Listen In

Would you buy a ticket to a concert if you didn’t know who was performing, or where it would be held? That’s the case for Sofar Sounds events in nearly 400 cities around the world; locally, patrons enter a lottery just for the chance to purchase the $15 tickets.

An acronym for “Songs from a Room,” Sofar began in London in 2009 as an antidote to concert experiences marred by chatty and phone-occupied patrons. Shows feature 20-minute sets from three performers, often in unconventional spaces.

Last April, Charleston’s first Sofar concert had Brave Baby playing for a crowd of 150 at a storage unit. It’s continued as a monthly event, including a rare outdoor show with Atlas Road Crew at Edmund’s Oast.

“It’s a chance to be still and really listen to music,” explains Nicole Labrecque, a Berklee College of Music grad and Gaillard Center employee who serves as one of Charleston’s “city leaders.”

Labrecque draws upon her college network to create synergy between local and touring bands, and the artists clearly appreciate the respectful audience—many shows are booked far in advance. Look for 2018 dates to be announced at sofarsounds.com/charleston-sc.