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

Featured image: Dokkan – Facebook.

Here comes the first weekend of the year 2020; you’re probably still recovering from the happenings of New Year’s Eve, but that won’t stop us from giving you a glimpse of what Cairo has in store for us during the weekend. Here’s what to expect:

Thursday begins with an Egyptian folk music night at El Dammah Theater, where El Tanboura take to the stage, and a tribute night at Cairo Jazz Club, where Sherry Mamdouh pays homage to Amy Winehouse, while local band Elvis cover a round of, obviously, The King.  

A round of venues go Oriental on this night; ROOM Art Space Garden City welcomes Abouzeid, El Sawy Culturewheel hosts another edition Om Kalthoum Returns, while Cairo Opera House’s Main Hall sees Abdel Halim Nouiera and his orchestra playing a host of tunes.

But it’s a totally different vibe at Cairo Jazz Club 610, whose Electric Thursday offers a house music night, courtesy of Moenes and Omar Tarek, who will be playing back-to-back on the decks, before Dou takes over.

When Friday comes, Aly Tantawy plays a round of Oriental tunes at Arab Music Institute, Religious Song Ensemble chant a host of religious numbers on the stage at El Gomhoria Theatre, while Monte Cairo delivers a host of songs on the stage at Cairo Opera House.

Elsewhere, Gusour Cultural Centre hosts a drum circle courtesy of Mostafa Bakkar, ROOM Art Space Garden City welcomes Sherif Abdelmegeed for a host of solos, while Cairo Jazz Club celebrates Aguizi’s birthday with a night that sees the man himself spinning a round of house tunes on the decks with Fahim, Mohasseb, and Hisham Zahran. Cairo Jazz Club 610 ends the night in disco and funk, where Frogmoose, Arabesquo, and Mobbz are on the menu.

Saturday doesn’t offer much, to be honest, yet there’s something to do here and there; Cairo Opera House hosts a classical music night, where the orchestra takes to the pit to play Igor Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale, while ROOM Art Space Garden City brings a jamming session, on a night that also sees Vybz taking to the stage.

Asyad El Zar takes to the stage at El Dammah Theater to perform the famous Egyptian Zar, while Dokkan takes to the stage at Cairo Jazz Club, for a round of Arabic contemporary numbers, and that’s when the night, and the whole weekend comes to an end.

Happy New Year!