Sofar Sounds was started by three guys who were frustrated by the music scene. They wanted  a space in which they enjoy music uninterrupted by boisterous crowds. They began by hosting a gig in a North London flat, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The London Sofar on the third of March was held in a looming, echoing 19th century church in Aberdeen Park. Behind the stage was a distorted image of an Indonesian waterfall as high as the ceiling; a live stream reflecting weather patterns and connecting us with the other side of the world. These nights are as much about the magic of the venue as the artists themselves. It was hosted by a bubbly, engaging MC who found out this was her role for the evening 10 minutes before the stepped on stage. She was passionate about the revolution that is Sofar Sounds.

The first act was the brilliant Gecko, who seemed at home in front of an audience. He started with the most hilarious “You Can’t Know All The Songs”, and somehow convinced a floor full of trendy hipsters to join him for the chorus. The atmosphere immediately lightened, and the crowd was on his side. 

Gecko proved his musicality with a moving ballad from the perspective of Rapunzel. While driven by his a sense of humour, the song demonstrated lyrical prowess. It was a display of comedy braided with feminism. He ended his set with his killer track “Breathe”, set for release on the 27th of March. Gecko was a tough act to follow, but Sarah Callaghan was the woman for the job.

Sarah rose from a heavy place. While she is no longer living in the darkness, she took us for a walk through her experiences and time there. Her performance held a raw, and real energy— I got the feeling that she was reliving the moments as she shared them. Her poetry was lifted by the occasional backing track punctuating her words.

Walking the tightrope between poetry and rap, the rhythm of her words hypnotised us. I appreciated her frank, and honest approach to her art. She drew us in to her life; a troubled past, a problematic father… We were there with her the whole way. 

Her set was made by her stage persona, which lightened the mood between poems. Her background in comedy was evident, as she appeared at ease in front of a crowd, and allowed us to feel comfortable to. It was fun to see a collaboration between Sarah and Gecko for her final piece. You can listen to Sarah’s EP “Jacob’s Ladder” on Spotify.

It’s not just any artist that can commandeer a violin, cello and french horn for a gig. From the moment Valerio took the stage it was evident that he was trained and skilled. He began with a rolling power ballad, displaying a well supported tenor. Balance will always be a challenge in the context of an unplugged performance, but the musicians did an excellent job of catering to his voice.

He moved into a soaring chorus on top of the warmth and support that can only be provided by tactful backing musicians. At times Valerio sounded like a male Regina Spektor. We were treated to a sneak peak of his next single, due for release on the 12th of March. During the intro not a thought was whispered, nor a beer can cracked. This is the magic of sofar sounds.