak: Some people get the impression that it can only be someone with an acoustic guitar, but some of my favorite shows have featured artists who typically play with a big setup. Ross: Which artists excel in a stripped-back environment? We have Sofar handles for each city, so you can really zoom into the community. Platforms like Spotify and Instagram are also a great way for our bookers to discover new artists. Mitchell: And we distribute "social handouts" so that every guest can follow that artist. And there's an opportunity to go up to them after the set and say, "Hey that was amazing. The audience is sitting on the ground watching, so we want the artist to be engaging with banter or sing-alongs. We want to showcase the music scene of New York, which is incredibly diverse - which also means making sure the lineup is diverse in gender and ethnicity. Usually it's 20-25 minutes sets, which ends up being about four songs. Grace Pozniak: We usually have three artists across different genres performing at each show, so that there's something for everyone. Every city has musicians deserving of a platform and an attentive audience. We're at around 450 cities now, so it really is a global community. Friends started hosting in other cities and it grew by word of mouth. That kind of attentive room left an impression, so they continued doing more. So they decided to have a house concert with a few friends, and they asked for a few simple things from the audience - to be engaged and not talk during the performance. Our founders weren’t able to enjoy live shows as much as they wanted to because of the distractions that came with it. Stephanie Mitchell: It started almost 10 years ago in London. Here's our conversation:ĭanny Ross: How did a concept like Sofar Sounds get started? So I was excited to visit their New York headquarters and learn more from city director Stephanie Mitchell and assistant director Grace Pozniak. Intrigued yet? That's how the company has spread quickly to over 450 cities worldwide, putting on community-based sold out shows in unusual locations.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |