Sofar Sounds musical concert offers mystery box experience
Shot by Yan Jingyang. Edited by Yan Jingyang. Subtitles by Wang Xinzhou.
A mystery box, or blind box, is no stranger to trend-chasing consumers, who are lured by its uncertainty and randomness.
Sofar Sounds seems to be applying this concept to its musical concerts, offering audiences a sense of mystery, intimacy, and sometimes surprise.
A typical Sofar music concert involves several musicians from varied music genres. The audience is not informed about the lineup when purchasing tickets, and the musicians are only unveiled when they show up on stage on the day of the performance.
A Sofar Sounds concert in Shanghai
Sofar Sounds originated in 2009 when its founder Rafe Offer invited some friends over to a London flat for a low-key, intimate gig. They sat in the living room, sharing drinks while listening to the music attentively.
Gradually, Sofar concerts were organized in various countries, transforming everyday spaces – like a rooftop or art gallery – into relaxing and intimate venues for small-scale live music performances. The immersive experience brings musicians and audience closer together.
Sofar then launched its China branch in 2013. Qin Meng is the director of Sofar China.
"I met Rafe on a London Sofar gig and told him I was an event organizer who is willing to help," Qin recalled. "Rafe raised the idea of taking Sofar to China and that's how it started."
Sofar concerts transform everyday spaces into relaxing and intimate venues.
Qin said by that time, an Australian musician Adrian Leung, who had hosted two Sofar gigs in Sydney, was in Beijing to organize the very first Sofar China concert in a hutong house (traditional Beijing courtyard residence) in 2013.
"I picked it up after Leung moved to London," Qin explained.
Sofar China mainly holds concerts in Beijing and Shanghai. Each concert, indoors or outdoors, typically features three diverse acts, with no headliner.
The latest Sofar China concert was held at the roof garden of Taikoo Li Qiantan in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, starring 18-year-old Argentine singer Cata Vazquez, R&B singer Li Yanran and her guitarist Xu Jinsheng, as well as hip-hop singer Mr. Weezy.
The latest Sofar China concert was held at the roof garden of Taikoo Li Qiantan in Shanghai's Pudong, starring Argentine singer Cata Vazquez.
More than 100 people sat on the grass to enjoy Vazquez's performance before it got interrupted by a thunderstorm. The organizers had to cancel the rest of the concert due to the heavy rain. Therefore, the audience didn't get the chance to meet the other two sets of musicians.
To make up for this, each of the audience members automatically gets to attend Sofar's next roof concert, which will be held near the North Bund on July 8.
"Unforeseen circumstances are also part of Sofar," said Aria Duan, a voluntary organizing member of Sofar China since 2019.
Sofar concert performers cover varied music genres.
"Most of the organizing staff, including the photographer, are music-loving volunteers, who have their own jobs, but are willing to spare time and effort to maintain this captivating form of music concert," she noted.
According to Duan, Sofar is open to all music types, but favors independent musicians who have original works and can do unplugged performances.
"We welcome international musicians," she said.
A Sofar China concert on the roof of a building.
"This is definitely a pity, but totally understandable," audience member Winny Zhu said about the weather disruption. It's the second time Zhu had attended a Sofar China concert.
"A friend introduced Sofar to me back in 2019. I remember the lineup of that concert included a balladeer and an independent band," she recalled.
"The blind box format immediately reminded me of the famous line (in Forrest Gump) 'Life is like a box of chocolate, you will never know what you gonna get.'
"So why not come and give ourselves a little surprise in a cozy and friendly atmosphere?" Zhu asked.
