If you’re like us, you love live music. You know it adds a certain kind of magic to every night out.

That’s because music is a universal language that speaks to everyone. At Sofar, we offer the Sofar experience. It’s all about creating personal, curated, and inclusive spaces so you can enjoy the best live music, wherever you are in the world.

At Sofar, we shake things up by offering an experience that’s a little off the beaten path. While you may be used to seeing live music at stadiums, thousand-seat theaters, or festivals, Sofar shows happen in local venues that are not primarily music-related. Think historic spaces and city landmarks, backyards and distilleries – even boats. You may not know where you’ll end up, but we promise there will be great music and a welcoming community wherever you go.

Here’s why we think the Sofar experience stands out:

1. Discovery

Not only is the venue location hidden until 36 hours before showtime, you don’t know who is playing until you arrive (or check your email a few hours before for a sneak peek…). That gives everyone in the room the same sense of discovery and surprise. We’re like a mystery playlist sent by a friend whose taste you trust, put on shuffle. Chances are you might just discover your next favorite artist.

2. Intimacy

We place you right in front of the artist, so they can see and interact with you throughout their set. Most shows have about 75 people in the room, so you might just find yourself sitting beside the next performer. That close connection is essential, regardless of whether you’re enjoying a lineup of storytelling singer-songwriters or dancing at one of our more upbeat nights.

3. Vibe

Most of our concerts have a surprise lineup hosted at a cool, local spot in the neighborhood of your choice. But if you want more control over the kind of show you see, we’ve got you covered, too. High-energy, laid-back, a genre you love, or date night energy — we’re always launching new show types across our top cities, and there might be just the one for you. 

4. Ease

A night with Sofar is as stress-free as it gets. Find a show, pay a single ticket price, say your name at the door, and come on in. Sofar shows give you the option to sit, stand, or get cozy with a cushion on the floor. In most venues, there’s room for either, but if you want a guaranteed seat, we have entirely seated shows; or if you want to get up and dance, we put on standing-room only shows, too.

If you’ve got unique accessibility needs, we can often accommodate. Check out the show listing for information or contact our team with specific questions. 

5. Connection

The Sofar experience involves a kind of unspoken agreement that everyone is there to enjoy the music together and give their undivided attention to the artists on stage. This gives our shows a unique, “in-the-moment” quality, where both audience and musicians are part of the performance.

There’s plenty of time for conversation between sets, though, where fans, artists, and crew can have meaningful connections.

We want everybody to get the magic of the Sofar experience. If that sounds like your thing, check out upcoming shows in your city. Also check out our YouTube channel for a feel of the (digital) Sofar experience.