On Wednesday 27 August, a small audience was invited to a unique musical event performed in rather original settings on the outskirts of Cairo. Around 60 people sat on the cushions, hand-woven rugs and kilims spread across a many-tiered basement room built of rock, mud and recycled materials and designed specifically for music jams – a “cloud”, as the owner of the venue calls it – while the musicians were taking the small stage. The evening was the second in Sofar Cairo, part of the global Sofar (Songs from A Room) initiative, which aims at creating a unique experience for musicians and their audiences. Opening the event, one of the Sofar organisers explained the initiative to newcomers. “It all began in UK in 2011, when a group of friends [Rafe Offer, Rocky Start and Dave Alexander] wanted to go out and listen to a band. They were unable to enjoy the concert due to a large and rowdy audience and, frustrated, decided to invite the band to one of their friends' living rooms. This is how first Sofar saw the light. A few years later the experience had been transferred to over 80 cities – Dublin, Manchester, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Dubai etc – in over 30 countries around the world. Sofar is about appreciating and respecting music while enjoying it in an intimate setting, such as somebody's living room.” Everyone joining the global Sofar network is informed through emails of the events taking place across the world. While the date and location are provided, the musicians' line-up remains undisclosed. It is during the event that the audience discovers the performers they are going to listen to. In this spirit, the first Sofar Cairo took place in an apartment in Maadi and proved to be a great success. The second gig was special in yet another way, since took place at the same time as numerous other Sofars around the world, all presenting an exclusive first listening to Crush Songs by the acclaimed South Korea-born American singer Karen O. Following a short tribute to Karen O, the line-up of the Sofar Cairo was announced and the audience could also enjoy performances by Ahmed Saleh and Abdullah Miniawy, Shady Ahmed, Nadah El-Shazly and Digital Monkeys. Nora El-Fangary, one of the core initiators of Sofar Cairo, explains how it started. “My friend, Alia Megahed, attended one of the Sofar events in New York. She shared her impressions and this was when we thought of launching a similar platform in Egypt. We held a Skype conversation with the London Sofar founders, and soon afterwards we were given a start-up kit with guidelines.” The Cairo Team includes three core figures El-Fangary, Megahed and Ali Assem. “The most important aspect of Sofar is to keep the vibe and to create an atmosphere where musicians can perform in intimate settings such as someone's living room, or an office in the after-hours, a workshop space etc. Many musicians usually perform in bars where they do not get sufficient – if any – attention from the people gathered around them. One of the Sofar's principles is to ensure that the audience is listening to the music and will appreciate the whole process. We always encourage the listeners to stay till the end of the evening so that each musician in the line-up will receive the same amount of attention. Depending on the location where the event is held, the number of the audience varies. However, we must not exceed one hundred attendees in one gig. This restriction allows us to maintain the unique setting for the performer and for the audience…” The whole evening is free of charge and usually the organisers cover basic expenses – renting equipment, for instance – our of their own funds. The musicians also perform for free. While the audience is not required to pay any entry fee, at the end of each event, the organisers welcome voluntary donations which can go towards organising the following events. With each Sofar keeping the line-up undisclosed until the last moment, El-Fangary says the element of surprise carries much value: “Audiences always choose to attend a concert of a specific performer. In Sofar, the line-up is diversified and includes a number of gigs, none of which is revealed in advance. This process allows the audience to listen to a genre they would have not chosen. On the other hand the more accomplished musicians who have already developed a clear fan base have an opportunity to expand their circle of admirers. All performances are posted on the Sofar YouTube channel, and as such they are viewed by a growing network across the world.” But the choice of line-up is never accidental. Sofar teams operating across the world discuss their upcoming gigs in advance, and implement their aesthetic policy. “Sofar always looks for something new and unique. We continuously try to reach out to new talents. Yet while making selections, we stay aligned with a global team who share their opinions about the line-up and participate in a voting process. Though it can happen that a specific gig is rejected, we continue to communicate and discuss the reasons we see the suggested performer as an interesting addition to a Sofar evening.” With two successful events to their name, Sofar Cairo is still waru of providing their stage to musicians and bands who already perform in popular venues across the country. It is in Sofar that musicians are assured unconditional interest from the audience. As the initiative hit the ground running, musicians who are still striving for attention can choose Sofar as one of the platforms for their growth and, while the Sofar audience has an opportunity to listen to a new talent, the musicians too gain in popularity across a large global network. “Anyone can become Sofar network member,” El-Fangary concludes. “Since the first Sofar Cairo the member count has been rising. We are also being contacted by people willing to lend their ‘living rooms' for events. We do monitor the audience, making sure that those attending Sofar gigs are actually interested in listening to the music. At the end of the day, Sofar is a unique experience, beneficial for the musicians as well as those who would enjoy their work in an original setting.” The Global Sofar network has online presence on Twitter, Facebook and at www.sofarsounds.com . Interested parties can contact the platforms and receive monthly updates about all Sofar gigs taking place across the world. Sofar Cairo is represented by Sofar Sounds Cairo on Facebook.
