This summer, I did one of the most spontaneous things I have ever done. I’d received an email from Uber, the taxi app, asking something along the lines of: do you want to order a taxi to a secret event in an unknown location this evening? Safe to say I had my doubts. But it was a beautiful sunny day and I was feeling confident in my post-exam, happy-go-lucky optimism. I decided to go for it. My friends and I signed up, praying we’d not just made a terrible mistake.

The Uber took us to Peckham. For anyone who’s not been to Peckham, suffice it to say that typing Peckham into Google brings up the recommended search: “is Peckham safe”. Not exactly Beverly Hills. Yet our suspicions quickly dissipated when we saw where the Uber had brought us. Before our eyes was a stunning house, covered in ivy, surrounded by friendly staff wearing official-looking uniforms and name badges. Plus: a big queue of people! Cool people, too – the hipster kind you see in indie music videos. Enchanted, we followed them inside…

And what an enchanting evening indeed! It turned out that the “secret event” was a night of live music hosted by Sofar Sounds, a company dedicated to organising intimate gigs in living rooms all over the world. There was free food and free drinks. Three amazing up-and-coming artists serenaded a room packed full of silent, attentive Londoners. How often do you get to see Londoners stop and stand still, totally present in the moment? It was truly something special.

I’ve been lucky enough to go to another Sofar gig recently, in a boho-chic office space in Kings Cross. I was just as blown away as before. The four artists playing were mesmerising and as different from one another as cheese and chocolate. As a musician myself, I really appreciate people who respect live music – and the crowds at Sofar events are the most respectful crowds I’ve ever seen. Furthermore, the gig cost me and my friend…a fiver. FIVE POUNDS for a whole night of live music! Each gig has a certain quota of “donations-based” tickets allocated on a lottery basis. If you “win”, you can choose how much you pay – talk about a cracking deal! If you’re down for experiencing London’s creative and quirky side, definitely get yourself along to sofarsounds.com and check out what’s on near you.

And if you’re interested in performing at a Sofar gig yourself, or know someone who you think would rock an intimate stage like this, all you have to do is ask! The staff choose musicians on a referral basis, which is fabulous for people looking for a platform into the business. Do check out the Sofar Sounds website for more details!