Sofar Sounds: A Gateway Into Chicago’s Underground Music Scene

Billie Eilish, Hozier and Leon Bridges — the common thread linking these now mainstream artists is their humble beginning, Sofar Sounds.

Operating in over 400 cities worldwide and 78 U.S. cities, Sofar Sounds sets a strong foundation for up-and-coming musicians. The company hosts various artists in unconventional venues, allowing for a more intimate concert-viewing experience.

With almost no information posted about the show beforehand, buyers are only allowed to know the genre of music they will hear. Artists and the show’s exact location are revealed 36 hours in advance. 

Sofar hosted a show on Feb. 2 highlighting Black History Month by amplifying Black voices across various genres. Although Sofar’s artists themselves could be called underground, the art gallery and venue, salonlb, overlooked Chicago’s skyline from an unsuspecting storage unit in Bridgeport. 

Sofar attendee Tee Elder said she has been to various shows, often to support her familial connection to one of the performing bands Viano and The Wave. Elder said the initial draw to Sofar was her love for music and celebrating unique Chicago artists. 

“The first thing I noticed about the venue was the art, even walking down the hallway,” Elder said. “This kind of installation, for a reason, sucks you in. So adding music to that is mind-blowing.”

The loft-style warehouse that holds the gallery was founded by creative director Lauren Brescia. Brescia said her background in dance and mixed media art has allowed her creative freedom in designing the venue and attracting artists to help fill the space with sculptures, paintings and photographs. 

After experimenting in the wedding and event atmosphere, Brescia said she wanted to get back to her artistic roots. Shifting from designing event spaces to the world of hotel decor, Brescia said she was one step closer to her dream — platforming immersive artists. 

Searching for a new beginning, Brescia said she felt this opportunity could be found outside Chicago.

“I felt like I needed to move to New York, and then I was like, ‘There’s such a cool creative community here, why can’t I make something happen here?’” Brescia said.

Brescia said she made conscious choices to preserve what was already in the space. A graffiti-covered factory door, which is original to the building, now divides the gallery’s kitchen and the rest of the art.

According to Brescia, the types of art and lighting she incorporated throughout her gallery set the stage for performative shows and events like Sofar. She said Friday’s blues and jazz show was salonlb’s second Sofar concert, and according to some attendees, it was their favorite venue thus far. 

Beyond the building’s industrial exterior, the eccentric art gallery that held the Feb. 2 show set the metaphorical stage for three local bands. In place of traditional structured stages and seating, Sofar allows artists to interact with audiences through close-knit atmospheres. 

The show, which could be viewed from rugs on the concrete floor, created a level of physical intimacy between the artists and their audience. 

During a cover of “Lovers Rock” by Sade, lead singer Viano of Viano and The Wave invited listeners to join them on their feet, to dance in celebrating love in its appropriate month — February. After initially meeting in 2019 and formally becoming a band in 2022, Viano said they’ve grown familiar with Sofar and its collaborative opportunities.

Viano and The Wave slowed down the tone of their set, catering to the intimate environment. In lieu of their usual song selection, the band said they took advantage of the engaged audience by experimenting with fresh compositions.

“I chose them because of the Sofar setting so it’s more intimate, and those are more intimate songs,” Viano said. “Usually we do a very high-energy, high-paced set, but I was like, ‘I wanna try these out.’ I feel like this is the right time, it’s February, Valentine’s Day is coming up, so it’s a love song month.” 

Sofar representative Roderick Phillips said he is proud to give this arena to artists, as he closely follows their journey navigating their music careers. 

“Typically, once a set is done, that person goes away into a green room and you never see them again,” Phillips said. “With our format, they’re in the room, they’re vibing to the music, you can see them, you can talk to them during the breaks, and it kinda removes the veil a little bit but in a very humane way.”

The Masters Collection was the final act of the night, closing the show with explosive improvisations. Keyboard player Tracy Baker said the band flourishes while constructing their performance on the fly rather than through formal rehearsals. 

“These guys always help my vision come true, so I’m just blessed to have people that’ve helped me manifest actually what my dreams are,” Baker said. “And you gotta have a good team that got your back, and they always have my back.”

Tickets to Sofar shows can be found on their website.

This story was written by Rachael Wexler and Sylvia Zupfer.

Featured image taken by Rachael Wexler / The Phoenix.