Sofar Fringe Turns Shoreditch Into a Citywide Stage
Written by Elektra Kaldeli
What started in a London flat in 2009 has since grown into an international network of intimate gigs, transforming everyday spaces into stages for discovery and connection. Sofar Sounds began as a response to a fading live music scene, offering small, secret shows that put the focus back on the artists. Over time, its community has expanded to more than 400 cities worldwide, with alumni including Billie Eilish, Leon Bridges, YEBBA, and Hozier.
Now, sixteen years on, Sofar returns to its roots and its home city with the first Sofar Fringe Festival: a multi-venue takeover across Shoreditch that reimagines what a festival can feel like. Featuring more than 50 artists across 10 venues, our team spent the day moving between 83 Rivington Street, D’Stassi Art, Shoreditch Town Hall, Bread and Butter Lounge, Self Space Social, and Boxhall City, catching everything from acoustic storytelling to brass ensembles, DJs, and R&B sets. Each venue offered its own kind of atmosphere, and it was refreshing to see audiences genuinely engaged and tuned into the moment rather than their screens.
Between live sessions, Sofar Fringe also hosted comedy, dance, and spoken word, alongside two standout talks. “Saving the Soul of Live Events,” led by Sofar founder Rafe Offer with The Halfway Kid, Lou Paley, and Xideus Pain, dived into the fragile state of the UK’s grassroots scene, where venues are closing at alarming rates amid rising costs and shrinking audiences. The panel explored how digital algorithms and cultural burnout threaten the future of live performance, asking a vital question: how do we protect the soul of live events before it’s too late? It was honest, direct, and full of insight about how artists, audiences, and venues can keep the industry alive.
Later, “The Sound of Connection,” a conversation hosted by Nasya Munga of Sofar Singles, turned the focus inward, unpacking belonging, mental health, and the search for community in a digital age. Together with the music, the two sessions made for a day of genuine exchange, with ideas, experiences, and creative energy flowing freely between artists and audiences.
What made Sofar Fringe stand out wasn’t just the strong lineup of emerging artists, but also the settings that gave each performance its own atmosphere. From hidden lofts to tucked-away creative spaces, the festival spotlighted non-traditional local venues, showing how vital these spaces are to London’s creative ecosystem. At a time when headlines regularly announce grassroots venues shutting their doors, Sofar’s collaboration with independent spaces felt like a meaningful show of support.
For one Saturday, Shoreditch became a map of sound. We saw artists like Karim Kamar, DJ Kibou, Daisy Veacock, Deja, and LDYA take over unconventional stages with confidence, charm, and an infectious energy that brought different corners of the city to life.
Stay tuned this week as we share our favourite sets, moments, and stories from Sofar Fringe - from intimate acoustic sessions to late-night DJ sets, a reminder that London’s music scene is as bold and alive as ever.