May Sofa Salon

May I? You May! It's lovely warm Spring. While away your time with live music and poetry.

This Saturday, Sofa Salon teams with SAND Journal, Berlin's English-language literary magazine, for a huge afternoon of Australian music and international poetry to raise money for SAND's good works and upcoming Issue #3.

Samstag 14. Mai - Sofa Salon & SAND Journal Wohnzimmer Festival:
Music from Roller One, Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts, Monty Sparrow , Jimmy Tait and Waywardbreed
Poetry from C.M. Schollerer & Becky Crook & Julian Smith-Newman & Sophia La Fraga & Shane Anderson.
Performance from Sunny the Magosopher.

Berlin receives a fair share of visitors from the Southern Hemisphere's best music city, Melbourne. On tour through Europe, our Melbourne musical juggernaut features Roller One, Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts, Monty Sparrow plus previous Sofa Salon favourites Jimmy Tait and Waywardbreed, alongside some of Berlin's finest poets including C.M Scholler, Becky Crook, Julian Smith-Newman, Sophia La Fraga and Shane Anderson.

Einlass 14:00. Eintritt €5. Performances start at 14:45.
To reserve places, email: berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com. Sending an email will get you the address. Our apartment for the festival is in Kreuzkölln near U-Rathaus Neukölln (U7).

Donnerstag 26. Mai @ Joe's Bar presents the "For Love And Mayhem" tour launch for Wasp Summer and Water Music's European Tour 2011.

Berlin's Wasp Summer and Melbourne's Water Music make soulful, dark and raw folk-rock and alt.country. They have never met but, through a mutual friend (and friend of Sofa Salon, Mark Steiner), they emailed and decided to have an adventure. Their "For Love And Mayhem" European Tour. The first night of the tour is the Sofa Salon @ Joe's Bar.

Einlass 21:00. Eintritt Spende/Donation. Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg.

Spring on a Sofa Salon

Boing! Boing! Boing! Sofa Salon springs into Spring with our two April concerts:

Samstag 23. April - Sofa Salon #15: Christina Maria (Can/Ch) + Jimmy Tait (Aus) + poet Alistair Noon

Christina Maria did a Sofa Salon in July 2010. She was mesmerising and many requested an encore. She brings her lithe acoustic folk pop back to the Salon alongside Australian act Jimmy Tait, the melancholic and spacious sound of prolific Melbourne songwriter Sara Retallick and her gun band. If you loved The Sweetness last month, you'll love Sofa Salon #15.
Our poet is Alistair Noon, a bi-lingual fixture on the Berlin spoken word scene.

To reserve places, the Sofa Salon email is : berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com. Also, "Like" us on Facebook.

Donnerstag 28. April - Joe's Bar Showcase: Mijo Biscan (AUS) & Ian Fisher (USA) plus poet to be announced
A night of soulful voices. These two artists have travelled a long road to bring us their music. From Australia, Mijo Biscan, known to some people in Berlin from the Melodica Festival Berlin, and for his pure and powerful voice. Formerly of the US, wanderer Ian Fisher puts a rolling big-river spirit in his soaring voice and songs. Doors at 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg.

Sofa Salon #14: Australian Festival

So, last Saturday 26, we had a marvellous night at Kristian's apartment on Oranienstraße. We ran out of beer - twice. There were more of you lovely folk than I expected.

We witnessed wonderful, soulful performances from The Sweetness (Chloe Charles, Aly Tadros, a delirious Douglas and Sam) and poet Ben Porter Lewis.

The beat poetry improv jam with Ben, Sam and Douglas that opened the second half was exactly what I imagined could come from a Sofa Salon event. Thank you to Kristian, the artists and to everyone that came (especially the Slovakian and Wien folk) and made it amazing. You make Sofa Salon.

Onto the Australian onslaught. It's the time of year for Australian musicians to throw down their hard-earned and hop a plane to Europe. I am blessed with several lineups of amazing Australian talent in the next few months. The first is this Thursday at Joe's Bar. Behold:

Donnerstag 31 März - Joe's Bar Showcase: Biddy Connor (AUS) with Ned Collette (AUS) & Emaline Delapaix (AUS) plus a special poetry performance from lina paul (DE) and mr oCean (AUS).

Biddy Connor is an amazing film composer, viola player and songwriter. Sofa Salon is lucky to have her for a one-off performance featuring respected songwriter Ned Collette (AUS) and also me on backing vocals. Emaline Delapaix (AUS) is giving us her spun sugar ambient folk-pop. Our poetry performance is a new collaboration between previous Sofa Salon performers German singer-songwriter Lina Paul and Australian poet mr oCean.

Doors at 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg.

Australische Film-Komponist, Violaspielerin und Songwriter Biddy Connor kommt nach Berlin bei Joe's Bar, P'berg, für eine einmalige Aufführung ihrer atmosphärischen Musik zusammen mit Musiker Ned Collette (Aus) und Gastspielern. Folk-Pop Sängerin Emaline Delapaix (Aus) spielt auch. Poesie kommt von lina paul und mr oCean. Anfang 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg, 10435 Berlin Tel: 0178 5527533

Coming Up:
Samstag 23. April - Wohnzimmer Konzert: Christina Maria (CH/CAN) and Jimmy Tait (AUS) plus poet to be announced

Donnerstag 28. April - Joe's Bar Showcase: Mijo Biscan (AUS) & Ian Fisher (USA) plus poet to be announced

Samstag 14. Mai - Sofa Salon & SAND Journal Wohnzimmer Festival: Monty Sparrow & Jimmy Tait & Waywardbreed & Andrew McCubbin & Roller One & Sunny the Magosopher (All AUS) & poets TBC.

Donnerstag 26. Mai - Joe's Bar Showcase: Water Music (AUS) & Wasp Summer (Aus/Berlin) Europatour launch plus guests to be announced.

Spring Sofa Salons

New shows for Spring!

Samstag 26. März - Wohnzimmer Konzert: Chloe Charles (CAN) & Aly Tadros (USA) plus poet Ben Porter Lewis (USA)
Sofa Salon is excited to host these two amazing alternative acoustic songwriters during their European tour. Toronto native Chloe Charles has been likened to Cat Power and Joni Mitchell and is possessed of a dramatic dark-honey voice. Austin-based Aly Tadros has the sass of Fiona Apple and the swing of a Ricky Lee Jones. Both ladies offer a distinctive and accomplished point-of-view. Poetry from New York documentary maker and whirlwind Ben Porter Lewis.
This Sofa Salon is in Kreuzberg. To reserve places, email is : berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com

Chloe Charles (Kanada) und Aly Tadros (USA) sind junge und talentierte Singer-Songwriters im Alternative Folk Stil. Sie spielen ihre erste Europa-Tour zusammen. Wohnzimmer-Konzert-Serie "Sofa Salon" gibt ihre ersten Berlin Konzert bei einer privat Wohnzimmer in Zentral Kreuzberg. Poesie von Ben Porter Lewis (USA). Reservieren Ihr Platz oder informationen von berlinsofasalon@googlemail.com. Anfang 19:00. Eintritt 6€.


Donnerstag 31 März - Joe's Bar Showcase: Biddy Connor (AUS) with Ned Collette (AUS) & Emaline Delapaix (AUS) plus poetry from lina paul and mr oCean.

Talented Australian film composer, viola player and songwriter Biddy Connor comes to Berlin for a one-off performance of her atmospheric music featuring respected songwriter Ned Collette (AUS) and other guests. Also featured is the spun sugar ambient folk-pop of Emaline Delapaix (AUS), now based in rural Germany. The night's poetry performance is a new collaboration between previous Sofa Salon performers German singer-songwriter Lina Paul and Australian poet mr oCean.

Doors at 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg.

Australische Film-Komponist, Violaspielerin und Songwriter Biddy Connor kommt nach Berlin bei Joe's Bar, P'berg, für eine einmalige Aufführung ihrer atmosphärischen Musik zusammen mit Musiker Ned Collette (Aus) und Gastspielern. Folk-Pop Sängerin Emaline Delapaix (Aus) spielt auch. Poesie kommt von lina paul und mr oCean. Anfang 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg, 10435 Berlin Tel: 0178 5527533

Samstag 23. April - Wohnzimmer Konzert: Christina Maria (CH/CAN) and Jimmy Tait (AUS) plus poet to be announced

Christina Maria did a Sofa Salon in July 2010. She was mesmerising and garnered requests for an encore. She brings her lithe acoustic folk pop back to the Salon alongside emerging Australian act Jimmy Tait, the melancholic and spacious sound of prolific Melbourne songwriter Sara Retallick and this gun band.

To reserve places, the new Sofa Salon email is : berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com.


Donnerstag 28. April - Joe's Bar Showcase: Mijo Biscan (AUS) & Ian Fisher (USA) plus poet to be announced

A night of soulful voices. These two artists have travelled a long road to bring us their music. From Australia, Mijo Biscan, known to some people in Berlin from the Melodica Festival Berlin, and for his pure and powerful voice. Formerly of the US, wanderer Ian Fisher puts a rolling big-river spirit in his soaring voice and songs.

Doors at 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg.



Samstag 14. Mai - Sofa Salon & SAND Journal Wohnzimmer Festival: Monty Sparrow & Jimmy Tait & Waywardbreed & Andrew McCubbin & Roller One & Sunny the Magosopher & poets TBC.
















Sofa Salon teams with SAND, Berlin literary journal, for a huge afternoon of Australian music and international poetry.

Our Melbourne musical juggernaut features the songwriters from Roller One, Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts, Monty Sparrow plus previous Sofa Salon favourites Jimmy Tait and Waywardbreed all performing to raise money for SAND Journal, alongside some of Berlin's finest spoken word performers.

To reserve places, the Sofa Salon email is : berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com. Doors 13:00.


Samstag 15. Oktober - Wohnzimmer Konzert: Wooden Peak (DE) + Martin Lau & Teleskop (DE)

I heard Wooden Peak's wonderful electronic-acoustic folk at Fusion 2010 and asked them to play a Sofa Salon. They will also perform for us their collaboration with poet Martin Lau, who has just released his first cycle of poems on Periplaneta, with Wooden Peak setting Martin's words to music.


To reserve places, the Sofa Salon email is : berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com.

Sofa Salon #12 @ Joe's Bar

Thank you to friends, old and new, who came to Sofa Salon #11 at Max and Kari's. With fantastic, emotive and even daring performances from Roland Satterwhite, Gosia Winter and Linden Horvath, a swell time was had.

The next installation of Sofa Salon @ Joe's Bar is tomorrow night!

Donnerstag Februar 24. - Joe's Bar Showcase: Janin Johannsen & Sarsaparilla

Sarsaparilla was one of the first musicians I saw live in Berlin. He has a lovely way with words and a sweet, organic sound for fans of Devendra Banhart. Janin Johannsen has an emotional, crystaline voice, delicate folk style and a fascination with Elvis. Her performance features Andreas from Sofa Salon favourites The Alma Church Choir. A gorgeous night ahead!

Doors at 21:00. Eintritt 4€. Joe's Bar, Schönhauser Allee 157, Prenzlauer Berg.


Next wohnzimmer konzert:

Samstag März 26. - Wohnzimmer Konzert: Chloe Charles (CAN) & Aly Tadros (USA) plus poet to be announced

Sofa Salon is excited to host these two amazing alternative acoustic songwriters during their European tour. Toronto native Chloe Charles has been likened to Cat Power and Joni Mitchell and is possessed of a dramatic dark-honey voice. Austin-based Aly Tadros has the sass of Fiona Apple and the swing of a Ricky Lee Jones. Both ladies offer a distinctive and accomplished point-of-view.

To reserve places, the new Sofa Salon email is : berlinsofasalon [at] googlemail.com