Music is everywhere we look. On any given night in Denton, you can take in awesome acts at Dan’s Silver Leaf, Harvest House, Abbey Underground or LSA Burger (and I myself have enjoyed a lot of music out and about at these places and others in Denton).
But what if you want to manufacture an atmosphere that is all about the music? Not about selling alcohol or making sure the room is full of patrons, but just music in a room?
Sofar DFW, a branch of Sofar Sounds, aims to do just that, which provides one of the most unique music scenes in the area. Only a certain number of tickets are available – a hundred or so at best – and the location and acts are kept secret until the day before the concert. Once there, you’re invited to just sit back and focus on the music being presented. This concert series was founded in London in 2009 and now has expanded to 265 cities internationally.
I received an invitation to take in a Sofar show last week. Three acts, all of which performed 4 songs apiece, were different in styles. But it was the intimate setting – in a small room with great acoustics – that really made the whole thing work. If you’re like me, and you want to just kick back, listen to some pure tunes and not have to strain to hear over people talking, waitresses taking orders, walking all over the place and just the general cacophony of life, this is the perfect setting for you.
If you are also sensitive of hearing, this is a great show for you. No loud amps, hammering the noise to overcompensate for the din happening in the room. The instruments were all kept in check, noise-wise, to achieve a harmony, rather than competing with each other for dominance. All in all, it was a pleasant experience, auditory-wise, a night completely focused on the music.
I didn’t know what to expect, even though my tastes in music do run very eclectic. The first band up was called Moniker, but the only ones who performed were the lead guitarist and vocalist and one percussion member. His acoustic set was incredibly enjoyable and allowed his voice to be highlighted.
The next artist that played was Guma, a singer-songwriter transplant from New York City, who has recently relocated to Austin. Once again, the intimate setting allowed those in the room to really feel like they were really connected with the artist.
The final artist was Reagan James, an R&B artist who brought along a guitar accompanist. Her sultry voice was so well-suited to this venue that I was shocked when she said she had never done anything like this before.
Interested in taking in the Sofar experience? There are two ways to get in the door: you can purchase tickets, which reserves your spot and guarantees you in the room. Or, you can Apply and enter the ticket lottery. If you win the lottery, you will be notified a week before the show and the tickets (with plus-1 or plus-2) are for pay-what-you-want of a minimum of $5. There are only a certain number of purchased tickets available for each show, so several of the tickets do come from the ticket lottery.
So if you want to discover new acts or just enjoy listening to live music in a quiet atmosphere, give Sofar Sounds a try. You might just find your new favorite artist.
