Somehow, our Sofar community has been growing for more than a decade. And while everyday we bring new talented artists into the fold, sometimes we have to pause and dive back into the treasure trove of incredible performances we’ve seen over the years. Here are a few standouts that just keep getting better with time.
Tiggs Da Author – Mr Weatherman | Sofar London
This thing grips from the first dreamy piano notes (seriously, that tone is darn-right haunting), and then when Tiggs Da Author starts up, you’re just plain mesmerized. The London-via-Tanzania artist has such a stirring timbre and delivery as he glides through this performance that feels somehow simple and experimental. You’ll keep coming back to this one.
Hyperpotamus – Strawberry Fields Forever | Sofar Berlin
Back in 2011, the Madrid-born artist let us peer over his shoulder as he wove long strands of vocal notes, pinning in some beatboxing rhythms, bringing it together as a multi-colored tapestry cover of none other than the Beatles’ classic tune. You gotta watch it to believe it.
Jesca Hoop – Born To | Sofar Paris
So much of Sofar’s heart belongs to cozy, highly intimate living room shows. Jesca Hoop’s Sofar in a Paris apartment epitomizes that– stripped down to a guitar and two voices, stilling the room. And at the end when Jesca’s voice starts whipping around like a pan whistle? That’s just magic.
Yeasayer – I Am Chemistry | Sofar NYC
Though the band called it quits in 2019, we got the chance to watch them mix and stir the eerie dark sonics of “I Am Chemistry.” Coated in shadows, backed by low rich lights– you can’t see them, but you can sure hear and feel them.
Kate Davis – Keep An Open Heart | Sofar NYC
Before she co-wrote the Sharon Van Etten jammer “Seventeen”, Kate Davis serenaded us with this sweet number, leading the tune with her bass, haloing it with her voice. A little feedback kicks in mid-song, but it just feels like the warm crackle of your favorite record.
Photo credit: Yeasayer performing at Sofar NYC, image via YouTube
