Sofar Sounds Expands Artist Services, Launching Premium VIP Experiences

Sofar Sounds promotes Seated co-founder and CEO David McKay to General Manager of Artist Services and hires industry vet, Wendi Jensen, to create strategic VIP programming for artists at every stage of their career

BOSTON, Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sofar Sounds announced the launch of its new premium VIP Experiences for artists as a part of its post-acquisition initiatives with Seated - now a Sofar Artist Service. Following the acquisition of Seated in 2021, Sofar promoted the company's former CEO and co-founder, David McKay, to General Manager of Artist Services at Sofar. McKay continues to lead the Seated team within Sofar and heads up all artist services, including the new VIP division, which will help both emerging and established artists create elevated experiences to connect with their fans and take control of their fan relationships.

As part of the expansion into VIP, Sofar brought on Wendi Jensen, former touring director at CID Entertainment and On Location, leaders in revenue-generating experiential programs. Sofar's VIP programming, designed to support artists who want to enhance concert experiences for their fans, will leverage the power of Sofar's touring team on the road, all while artists maintain control of the experience, their fan data and related profit.

"My career has been dedicated to ensuring artists maintain control over the most important part of their career, their fans," said David McKay, General Manager of Artist Services at Sofar Sounds. "We are thrilled to officially launch VIP Experiences, along with a future collection of offerings, to add even more value for all the artists who have relied on the data and relationships Seated has provided them for years. We're honored to have Wendi joining to spearhead our VIP program, supported by Seated's wealth of knowledge helping artists maintain control of their data and fan experiences."

VIP offerings include features such as:

• Curated Fan Experiences: Designing and executing custom VIP experiences and programming to suit artists' personalities, preferences and unique fan base, in every city they visit
• Ticket Operations: An ownable platform that shares the data with the artist directly, including on-platform VIP packages, ticketless upgrades, purchaser data and inventory
• VIP Merchandise & Creative Deliverables: End-to-end services for VIP merchandise, signage, meet & greet backdrops, photo booths and more
• Tour Operations & Local Crew Support: Comprehensive operational support for VIP experiences throughout your tour in every city

An industry vet with over a decade of experience curating revenue-generating experiential projects, Wendi Jensen is bringing her expertise creating fan experience programs for some of the music industry's most celebrated and diverse artists and brands to the launch, among a suite of upcoming curated fan and artist services.

"I am passionate about building unique, experiential moments that truly put the artist and fans first, and I look forward to helping build a collection of offerings that do just that through Sofar's VIP services," said Jensen. "In just a few months, we have already seen the impact of the pilot VIP programs with some of today's leading artists."

Sofar Sounds has worked with over 40,000 artists around the globe, primarily through tens of thousands of unique, intimate performances spanning 78 countries. Sofar Sounds is a global community of music lovers creating a space where music matters. Through intimate concerts in unique locations, Sofar shows create lasting connections between artists and fans without distractions, pretense or crowds. Sofar shows transform everyday spaces - from living rooms and rooftops, to boutiques and museums - into captivating venues for secret gigs, creating inclusive experiences that bring people closer together.

Founded in London in 2009, Sofar invites guests to discover new artists, places, and people, whether at home or abroad, in more than 400 cities around the world. To learn more about Sofar Sounds, visit http://www.sofarsounds.com or follow the conversation on social media at @sofarsounds or using #sofarsounds.

SOURCE Sofar Sounds