SOB's

What SOB's does

SOB's (Sounds of Brazil) is an independently owned live music venue and nightclub operating at 204 Varick Street in downtown Manhattan since 1982. Founded by Larry Gold with a mission to amplify the musical heritage of the Afro-Latino Diaspora, the 4,000 sq ft venue hosts concerts, DJ nights, themed dance parties, and watch parties spanning Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, African, Caribbean, Haitian, Brazilian, South Asian, and world music genres. The venue's alumni roster — including Drake, J. Cole, Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA, Wu-Tang Clan, and dozens of additional global acts — anchors its positioning as a launching pad for emerging artists, formalized by a 2023 NYC Mayor's Office Proclamation celebrating 40 years of continuous operation.

The venue operates professional-grade production infrastructure including an L-Acoustics sound system (A15i, KS21, KS28, LA12X/LA4X amplifiers), Yamaha QL5 mixing console, a 16'x18' LED video wall, Grand MA3 lighting control with Martin fixtures, and Pioneer DJ equipment (DJM S11, CDJ 3000s, Technics 1200). Capacity is 150 seated, 200 standing hybrid, or 400 standing room only. Recurring community franchises include Desi Saturdays (Bollywood nights since 2012), Konpa Thursdays (Haitian), and Caribbean Fridays, alongside episodic concerts, private events, and World Cup 2026 watch party programming.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: ticket sales ($0 free RSVP to $55 premium), food and beverage with table reservations requiring minimum spend, private event rentals with customizable catering and bar packages, table/bottle service for late-night events, and ticketing partnerships with KYD and Eventim. Distribution combines direct website sales, physical box office, and third-party platforms. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, 1-10 employees, and a single NYC location.

Name

SOB's

Legal name

SOB's

Website

https://sobs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SOB's (Sounds of Brazil) is an independently owned NYC live music venue founded in 1982, hosting concerts, themed dance parties, and watch parties across global music genres for diaspora communities and emerging artists, with revenue from tickets, F&B, and private events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue & Nightclub

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Bars & Pubs (Non-Music) (MPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Live music venue
• Nightclub entertainment
• Private event hosting
• World music concerts
• Ticketed performances

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from concert and event ticket sales, both online and at the door. Prices vary by event from free RSVP events to $55 for premium events.
2. Food & Beverage: Fully stocked bar and kitchen serving food and drinks. Kitchen closes at 9:30PM; bar remains open for duration of events. Minimum food/drink purchase required for seating.
3. Private Events: Corporate events, fundraisers, holiday parties, private concerts, panels, weddings, birthdays, workshops booked as private rentals. Customizable packages including food, beverages, entertainment, and decor.
4. Table Reservations & Bottle Service: Table reservations available on first-come-first-serve basis with minimum food/drink purchase. Late night events may require bottle service purchase.
5. World Cup Watch Party Events: Special event programming featuring World Cup matches with free RSVP entry and minimum purchase requirements for seating. Includes special World Cup drink menu.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SOB's operates a live music venue and nightclub at 204 Varick Street in Manhattan, hosting ticketed concerts, DJ dance parties, sports watch parties, and private events. The 400-capacity venue features an L-ACOUSTICS sound system, LED video wall, and full bar with food service, targeting adult consumers seeking live entertainment and nightlife experiences in New York City.

Product overview

SOB's (Sounds of Brazil) is an independently owned nightclub and live music venue operating since 1982. The business offers a portfolio of event-based products: core live music venue services hosting concerts across diverse genres (Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, African, Caribbean, Haitian, Brazilian, South Asian, world music); recurring themed event series including Desi Saturdays (Bollywood nights), Caribbean Fridays, and Konpa Thursdays Live; World Cup watch party screenings; and private event hosting with in-house catering, bar packages, and production equipment. Additional offerings include food & beverage service and venue tech/equipment rental for events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ years of continuous independent operation as NYC music venue
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• KYD (Ticketing Platform)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party ticketing partner used for online ticket sales and event registration including free RSVP management for World Cup watch parties and other events.
• Eventim (Ticketing Platform)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketing partner for event ticket sales, particularly used for events like Desi Saturdays Bollywood nights.
• Hot 97strategicGTM or Marketing PartnerHip Hop radio station partnership featuring Hot 97's DJ Drewski as host for SOB's Premiere Hip Hop Showcase events.
• NYC Mayor's Office of Media + Entertainment (MOME)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for New York Music Month programming, an initiative of MOME supporting local artists and music events.
• NY Music MonthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent programming initiative that supports emerging local artists through the NYC Mayor's Office of Media + Entertainment.
• Desi SaturdaysstrategicOthersWeekly Bollywood-themed event series at SOB's since 2012, featuring rotating DJs including DJ Dharak, DJ Harsh, HR Beats, DJ Rush, DJ Bollyboom, and Ravi Bindra.
• 1202 MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing article coverage for artist performances and venue events.
• Haus of TelfarstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBallroom house collaborating on Pride Month Vogue dance class events. Haus of Telfar is a house dedicated to uplifting Black trans femmes in the ballroom community and kiki scene.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Note Jazz Club: Long-running Manhattan live music venue focused on jazz and world music with dining component. Comparable intimate venue with F&B, multi-decade brand, and similar role as a heritage NYC performance space.
• Webster Hall: Iconic Manhattan live music venue and nightclub with multi-decade history of hosting Hip Hop, EDM, and live acts. Directly comparable to SOB's in NYC live music nightclub positioning, mid-sized capacity, and similar artist tier.
• Brooklyn Bowl: Brooklyn-based live music venue combining concerts with bowling and F&B. Comparable multi-revenue-stream model (tickets, F&B, ancillary), similar capacity, and direct competition for touring mid-tier artist bookings.
• Terminal 5: Midtown Manhattan concert venue (~3,000 capacity) operating under the Bowery Presents umbrella. Comparable live music venue model competing for similar mid-tier touring artist bookings in NYC.
• Bowery Ballroom: Manhattan mid-sized concert venue with established indie/alternative and Hip Hop programming. Comparable in capacity, single-room format, and competition for emerging and mid-tier touring acts.
• Music Hall of Williamsburg: Brooklyn concert venue owned by Bowery Presents with similar capacity and indie/alternative artist programming. Comparable live music nightclub format and direct competitor for NYC touring acts.
• Le Poisson Rouge: Downtown Manhattan live music venue and nightclub hosting diverse genres including electronic, Hip Hop, and indie. Comparable single-room venue with bar service, similar capacity range, and overlapping Manhattan audience.

Emerging players

• House of Yes: Brooklyn-based immersive nightlife and live entertainment venue with strong LGBTQ+ and themed-event programming. Comparable smaller-scale, themed-event-driven venue model with overlapping audience demographics.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation Entertainment: Global live entertainment conglomerate operating venues, promoting tours, and ticketing events. Comparable live music promotion and venue operation at scale; competes indirectly through artist routing and ticketing partnerships.
• AEG Presents: Global live entertainment promoter and venue operator. Comparable live music and event promotion business; competes for artist routing decisions and operates venues at scale across multiple markets.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SOBsNYC
• Facebookfacebook.com/SobsNYC
• Instagraminstagram.com/sobsnyc/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@sobsnyc?lang=en
• Xx.com/SOBs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOB's