Off the Ashland Green and Pink Line stop one Saturday night in April, music-lovers from around Chicago flocked to a local distillery to watch an acoustic show. But what distinguished this concert on the Near West Side from other house shows was the bigger picture involved ­— a movement known as Sofar Sounds.

Originally beginning in London in 2009 and abbreviated from “songs from a room,” Sofar Sounds is a series in 145 cities worldwide. In a small house show environment, bands perform short, unplugged performances to a seated crowd.  Typically three artists perform about five songs each per show.

As the Sofar Sounds website describes, “Unlike many other house shows, Sofar events are not attended simply by friends and drinking buddies. Instead, we work hard to cultivate a dedicated and attentive audience of true music lovers.”

According to Eric Muhlberger, city director for Sofar Sounds Chicago, shows are never late, not ever past 10:30 p.m., and are relaxed. Noise issues are not a concern.

This  proved true at the most recent Sofar show in Chicago, with performances from Josh Savage, Less Is More and Daniel and the Lion.  Intimate is an understatement when describing the performances, which hovered in the acoustic and folk singer-songwriter genres. Even the rattle of a bracelet in the audience was enough to attract disapproving stares from audience members.

Josh Savage from Winchester, England holds a record for the most performances with Sofar Sounds. His performance at Rhine Hall distillery marked his 25th Sofar show. He still remembers his first performance with the movement in Oxford, England in 2013.

“The audience was so respectful and attentive which is such a novelty as an upcoming artist,” Savage said. “When you’re playing traditional music venues, you often find some audience members talk over you because they are there to get drunk rather than listen to the music. This can be demoralizing for the performer and ruins it for the audience who are there for the music.”

“It’s the little things that always go a long way,” Muhlberger said. “When you stand you feel like you’re at a normal gig. Sitting plants you to better experience the music in the zone.”

He said more than 20 shows have come to Chicago since the first one in January 2013. Initially, the shows were every other month, but have evolved to monthly performances. Starting this month, Sofar Sounds Chicago will expect to hold two shows per month.

Muhlberger said the shows are almost always acoustic, and are “99 out of 100 times almost always in a living room or apartment, condo or loft.” April’s show was an exception; Rhine Hall is a local microbrewery that specializes in its apple brandy.

First-time attendee and DePaul student Gabe Reiss considered the space effective nevertheless.

“The venue was really cool,” Reiss said. “I haven’t been to any of the living room shows, but I really enjoy how it was in an open space. They even moved stuff out of the way so we could sit and enjoy the music.”

Notable past venues in Chicago include Bric-A-Brac Records in Logan Square and a graffiti wall-decorated office space in Wicker Park.

What makes Sofar Sounds particularly intriguing is the potential exclusiveness and air of mystery surrounding the venue location and the lineup.

Julie Ivers, a DePaul freshman, has been on the Sofar Sounds Chicago mailing list since August. She received her first formal invite to a Sofar show for the Rhine Hall performance. The number of concertgoers allowed to attend is restricted to around 50 to 100 invites.

“Even if there’s only 15 or 20 people in attendance, that’s still worth it for a band,” Ivers said.

The address is not disclosed to the concertgoers until a day or two before the performance and the lineup is unknown until walking in the venue’s doors. Not even the bands know who they will perform alongside.

“You get there and they give you a lineup,” Reiss said. “I looked at the lineup and said ‘wait a minute, Daniel and the Lion?’ (They’re) one of my favorite bands of all time.”

“Bastille has played in London I think three times,” Muhlberger said. “And Matthew Santos, the guy who did the hook to ‘Superstar’ by Lupe Fiasco, is probably the biggest name to come to Chicago.”

Other prominent artists who have performed at Sofar include Hozier, The Staves and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

“For first timers, expect to be blown away,” Savage said. “Every act is carefully handpicked and it’s rare to hear them in such a raw and intimate setting. It’s likely it will be nothing you’ve ever experienced before.”