Sofar Sounds is a unique mini concert concept that started in London. After its’ success in London, it moved to other cities including New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, and more… like Nashville!
And even though I’ve lived in two cities that have Sofar Sounds, I had never heard of it until my friend was looking for a birthday present for me. She asked if I’d be interested in going to a concert where I wouldn’t know who was playing or where it was even located until 36 hours before the event. I’m always excited to try cool new things around Nashvillle, so I said yes!
How Sofar Sounds Nashville Works
While you don’t know the exact location when you buy tickets, you do get to pick a neighborhood or general area where the concert will be held. For Nashville, I was able to pick between North Capitol and Music Row. Spoiler alert: Music Row will most likely be at The Virgin Hotel, which is where mine was at!
In Nashville, it looks they hold about one a month. And the pricing is super affordable – around $20 a ticket. Some events claim to be BYOB, but since I went to The Virgin Hotel, we had a full bar to purchase from, and I think you could order food as well. I also like that they give you information about the type of building (commercial) and if it’s ADA accessible.
The Sofar Sounds Nashville Event Location
As promised, I received the exact location 36 hours before the event. When I got to the hotel, I wasn’t sure exactly where to go, so I asked the front desk, and they let me know it was at the rooftop bar. Near the elevator was an employee for Sofar Sounds who was checking names. That’s another thing – you don’t have to worry about showing your ticket or receipt as you just tell them your name which is nice!
The concert was on the rooftop at The Pool Club of the Virgin Hotel which is exactly what it sounds like. There’s an indoor bar connected to an outdoor pool space. It’s very cool, and they actually host a lot of parties and themed pop-up events if you’re looking for something else to do in Nashville.
The Actual Event & Music
The setup was a tad awkward for the “stage” since the pool is in the center of the outdoor space, but we got lucky with our couch to sit on and had a great view. The concerts are meant to be small and intimate, so people seemed to sit or stand wherever they could which included a lot of pool loungers.
About 15 minutes before the event started, I got an email with the artist list, which was a total surprise to me! It was fun to look them up on Instagram and see what type of music they’d be playing and what their followings looked like.
After a welcome from the Sofar Sounds host, where they asked us to enjoy the music and be present (i.e., not talk during the performances) and to wait to get new drinks until breaks between performers, the show began!
All the artists were great, and it was a great mix of music styles and different band setups. There was a full band, a singer from Denmark and a keyboardist who were married – aw!, and a solo act with a guitar who told the wildest stories about his upbringing (tripping with his parents) and life! The show lasted about 2.5 hours which was the perfect amount of time for a “school night!”
Farewell Thoughts
Overall, I loved the Sofar Sounds concept, and I think it makes even more sense in Nashville – I mean it’s Music City for a reason. I liked that it wasn’t overly crowded like some concerts around Nashville. The venue was cool, and it was nice to see people enjoy the music in a chill setting. I liked the option for food and drinks, and the view of Nashville was spectacular. It also happened to be the perfect night. I’ll definitely be going again!
Let me know if you’ve been to a Sofar Sounds concert – in the comments or over on Instagram! If you liked this review of Sofar Sounds in Nashville, I’d love for you to share this post!
