Sofar gig @ Waterloo Road

So here's a brilliantly simple concept. It's called Sofar. Go see bands play in peoples houses near where you live for just a couple of pounds. Bring your own beers. Genius.

Sofar Norwich has just started really, and I was lucky enough to go along to a home on Waterloo Road for my first experience. I've been to gigs in fields, churches, bunkers, banking halls and many other places but not once had I been entertained in this way in a house. The deal is that you apply for a ticket online, having joined the Sofar Norwich community online (https://www.sofarsounds.com/norwich), and a couple of days before a secret gig happens you are let in on the address, but it's not until you arrive that you learn who's playing. Tonight I was delighted to find out that Maya Law, Peach Club and Wooden Arms were on the bill, all excellent Norwich acts. 

There are 25 people in the house, tea is being made, there's a sign to tell you where the toilet is and a smoking area outside. It feels like a super fun house party, very laidback, genial and civilised, but with an anticipation in the air. We all cram into the host's front room, sit on the floor and the sofa and enjoy our first set of the night from singer songwriter Maya Law who has been making waves in Norwich for some time. This is the best I've ever seen her play. Sitting on a chair, playing her acoustic guitar and laying her sweet voice on us is such a special thing. She can on occasion suffer from giggles, perhaps as a result of nerves, but there's no sign of that at all tonight - she seems entirely comfortable and at ease. Playing five or six songs including an Amy Winehouse cover which encourages some audience participation, she goes down a storm.

After a short break we get back to it with riot grrrl four piece Peach Club. Usually massively full on, loud and intense, I was interested to see how they might handle this calm and low key gig. They did a great job of relaxing into the vibe, with a softer tone and gentler vocals from Katie. They power through tracks from their latest EP and even do a tasty cover of Survivor by Destiny's Child which again gets the crowd singing along from the floor. Rather excitingly we get the first and only complaint about noise from a neighbour during their set. Rock n roll, motherlovers.