Sofar? Sofucked!

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John A Arkansawyer
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Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 9:51 am
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Sofar? Sofucked!

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

Sofar Sounds house concerts raises $25M, but bands get just $100
A deeply reported KQED expose by Emma Silvers found many bands were disappointed with the payouts, and didn’t even know Sofar was a for-profit company. “I think they talk a lot about supporting local artists, but what they’re actually doing is perpetuating the idea that it’s okay for musicians to get paid shit,” Oakland singer-songwriter Madeline Kenney told KQED.

Sofar CEO Jim Lucchese, who previously ran Spotify’s Creator division after selling it his music data startup The Echo Nest, and has played Sofar shows himself, declares that “$100 for a showcase slot is definitely fair,” but admits that “I don’t think playing a Sofar right now is the right move for every type of artist.” He stresses that some Sofar shows, especially in international markets, are pay-what-you-want and artists keep “the majority of the money.” The rare sponsored shows with outside corporate funding like one for the Bohemian Rhapsody film premiere can see artists earn up to $1,500, but these are a tiny fraction of Sofar’s concerts.
And speaking of that deeply reported KQED expose:

A New Guest at Your House Show: The Middleman
Sofar Sounds, named for “Songs From a Room,” is a for-profit company that hosts live music performances in 340 cities worldwide. Founded in London in 2009 by three friends who were sick of the loud, disrespectful audiences at bars and rock clubs -- this origin story is recounted before every show -- Sofar now has a full-time staff of at least 50, investors like Virgin’s Richard Branson, and a team of unpaid volunteer “ambassadors” in every Sofar city. The company has grown quickly over the past eight years, largely by marketing itself as a grassroots movement for and by like-minded music lovers. Its motto is "Bringing the magic back to live music."

But a contingent of local artists say there’s one increasingly unavoidable sour note: performers at Sofar shows don’t get paid. A first-time Sofar musician is instead compensated with a “high-quality” video of his or her four-song set; after that, a performer is considered a Sofar "alum" and offered a $50 stipend (depending on a room's capacity, as low as three percent of the door) for an unfilmed gig. At all shows, musicians have the chance to sell merchandise, promote upcoming appearances, and make fans and social media followers out of a captive, attentive and, increasingly, upper-middle-class audience.
The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be

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