Great music alone can definitely carry a show, but things get next-level when the music magic happens in a dreamy space. Place is half the fun with Sofar’s always-surprising mix of unexpected venues, and this mix of jaw-dropping performance spaces from around the world is the proof. From an enchanting grove in a botanical garden to one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, these dreamy Sofar spaces turn concerts into a true feast for the senses.
A patio in Ibiza, Spain
Ibiza is so music-driven that it makes total sense that it would be home to this beautiful little spot dedicated to celebrating sound. The patio at Ibango Tribe headquarters is an old music school with its own small outdoor amphitheater. Everything in this lovingly designed space–from the dreamy artwork on the ground all the way up to the sail cloths that flap gently in the breeze, almost in time to the music–just adds to the concert experience.
A Botanical Garden in Odense, Denmark
When music and nature team up, they create a life-is-beautiful alchemy that can really feed the soul. And what better place to celebrate the beautiful mix of local and global influences on music than in a botanical garden in Odense that celebrates that same blend of native and internationa,l–but with plants instead of songs. And when the breeze ruffles the trees around the stage, it’s like nature is joining the band.
A backyard in Brasília, Brazil
Imagine: the coolest backyard picnic you’ve ever been to. Now add some amazing musical artists, and you’ve got this backyard Sofar show in Brasilia, Brazil. In this dreamy Sofar moment, anything is possible–a big tree and some string lights transform into a stage, checked picnic blankets take the place of stadium seating, and a few speakers prove you don’t have to go big to make a truly memorable night out.
A bookstore in Porto, Portugal
For the ultimate book/architecture/music nerd moment, look no further than this amazing show at Porto’s Livraria Lello. Calling this dreamy venue a bookstore is definitely underselling it–the store, open since 1906, was designated a monument by the Portuguese government. And listening to music in the space, where the notes float up past towering bookcases to the ornate ceiling as people find cozy spots to perch in what feels like a shrine to human imagination, there’s just nothing better.
A Temple in Chiba, Japan
Music is a sacred language, and the spirit of reverence is palpable at this Sofar performance at the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in Narita City, just outside Tokyo (and super close to Tokyo Narita airport). Treasured objects, hushed rooms, and sonorous sounds make this a nearly transcendent experience in a very special place. And after the show, there’s plenty more to see, with a whole tenth-century temple complex to explore.
Poolside in Los Angeles, CA
The SoCal vibes are so thick, you could cut them with a surfboard at this poolside show in Los Angeles. It’s a dreamy space that feels woven into the local scene, with views of hillside homes and palm trees behind musicians jamming for a mellow crowd spread out around the tiled patio next to the pool. Toes in the water or soaking up the sunshine, no matter how you embrace the experience you’ve got a front-row seat to dreamy.
A museum balcony in Gran Canaria, Spain
Art really is life when you’re watching a Sofar performance on a museum balcony in Gran Canaria island in Spain. Grab a comfy seat and soak up the incredible city views and the music. Not only is the scene here awe-inspiring, you’re basically surrounded by art, since the CAAM – Atlantic Center of Modern Art, is home to nearly 3,000 works of contemporary art focused on the very cool idea of what it calls “tricontinentality,” the artistic relationship between the continents the surround the Canary Islands: Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
An old church in San Francisco, CA
It’s a party right up to the rafters in this renovated church in San Francisco. St. Joseph’s Art Foundation hosts Sofar shows and other arts events in this 22,000-square-foot National Historic Landmark, with truly dreamy results. The domed stage cradles all that sweet sound and is a super Instagram-worthy backdrop to performances, and the art-everywhere vibe and cool lighting elevates the whole experience.
An Aquarium in A Coruña, Spain
A third Spain contender on this list? We’re not trying to be biased–Spain just has some outrageously dreamy Sofar spaces. A Coruña’s Aquarium Finisterrae is amazing both inside and out. And the patios surrounding its exterior pools (which connect to the Atlantic Ocean) offer just the right backdrop for an amazing Sofar show. Ocean views, sea life, and songs that don’t compete with this edge-of-the-world beauty but somehow make it even better … this is the magic of Sofar.
Words by Christine Sarkis
