Hanna Muskantor
On Jan. 23, ahead of a historic snow storm, 50 friends and strangers cozied up in Shelf HQ, where Sofar Sounds transformed the West Soho office into an intimate venue. Encircled in fairy lights and piles of parkas, performers and music lovers braved the cold for authentic artist discovery and refreshing gin cocktails.
Leading only with the promise of live music rather than names, Sofar attracts fans devoted to sharing the experience of live music with their community, amid a world of digital distractions.
Since their beginning in 2009, Sofar Sounds has introduced music lovers to a secret bill of artists—including alumni Billie Eilish, Leon Bridges, Chappell Roan, Olivia Dean, and more—at undisclosed locations.
“The community is the best part about Sofar—it attracts people that care. And the secrecy is magic: it proves at any given moment there’s a music community thriving around the corner,” said performer and Sofar Bronx organizer, July Quin.
With the magic of live music in the air, it was apt that the house was serving Hendrick’s Gin. The delightfully unique botanicals of Hendrick’s paired perfectly with the promise of Sofar discoveries: a curiosity for new art and new friends.
“I’m not usually a gin girl, but whatever they’re pouring has me feeling right,” said host KAYMARS, proving it’s never too cold for the unusual joy of Hendrick’s on ice.
Peyton Guthrie
She lead the crowd emboldened with the authentic spirit of Hendrick’s, informing us that Sofar has but a few (perhaps contradictory) rules:
1. Tag the artists online
2. Be present
Like the sophisticated eccentricity of Hendrick’s, the evening’s lineup was an assorted ride of original performances, with each artist bravely trying something new.
Performer-host-producer-composer-improvist Kayla GC kicked off the night using a brand new loop station. She warmed up the crowd with a set of percussive breaths and soulful cries. The sounds layered by her loop visibly surprised the audience, with folks sharing nods and grooving in their seats. Her only input other than her voice? A maracas iPhone app.
“There’s nothing like this—where people are here to focus on the humans, the music in front of them. You never know what you’re going to get,” said GC.
Then, coming to New York by way of Montenegro and Berklee School of Music, Maša introduced a classically-inspired vibe. Accompanied by a lutist and a crop-topped cellist for the first time, her songbird tones captivated the room.
“I always come back to the classics—Dionne Warwick, Ella Fitzgerald—mixed with random influences, recently Madison Cunningham and Lewis Cole,” Maša said of the tastemakers inspiring her. True to her wild card inspirations, Maša sang the spectrum — from a traditional Bosnian mourning song to Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
Quin closed out the night epitomizing the thrill of live music, beckoning the audience to dance and leading a call and response: “Turn to the person you love—or make a new friend—and sing, Who gonna love you like I do?”
The icy wind outside foretold a once-in-a-lifetime blizzard, but inside the Sofar crowd was warm with true connection, new artist discovery, and a good drink or two.
What else is Peyton into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/rivercitycowgirl.