Ruff Majik‘s recent foray into Europe was hugely successful, and served as a prelude to their tour in October, where they’ll be promoting their upcoming album. Now safely back in Mzansi, the Pretoria band had a chat with us about their experience up north.
Reflecting on the tour, Johni Holiday says, “We played Desertfest in Berlin and Fuzztival in Denmark, both to enthusiastic audiences. Sharing the stage with genre pioneers like Brant Bjork and Monkey3 was a highlight.”
“Desertfest has been a dream for us for some time,” adds Johni, “so finally performing there was fantastic. Scandinavia also welcomed us warmly.”
The band’s club shows were equally triumphant, with all five headlining performances selling out. Explaining their unique strategy, Johni tells me, “We made merch sales a personal thing by encouraging everyone who bought a shirt to rip the sleeves off.”
“It was heartening to hear so many people say they came specifically to see Ruff Majik,” he continues, “especially since we had braced ourselves for smaller crowds.”
The tour wasn’t all work and no play. In Germany, a malfunctioning self-check-in at their hotel led to an unexpected adventure. Due to what Johni humorously called “the first-ever failure of German efficiency,” the issue wouldn’t be fixed until the next day. The band reached out to friends in a nearby area and ended up at the town’s May festival, which rarely admits outsiders. They partied all night long and even joined a marching band in the early hours of the morning. Man, what we wouldn’t give to party with these guys…
Hot off the heels of their success, Ruff Majik is now gearing up for the release of a new album in October and another EU tour, including a performance at Desertfest in Belgium. In the meantime, they will be playing several shows across SA, and they’ve just released a new single to wet our already satiable appetites. Listen to “What a Time to Be a Knife” below.
