JEDDAH: The irresistible beats of the legendary Egyptian rock band Cairokee and singer Hamzah Namira lit up the stage of Benchmark Layalina in Jeddah during their first ever performance in the coastal city on Saturday.
The concert was organized by Benchmark under the patronage of the General Entertainment Authority as part of Jeddah Season 2022.
On June 10, the artists held a similar concert in Riyadh at Abu Baker Salem Stage for the first time in the Kingdom.
During a live TV interview, Benchmark CEO Mohammed Hasanain said that around 12,000 tickets were immediately sold as soon as they went on sale.
HIGHLIGHT
Excited chants of ‘Cairokee, Cairokee, Cairokee’ filled the air as the audience eagerly awaited the indie rock band. The audience shouted to the band, ‘we love you,’ and Eid replied ‘I love you too.’
The night kicked off with a two-hour, power-packed performance by Namira, a Saudi-born Egyptian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who has outstanding guitar and oud skills alongside a music band consisting of ten members.
“Jeddah people, how are you? I am so glad to be here today. Let’s have fun and sing all the songs you want,” he told the audience.
The crowd went wild as Namira belted out his hit 2020 song “Fadhi Showya” and other popular singles like “Ehlam Maya” and “Insaan.”
Namira redefined folkloric songs and Arabic pop by adding a twist of electric guitar to many of his authentic Arabic songs. He has a huge fanbase not only in Saudi Arabia but around the globe.
Abdullah Shaheen, a 31-year-old engineer from Umluj, told Arab News: “Every song Namira offered us today is a piece of art and every song stands out for itself. I am stunned.”
During the concert, Namira sang different songs inspired by Arabian traditions and dialects including Egyptian, Palestinian, Moroccan, and Najrani.
Muzna Daftar Dar, a 22-year-old fan of Namira and Cairokee who came all the way from Madinah to attend the concert, told Arab News it was the “sweetest day in her life.”
“I admire Hamza Namira, and I and my friends and sisters got our tickets in the very first hour after the concert was announced.” She added: “Please bring us more Hamza Namira concerts.”
The singer thanked Benchmark and the chair of the GEA, Turki Al-Sheikh, for inviting him to perform in the Kingdom.
Excited chants of “Cairokee, Cairokee, Cairokee” filled the air as the audience eagerly awaited the indie rock band. 
Cairokee, comprising of five members, started their music career in 2003 and are famous for their alternative music.
Each member plays a huge role in the band, with Amir Eid on vocals and rhythm guitar, Tamer Hashem on drums, Sherif Hawary as the lead guitarist, Adam El-Alfy as the bass guitarist, and Sherif Mostafa on keyboard.
The audience shouted to the band, “we love you,” and Eid replied “I love you too.”
Inspired by their love for their country, the name of the band is an amalgamation of Cairo and the word karaoke.
Egyptian rock band Cairokee performed in Jeddah on Saturday. The concert was organized by Benchmark under
the patronage of the General Entertainment Authority as part of Jeddah Season 2022. (AN photos by Abdullah Alfaleh)
Their songs highlight life and common issues that matter to their community and the Arab world in general, which helped them garner a huge following from across the Arab world.
Sami Alharbi, a 28-year-old from Jeddah, said: “I have been a fan of this band since I was in college and I have attended many of their concerts in Egypt.”
According to Cairokee.com, the band’s first major hit was “Sout El-Horeya” which has millions of views on YouTube and held a world record as one of the most-watched videos in the shortest period of time in 2011.
The performers were supposed to take part in the first Waslah Festival in the Kingdom, which hosts Arab music legends, in March this year, but the event was postponed due to bad weather.
