Sofa Salon #33 Wrap Up August 2012

Tags

Berlin, folk, folk rock, house concert, james cruickshank, Konzert, review, singer-songwriter, Sofa Salon, Wohnzimmer

Dearhearts,

I write to you with the melting head of the profoundly hungover, but what an amazing night last night was.

Ned Collette, Mark Geary and Ben Salter offered three very different but complimentary approaches to the solo singer-songwriter format, three different lyrical takes on the world and three compelling performances in the glorious surrounds of Ned, Amy and Paul’s Schöneberg apartment. Thanks to them, and neighbours Sascha and Mirjam for the Pommes Frites, children and positivity.

It was a warm evening and around 65 people spread out across the living room and the Peter Falk Memorial Bar and Smoking Balcony. As always at Sofa Salon, guests end up making new connections or often find that people they know have also turned up to enjoy the vibe, the cold Schultheiss and the great music. It was a large Salon and also a longish one, but people were relaxed, offered their attention and left happy.

Quote of the night went to Mark Geary, explaining to James Cruickshank how the general public sees musicians, “Is that a real song or something you wrote?”

Highlights included German actor and Pommes Frites mogul Sascha Gersak recreating his vocal on Ned’s excellent ‘Long You Lie’, Mark Geary instigating an audience singalong in the dark and Ben Salter’s rich, emotional singing and self-deprecating stories. Also, the look of joy on Ben’s face after his set knowing that he’d just won the entire audience. This, my friends, is what Sofa Salon is made of.

Afterwards, an amenable posse went to that excellent Schöneberg kneipe Resonanz to sustain the mood and have chat with Berlin’s best barkeep. Several friends dropped in late to say hi. The Big Friendly Giant and I left around 4:00 and finished off the night with an early swim at an almost-deserted Plötzensee.

Cheers,

Sam

Please view these videos from Sofa Salon’s three August musicians:

Ben Salter – The Coward

Ned Collette – Long You Lie

Mark Geary – Volunteer

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Sofa Salon’s first birthday!

Na ja, It’s Sofa Salon’s first birthday and I’m celebrating with a… Sofa Salon. Exactly one year ago, I put on three afternoon living room concerts for the Moabiter Kulturtage.

The shows were filled with wonderful musicians, poets and an attentive audience. Something really special happened in that space and everyone there loved seeing performers so close. I put on a few more and then a few more. I made an afternoon festival with SAND Journal and migrated to other living rooms. It’s been a surprise and a joy.

Thank you very much to Cosima, Lena, Cameron, Kristian, Kari and Max and Eric for your support. Thank you very much to all the poets, musicians and guests who make Sofa Salon a very warm, intimate Berlin experience.

Highlights for me have included Emilie Zoey Baker, The Alma Church Choir, mr Ocean, Mark Steiner, Roland Satterwhite and Sandra Serala, The Sweetness and Ben Porter Lewis, Biddy Connor, Roller One, Miranda Gjerstad and Lotta Fahlen, Water Music and Daniel Hoth, but you’re all amazing.

ENG:

Samstag 16. Juli – Wohnzimmer Konzert: Schneider & Son, Ned Collette (Aus) + poet Sally Browne (Aus)

…Sofa Salon presents an early evening of wonderful music and poetry. Doublebass player Claudia Schneider fronts Diving Bell, one of Melbourne’s more intriguing bands. They create European stories with Melbourne sounds and have been described as Indie Oompah. Frau Claudia’s plays a set with son Liam, from Melbourne band Ships Piano. Respected Australian songwriter and previous Sofa Salon guest Ned Collette also plays his dark and literate folk. Our poet for the evening is Brisbane-based music journalist and poet Sally Browne in her first Berlin reading. Our Sofa Salon is in Schöneberg near S-Schöneberg station. To reserve your places, the Sofa Salon email is : berlinsofasalon@googlemail.com. 6€. 17:00.

DE:

Der Sofa Salon präsentiert einen zeitigen Abend mit Musik und Poesie. Contrabass-spielerin Claudia Schneider führt die faszinierende Melbourner Band Diving Bell an. Sie formen europäische Kurzgeschichten mit Melbourne Sounds. Liam Schneider, der Sohn von Frau Schneider, und die Melbourner Band Ships Piano werden ein pulsierendes Indie Rock Set spielen. Zudem beehrt uns der angesehene australische Musiker Ned Collette mit seinen dunklen und literarischen Songs. Der Sofa Salon wird dieses mal unweit des S-Bahnhofs Schöneberg stattfinden. 6€. 17:00. Für Reservierungen, E-Mail: berlinsofasalon@googlemail.com