A Sit-In at Sofar Sounds

(for the Urban Outfitters blog)

We were lucky enough to get entry to last week’s awesomely intimate Sofar Sounds gig. Bottle of red in hand, we joined the 60 or so other guests sitting on the floor.

For anyone not familiar with Sofar, they are an international movement who create pop up gigs in people’s living rooms. The vibe is relaxed and the talent phenomenal. All the organisers ask is that guests don’t speak during performances and, if they like the music, they spread the word about the artists.

So, first on was the folksy sweetness of Maria Byrne & The Broken String. Think The Byrds, Woodstock and Joni Mitchell. Very catchy, very folksy, very sweet, it’ll make you want to jump in a VW campervan and head to the country.

Then to To Kill a King. These guys are the real deal: thoughtful lyrics, punchy choruses and simply stunning songs held together by multi-layered harmonies. Ones to watch!

Jay Brown was up next, just her guitar and a cellist to support her powerful voice. And she’s got a gorgeous voice, I tell you.. Check it out for yourself – the gal’s got soul!

The barmy brilliance of Peter and Kerry wrapped the evening up for us. They started working together ‘as an impulsive side project’ after becoming close friends. Now it seems they haven’t looked back. There was a real unpredictable edge to their set, after not having had the chance to practice the stripped down sound necessary for somebody’s living room!

So Sofar did it for us. It’s so refreshing to see a gig right up close to the band, where there’s no room for pretense or posers, where respect is mutual and talent rules. These artists are quality. And at a gig like Sofar, it really is all about the music.