SoundBox

I love Sound Box! I heard about this new initiative by the SFSymphony and I thought it would be great. I volunteer for the gift shop and went to an event tonight for the first time.
The pieces they played were:
VILLA LOBOS «The Little Train of the Caipira»
ANDY AKIHO Oscillate
SAINT-​SAËNS «Aquarium»
CRUMB Vox Balaenae
DAVID LANG are you experienced?
It was experimental and avant-​garde. The space is smaller and it feels like a warehouse or industrial building. There is seating, but some people get left standing. There’s no backs to the seats. There were a lot of yuppy-​looking people. There’s a bar for drinks. The sound is fine even though it is a rehearsal space. There were two intermissions (at least 15 mins).
I really feel that this is an important initiative. It feels like a modern art experience. There are some multimedia visuals to go with the music. The kookier the better for me haha. I really hope people check out Sound Box events. This one I went to was sold out and the place was packed, so they are doing something right. Don’t worry about the few bad reviews on Unilocal for Sound Box. You will have a great experience with SF Symphony’s Sound Box.

So basically go for the music and politely block out the social climbers who use it for their antics. I have enjoyed the music twice. For that alone I would rate it 4 stars.
Not everyone here is racist, or elitist, but don’t be surprised if pretentious funks next to you strike up an interrogation of your lineage. It did open my eyes to reasons why ethnic Americans, nonbinary people, students, or early 20s ‘youth’ would opt out of the experience.
A lady, supposedly a Chair of the American Conservatory, called my father’s bruschetta tacos in a piquingly racist tone. Despite the attempts of careerists to network here or figure out a way to turn the concept into a business, the vibe sucks out the enjoyment factor.
The experiences weren’t the best; more cold than warm. But these moments make you a better person or understand the need for diversity. After all, the composers featured had quirky backstories; drawing inspirations from seemingly rare moments of variation.
Snacks were simple, true serving sized. I did feel bad for those standing, there is little seating, and though I didn’t see any handicapped attendees, it would have been cool if there was a balcony, loft or elevated space for them to see over the crowd.

Looks like Sound Box is the SF Symphony’s attempt at bringing a younger, hipper audience to classical music. I applaud that effort, just as I applaud the risk that the Symphony has taken in converting their very industrial-​looking rehearsal space into a technologically advanced new venue for music. But instead of creating a product that will impress a younger audience, my sense is that they’ve just created a space that will make their current, aging audience feel cooler.
The pieces on January’s playlist were expertly performed and memorable, and the members of the orchestra who spoke about them were engaging. The space is a fun place to experience classical music — far more casual than classical fans are used to. And I appreciate the local flavor, featuring a composer and soloist with bay area roots.
But I would imagine that Sound Box has the resources to be so much more than it actually is… and as it’s still new, perhaps it will get there. It could be interactive, but instead everyone sits (or stands) for the length of each performance in silence, as per a symphony hall. It could be contemporary and new, but most of the musical selections were pretty safe. It could be comfortable, but they oversell the venue by several hundred so half of the audience is standing up, uncomfortably blocking the view of the people sitting behind them. And they claim that the space could sound amazing, but the pieces chosen did little to show off the «shifting environment» that «bring you from one moment in time to the next.» Not so much.
If you want to enjoy the talents of the SF Symphony with a drink in your hand, Sound Box is very nice. But it’s got a long way to go before it Sound Box is what it claims to be.

I’ve never been more annoyed by false advertising in my life so I’ll write this review live from the event right now. It’s just the symphony in a club. Nothing more. You will be expected to stand in silence for 2 hours holding your drink and watching the symphony. The website and news articles will make this event sound like an immersive experience with lots of variety and imagery and a festive atmosphere. It’s not true. It’s just the symphony without enough seating. No one around me looks like they are having fun or looks like they were expecting this lameness on a Friday night. What a shame because if the just met the expectations set by their slick marketing this would be really cool. All they need to do is think outside the box… Bring in a DJ to add sick beats to accompany the music. Involve projection artists for the visuals (it’s just a 90s screen saver all night so far). Hire roving performers and an aerialist. Have entertainment during the intermissions. Show off the sound system with a cool video montage. So much lost potential. I love the symphony… In symphony hall not a club. No lady wants to stand in heels silently for two hours and I can hear them complaining around me. Whoever organized the «curiosity» show lacked curiosity! Two stars for the very talented musicians and the sounds system.

I spent a considerable amount of my childhood performing on stages around the world, and I’m pretty familiar with the way the acoustics of a room can change the way music resonates, making you sound like an angel or the opposite of that. And if you can relate to my experiences at all, or if you consider yourself a musician or at least appreciate music at all, you must come to Sound Box. It’s equipped with this bad boy:
In other words, there are speakers and microphones all around the auditorium that can mimic the acoustics of places like a small intimate bar, to a large cathedral hall.
SF Sound Box is the SF Symphony’s hip younger sister. Tickets are significantly cheaper at $ 25, and the seating consists of loungey chairs and bar stools + lots of standing room for 450 people. I’m guessing that the SF Symphony’s trying to attract a younger crowd, which is why they’re doing a «late night» more modern type of thing in an industrial space with projectors and screens, but… who knows! The demographic ranged from people in their 20s to their 70s.
The shows each month at Sound Box are different. The first two opening shows were themed «Extremities.» We were able to hear contemporary /​modern to baroque /​classical pieces from two alternating stages. Here’s an example of a contemporary piece: the pre-​performance consisted of musicians playing plants. Plants like trees and brush and cactus. Weird, but cool. You’ll really just have to see it for yourself…
A hot tip: come right at 8:00 pm to either grab a seat or enjoy the pre-​performance. The specialty drinks they have take quite a bit of time to make, and you can’t order at the bar during the performance, so make sure you get in line for food + drinks early! Intermissions are 20 minutes, but they go by quickly because of these lines.
I’ve already bought my tickets for January’s performance.