Sofar Syracuse revives concerts through Instagram shows

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Members of Otto Tunes, an a cappella group at Syracuse University, decorated their house in late February with lights and set up with a stage-like area. The house served as the venue for a live show put on by Sofar Syracuse. Guests, sitting on couches and on the floor, watched as three artists performed.

Sofar Syracuse is a branch of the company Sofar Sounds, which plays in over 320 cities around the world. The company works with artists to host concerts in unconventional venues such as private homes or small businesses. Sofar Syracuse has now pivoted to hosting virtual concerts on Instagram Live.

Sami Miller, an SU sophomore and one of the organizers of Sofar’s Syracuse chapter, believes that the intimacy of the performances draws audiences in. Concerts varied in size from venue to venue before the coronavirus pandemic and would offer attendees opportunities to discover music and bond with others, Miller said.

The Syracuse branch of Sofar had faded out a few years ago, but SU alumna Carly Eaton brought it back in early 2020. She had previously worked with the company in Boston and used her experiences there to revive Sofar Syracuse.

“I think the coolest part about it is we are all so different in our cities and the acts that we put on and the way that we go about doing our shows,” Eaton said. “We all just have that central mission of, we want to bring music to fans in the most authentic way possible.”

During the summer, Eaton started looking for ways to bring Sofar shows back to Syracuse virtually. Miller and Eaton began holding virtual concerts on Instagram Live every other week and posting an artist of the week spotlight on the chapter’s Instagram account.

“The whole experience of Sofar is supposed to be connecting, and it’s hard to do that these days,” Eaton said. “So finding a way to make Sofar feel as special as it did when we could meet in person has definitely been a challenge.”

Carly Eaton (top) and Sarah Gross participated in Sofar Syracuse on Instagram Live. Courtesty of Sofar Syracuse

SU junior Sarah Gross was supposed to perform at an in-person Sofar show earlier this year before it was canceled due to COVID-19. Sofar later reached out and gave her an opportunity to perform Oct. 9.

Despite the challenges of performing online, such as making sure the audio and lighting are of a good enough quality, Gross felt the virtual performance was a good experience.

“It definitely is great to perform and sing during the pandemic because all musicians are kind of feeling the sense of ‘we’re missing something,’” Gross said. “To be able to perform and hopefully be able to communicate with other people through music still, even with COVID going on, is really a great opportunity for everyone.”

Eaton and Miller think Sofar Syracuse’s virtual concerts have been successful and have offered a way for people to connect during the pandemic. Performers from various cities have been able to get involved with Sofar’s virtual sessions and make sure that it’s “still a space where you can come and listen to music,” Eaton said.

Although the virtual sessions have provided guests and performers with a way to stay involved in Sofar, Eaton and Miller hope in-person shows return in the future to regain the intimacy and connection of small concerts.

“(Sofar concerts are) a really great way to connect with new people who you’ve never met before and just bond over the pure sound of music and artistry, and you could honestly discover a whole new genre,” Miller said.