Feature

Loufi’s album launch at Railways Café was a sold out taste of things to come for the future of eventing

It’s has been more than a year since I felt the excitement and witnessed the pure eagerness of a crowd attending a live show, and although under strict COVID-19 regulations and capacity limitations, Loufi’s sold out album launch on Friday night was a blast from the… future?

Railways Café is located in Irene, on the corner of Pioneer and Main Road and this massive, almost maze-like venue has undeniably proven to be a pillar in the local music scene. It has seen almost every band and solo artist in Gauteng and most Capetonian acts pass through its doors, so it’s no wonder why PE’s newest hip hop sensation had his very own night to launch his debut album Gan sê jou mense. No opening act ensured that everyone got well settled-in and thanks to his rad MC, progressed into this somewhat exhilarating feeling that Loufi was “in the building” and ready to hit the stage.

He had an incredibly talented and fun-to-watch percussionist, Rhuwaal de Lange, who played on drum pads with sounds that literally made me feel like I was in 8 Mile at one point, to hearing a full-kit drummer the next. Although I would have loved to see “Belie Polisie” featuring Jacques Leonard who joined to perform this track, with actual live drums and band, Rhuwaal’s pad skills and captivating performance completely blew me away. There were a couple minor sound issues during the set, but thanks to great stage presence, Loufi had the roaring crowd in the palm of his hands from start to finish.

Considering Loufi’s humble nature, thanking almost every single person during his performance, we also noticed quite a few notable figures in the crowd, which made the hype of attending his album launch even bigger. I find it very interesting to try and describe Loufi’s sound from a production point of view, but a fresh-out-the-block 50 Cent definitely comes to mind, especially during grooves like “Wiggy” where people almost started moshing. Tracks like “Boude” and “Liquorman” had the entire venue partying and dancing with each other in a similar, badass, yet super fun fashion.

Loufi is certainly not just an explicit rapper, his lyrics create a scenario that many South Africans can relate to or even just imagine themselves in and that is the art of being a musician. Gan sê jou mense is a long-awaited breath of fresh air for our rap scene, and Friday night’s performance was a confirmation that people are hungry for live shows to fully return and that artists are readying themselves to attend that feast.

All photos courtesy of Johan Vivid.