Got a date coming up? Those first ones can be tough– maybe you’re not interested in getting in a drink, and dinner doesn’t feel quite right. You know what we say? Ditch the usuals. Instead, come out for a night where you don’t know what’s going to happen– where you might land, what you might hear– and lean into the unexpected. With that in mind, here are the top reasons why a Sofar evening could be the perfect spot for your first date.
Looking for that date? Check out the Bumble app.
It’s an adventure from the start.
Spontaneous, but without all the planning work. Once you get tickets for a Sofar, you don’t know where you’re going until hours before the concert, and you don’t know who’s playing until they walk up to the microphone. That means no googling beforehand or prepping for the night. The only prep is to be ready for an adventure and to be present once it starts. Who’s got time for first date nerves during all those reveals?
The setting is intimate, but not too intimate.
It won’t be a blaring sports bar, or a candle-lit dinner. Instead, you and your date might find yourselves on a rooftop overlooking the city, or in a plant shop covered in green vines and hand-painted pots. Heck, maybe you’ll end up on a ski jump (you heard me, it actually happens). Sofar spaces are unique and intimate– but more importantly, they’re fun. So whether you’re hitting it off with your date or not, there’s still a good time to be had.
The music can fill in the conversation gaps.
Maybe you’re shy, or just don’t have a ton to say right off the bat. We all handle first dates differently. Before you find yourself in a cold sweat rambling about first grade memories, take a breath and let the musicians step in and fill some of the airtime with their songs. These 20-minute sets can lift a little pressure, and give you something to talk about (also, it has to be said, the music’s just really good).
There’s plenty of time to talk in between performers.
Don’t worry! The artists aren’t going to take all of the spotlight from your evening. There are breaks between each performance to give you time to chat it up with your date, and your neighbors (it’s always a friendly crowd).
If it works out, you’ve already got your song.
What if this ends up being the person? Wouldn’t it be nice to make that first date a memorable one? In that unexpected venue, with those unexpected artists came, the unexpected. And the moment when it just clicked, perhaps it was during the second or third artist. And maybe that’s going to be the song you spin for your first dance. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…or let’s.
Looking for a date to bring to your next Sofar? Download the Bumble app and see who’s out there, for you.
Photo credit: photo by Austeja Gudziunaite
