One of the great things about New York City is that there are always incredible show opportunities knocking at your door. With this gig, I get to go to a lot of great shows. But even so, I never got to experience something like the special show that I saw tonight put on by Sofar Sounds.
For those of you unaware of Sofar Sounds, let me fill you in. They put on tiny secret shows across the globe, usually in living rooms or tiny spaces that allow the concert experience to feel reinvigorated and unique again. Tonight they collaborated with Cult Records to put on listening parties for Karen O’s debut solo album, Crush Songs in living rooms across the globe. During the night, a pair of artists would play short sets before the crowd got to listen to the album together on crisp vinyl.
The NYC party went down at a nice apartment in Tribeca, with attendees packed in with their own beer and a curious familiarity with each other in a rather strange show environment. The hosts and regular attendees could tell I was a first-timer, able to sense that I was taken back by it all. It was like a initiation to a new club, an odd but cool experience on the whole. Soon we got settled in, and the music began.
First up was Julia Easterlin, who delighted with a set composed of vocal loops, a harp, as well as an off-the-cuff acapella performance with some lovely crowd participation. Boytoy were up next, and although they experienced some sound issues, they fought through it and delivered a breezy set of guitar jams.
As they were clearing the stage and gearing up the vinyl, Karen O walked through the door, and sneaked into a room somehow going totally unnoticed by everyone else. That’s the thing about New York; everyone is too busy in their own business to notice that the person whose album they were there for was in the house.
After listening to the album (which was a lovely, very person affair), Karen O came out to surprise the rest of the audience, with an acoustic set along with Moses Sumney (who I just saw play Central Park with Blood Orange). She joked about how she was about to play songs that we just heard. But surely the fact that we were getting to see a prominent music figure such as Karen O play these songs in someone’s living room made these completely new versions. It was a hushed set to the point where any slight movements or sound would detract from the performance.
With one song left, what else could have been played but the unanimously beloved “The Moon Song” from the Her soundtrack? Karen and Sumney delivered a pretty version with the lights off, with the rain and NYC sounds in the background, adding a NYC uniqueness to the moment. And like that, Karen thanked the crowd, and left the scene as if it never happened.
It was a great night of music and experience, something I will never forget.
Below, catch some photos from the evening, along with a video of “The Moon Song” that I recorded on my phone. Not the best quality or sound (as I said, it was very hushed and there was a lot of background noise).
Karen O + Moses Sumney – “The Moon Song”:
Also, here is “Rapt”, the first single from the album:
Julia Easterlin:
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