The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Technically speaking, it’s still spring – but we still can’t help but get a little giddy about summer inching closer and close. Yes, the season of sun and sand, shorts and flip-flops, sunglasses and those big, floppy hats, is almost here. In the meantime, though, there’s plenty to keep you at peace with the heat of the city across nightlife, arts and culture and more.

Thursday sees a stalwart of Cairo nightlife, Nacelle, say farewell to one of their most popular series, House Sessions, with a special edition as part of the annual I Love Nacelle Weekend, with Aly Goede and German duo, Super Flu, providing the music. It doesn’t end there for Nacelle, though, but more on that later.

Elsewhere across the city’s bars and clubs, Fairmont Nile City’s TwøFøld kicks-off the weekend with another edition of Fresh Thursdays, with the two-room club set to welcome DJs Anis and Omar El Sabh. Meanwhile, Korba bar, the Garden, hosts DJ Leon Hakim for this week’s Motion, while Downtown’s After Eight welcomes enduring band, Salalem.

There’s more live music at Cairo Jazz Club, with energetic rockers, Screwdriver, taking to the stage, while London-based band, Tashkezar, end a busy week in Cairo at Maadi bar, the Tap – whose sister venue in New Cairo has a big night of its own, with Funk OFF.

Meanwhile, the Adam Miller Jazz Group perform at Garden City’s ROOM Art Space, while popular Tunisian singer, Ghalia Benali, performs at Al Rab3.

^{Ghalia Benali performing in Cairo in September 2015}

Nacelle continues its weekend on Friday at 2PM with Turntables on the Nile – an all-day party that will see a host of bands and DJs perform, including Tito, Safi, Loopstache and Nickodemus. There’s more sun in the fun over at Eat & Barrel, meanwhile, with the Nile-side Giza venue hosting DJs Sebzz and Akladios for Eat to the Beat, while Back 2 Basics continues its three part anniversary celebrations with Finnebassen headlining a line-up that will also feature Patrick Podage and Cairo's own Misty at Uptown Cairo.

For something decidedly calmer, Swiss Club Cairo is hosting a quaint Spring Festival, though later on in the evening, Cairo Jazz Club has a triple header of electronic music, with DeeRailed, Shenzo and Mohasseb taking to the decks, while Omar El Sabh and Marc Wahba do likewise at the Tap East.

In Manial, the Garden Nile Front and Sound Chemistry are teaming up together for night that will see Egyptian DJs, Black 8, Hady Tarek and Hassan Rassmy, perform, while live music can be found at Heliopolis’ Photopia, courtesy of Noha Fekry and Rami Attallah, as well as at After Eight, where Basheer takes to the stage.

In one of the standout live music events, meanwhile, Moroccan  musician, Aziz Sahmaoui, brings his unique, modern spin on traditional Gnawa music to El Genaina Theatre.

Saturday is a little busier than usual, with one of the most notable events taking place at Riverside, who have teamed up with DJ Academy Egypt for DJs City – a night that will see no less than 15 different DJs perform.

Elsewhere, Cairo Jazz Club ends its weekend with the Mediterranean jazz of local band, El Dor El Awal, while Sahara front-man, Ezz El Ostool, flies solo at After Eight and Man-O winds the weekend own down at the Tap East with a night of hip-hop.

Meanwhile, singer-songwriter and guitarist, Rafif, performs a rare gig at Balcon in Heliopolis and this week’s night of all things Oriental at Gu Bar, Heshek Beshek, welcomes Hossam Hosny and Hamdy El Genainy, while talented Egyptian harpist, Manal Mohie El Din, performs at Cairo Opera House.

One week into D-CAF 2016 and moods are high towards the eclectic cultural festival, with this weekend’s standout events coming in the form of continuing exhibition, Sounds As If and the very abstract, Home Visit Cairo, as well as unique Egyptian composer, Bahaa Al Ansary, at Falaki Theatre on Thursday and ‘audio-speaking siestas’, In the Shadow of the Waves, at the Greek Campus on Friday.

For more parties, gigs, exhibitions and events, check out the Cairo 360 events calendar.