Spotlight on Innovation: “SoundBox” by the San Francisco Symphony

A couple of years ago, the San Francisco Symphony turned a bland rehearsal space into SoundBox, an innovative concert space that includes informal seating for 500 audience members, a bar, video projection capabilities, and a state-of-the-art sound system which turns the dry acoustic into endless sonic possibilities.  According to a recent article in Wired magazine, concerts at SoundBox, which often feature creative programming, routinely sell out within a matter of hours.

SoundBox innovates the concert experience on a number of levels including the format of the concert, the physical space itself, the inclusion of food and drink, the programming, multi-media, and more.  Several of these elements align with David Taylor’s 5 recent suggestions for ways to reinvigorate the concert experience.  I wonder what additional ways we can innovate the concert experience to continue to build on the success of initiatives like SoundBox?