What do bands do when they want to tour but cannot afford to book established venues across the country? Some keep their tours local, waiting to get their big break, some turn to crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and ask fans to donate, and some search for ways to go off the beaten path of “corporate” touring. Sofar Sounds, described by some as a “roving concert series,” is a way for those bands to play for the fans who already know and love them, while drawing in new audiences. Sounds just like any other concert, right? Well, not exactly.

Sofar Sounds spotlights emerging artists, introducing them to new fans in secret gigs across the country. But what makes Sofar so different? These “unique and magical” concert experiences take place in people’s living rooms all across the world. The venue is a volunteer host’s house and the attendees are the people who live in the area and know about the show through Sofar’s newsletter. Anyone interested in hosting must first be a subscribed member to the newsletter and must sign up as a potential host on the Sofar website.

But not just anyone can receive the newsletter. Interested future attendees must first sign up and subscribe online, a process which asks prospective members to answer questions such as “How often do you go to live gigs per month?” and “What is your relationship with music? (the answers include Music Fan, Band or Artist, Music Blogger and Music Industry)”.

Each show follows a strict process to ensure that overcrowding and lines going out the door will not become problems. All of the concerts are free, but you must be a subscriber and RSVP through the newsletter to win a coveted place at the show.

In addition to only being able to find out about the show through the newsletter and the always-trusty word-of-mouth, the exact details of the show are not released until the day of the show. On the day of the concert, a couple hours before it is set to start, the members who RSVP’d yes are finally told the lineup of the show and address of the house. Members from all around the world who were unable to attend the show can watch a live-stream or go back to the website later and watch recorded videos from that night.

From such humble beginnings, Sofar has expanded worldwide, with living room concerts staged in more than 50 cities from Dallas and Dubai to Stockholm and São Paulo, with a network of volunteers booking and organizing each show. Sofar has produced live musical performances in over 25 countries around the world and thousands of performers have passed through their doors. In such a small and intimate setting, it is almost impossible to not enjoy the concert these musicians have worked so hard on, especially when the only rules during the show are, “Make noise when appropriate. No talking otherwise.”