The great secret show

There's always something that makes people feel special when they're part of something "exclusive" or "top secret". Like we're one of the chosen few. The lucky ones. And nothing piques a music lover's interest more than the words "intimate secret show". While most of us would decide to go to a show, or a gig, based on who's playing, imagine going to a show with zero knowledge of the lineup, and only finding out where the show will be three days before the show.

Sofar is a global movement to bring the focus back to music by organizing intimate shows at living rooms (or makeshift living room-like spaces) where only a small group of people get to attend. And after missing their first few shows in Manila, I've finally had the chance to not only go to their show, but also cover it! It seemed like the stars have also aligned perfectly when I found out that the venue would be at Shutterspace, where I interned (for an embarrassingly short time because of the distance and hellish commute -- which is an entirely separate story) a year or two ago. While the original idea was to bring musicians and music lovers together in a living room, what we have in Manila are makeshift living rooms in establishments, such as Shutterspace. And the setup was beautiful.

That night we were treated to music from BP Valenzuela, Toni B., and Japsuki. It was a nice change of pace to watch an intimate acoustic gig. Something that reminds me of the early days of MTV Unplugged where we all sit comfortably on the floor, and the artists just a few feet from you, with their guitars and box drums seated on couches and bar stools. Except this time I'm one of those people seated on the floor, a few feet away from the artists. Which is awesome. Sofar removes the usual hassles of watching gigs where you smell like yosi and people scream profanities to songs they like.

At the end of the gig, a hat is passed around for attendees to contribute any amout to ensure that shows like these continue. Sofar is 100% non-profit, and getting invites to their shows is free, so really, why not skip a helping of your regular Starbucks and donate to keep it going, right? Had a lot of fun during their July show and I was so bummed I missed their August show. But hey, there's next month to look forward to!

For more information on Sofar Sounds, and find out how you can get an invite on their next show, check out their website, Sofar Manila faceboook page, and subscribe to their mailing list.

x
Henri

**Photos from Sofar Manila's facebook page