How Does SofaConcerts Actually Work?
How Does SofaConcerts Actually Work?
Are you looking for a band for a celebration, want to enjoy a house concert with your friends, or would like to surprise your loved ones with a very special gift? Then you're in the right place! We'll show you how to plan an unforgettable SofaConcert in 4 simple steps!
1. Discover Artists
Every concert begins with a question: Which entertainment artist should play at your event? In the first step, you can browse our
artist selection
to get inspired. To make your decision easier, there are
numerous filters
that allow you to narrow down suggestions so they match your musical taste, occasion, and budget, helping you find what you're looking for faster.
Filter: Search by Radius
The most obvious criterion is distance . To keep travel costs as low as possible, try starting with a radius of 30 or 80km. This way musicians can comfortably drive home after the concert. If there's no one in the immediate area who fits your needs, expand the radius until you find someone. Musicians are used to touring and are always ready to come to another location for a gig.
Filter: Mood and Genre
Next, there are filters for mood and genre . Here you can choose everything from dreamy to danceable that your heart desires – and only artists who describe their music this way will be shown. Genre also plays an important role: Should the danceable music come from rock or perhaps be more jazzy or soulful? Simply try different combinations – the filters will definitely help you narrow down your favorites!
Filter: Budget
Important topic: money! If you already have a fixed budget in mind, search in this category first. Artists provide their fee expectations as a negotiation basis for different occasions. By clicking the
on artist profiles, you get detailed insight. If nothing fits there, simply try a price category above – often different lineups are possible and
fees are always negotiable
. Asking costs nothing!
Good to know: Concerts are always community experiences and only in the rarest cases does one person pay the fee alone. An estimate of what you should expect and ideas for how to raise the fee can be found in our blog post about costs and financing ideas for your own house concert .
2. Save Artists
If you like an artist, you can add them to your
favorites list
by clicking the heart. This way you can later view all musicians who match your ideas at a glance. You can narrow down your favorites if needed, consult with friends, and easily send invitations when you're ready!
3. Make Contact and Send Invitations
Have you made a shortlist? Congratulations! Then click "Send Invitation" and send your favorites a
non-binding inquiry with all key details
of the concert. What's the occasion – are you looking for music for a
birthday party
, a
wedding band
, or
live music for a corporate event
? You also send the artist information about the venue, preferred date, fee suggestion, and a personal message describing your ideas and wishes.
If you select
SofaConcert
as the occasion, you can present your venue on a host profile. This gives artists a first impression of where they'll be playing. As a
SofaConcerts host
, you can not only invite artists to your place but also receive unsolicited applications from touring artists. Who knows, maybe you'll soon have a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, a rock band from New Zealand, or a pop duo from Poland as guests in your living room?!
All inquiries are initially non-binding and you'll receive email responses with personal offers that you can compare and possibly negotiate before making your decision.
Our Tips for Successful Inquiries
Tip #1: Always ask multiple artists at once, so you have more and often better options. Your favorite might already be booked on your preferred date, or you might realize when comparing offers that your second choice can actually accommodate your ideas better than expected – or that the chemistry with another artist is a better fit? You never know!
Tip #2: Write everything you already know in the inquiry: number of guests, desired performance duration, any music and special requests, etc. It's also important whether you want an active listening concert, background music like at a reception, or interactive party and entertainment programming. The more specific you are about your wishes and the concert's framework , the better musicians can assess whether they can accept the gig.
4. Confirm and Look Forward to the Concert
Have you received one or more confirmations and clarified all questions? Then you get to decide who should be the
headliner at your concert
. If you're not sure, trust your gut feeling and first impression. With the step
"Confirm Booking"
the concert is bindingly booked. Now nothing stands in the way of a great concert. Invite friends and family and look forward to an unforgettable concert!
Tips for Negotiation and Arrangements
The proposal doesn't quite fit yet, you still have questions, or the framework has changed? No problem!
Make a New Offer
Artists and hosts can make a counter-offer at any time via the "New Proposal" button – e.g., if you want to adjust the fee for a different lineup or agree on a new date or other framework conditions.
Clarify Outstanding Questions
Via the "Follow-up Question" option, you can easily contact musicians at any time, e.g., if you want to send song requests, aren't sure how much setup time they need, or want to know how many vegetarians are in the band. Artists can do the same, so you can communicate directly via the platform about everything important and remember what you agreed on later.
Document All Agreements Clearly
So everyone is happy at the end of the day, all agreements must be clear beforehand. At SofaConcerts, all negotiation steps in communication are documented in writing. Only when an artist bindingly accepts an offer can you confirm a booking. Your agreements are the basis of the contract that comes into effect when the booking is completed. For this reason, phone numbers for verbal detail discussions can only be exchanged once conditions are agreed upon in writing and the booking is firmly confirmed.
Get Support and Advice
None of your favorites have time? You simply can't find what you're looking for? Communication is proving difficult? You need a personal phone call to make a decision? – Don't worry! We're happy to help you further, connect you by phone with the band even before booking confirmation if needed, and always have a tip ready.
Send us an email
or call directly: +49-40-88-177-500. We look forward to hearing from you!
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