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

Hello Cairo!

We’ve been counting down the hours till the weekend
officially starts, because of all the exciting events over the next three days
in Cairo. Whether you’re a creature of the night or prefer to bask in the hot afternoon
sun, there’s something for everyone.

There’s nothing like live music to ease you into the
weekend, and there’s no shortage of that this Thursday. Rai music aficionados Sa7ara will perform at After Eight,
and smooth acoustic magician Shady Ahmed will take the stage at Cairo Jazz
Club, followed by Beatles tribute band Glass Onion, while the versatile DJ Roro is at Purple. The Abdel Halim Nowera
Ensemble produces some captivating classic Arabic Music, while the Bedouin
Jerry Can Band from Sinai will grace El Tanboura Hall. Fancy being on stage
yourself? Well you’re in luck, as there are two talent shows tonight: El Sawy
Culturewheel will hold a Talent Show, and Mashroo’ Al Mareekh open mic project (formerly
known as Project Yourself) will take place at Rawabet Theatre.

For electronic music lovers, the two-day 100Live Music
Festival starts tonight and features a whole host of live electronic music performances
and video art installations. Celebrate your love for Egypt with the aptly named
‘We Love Egypt’ Carnival at Katameya Shooting Club. This three-day event will
feature a shopping bazaar, DJs, and face painting and puppet shows for the
kids, and much more.

Speaking of art, our reviewer visited the ‘Mister
President’s Circus’ exhibition, and thought it was excellent. Check it out
before it ends on June 15th. ‘The Shadow Line’ is a very interesting
analysis of Egypt through photography by Italian photographer Nicolò Tassoni
Estense, to open at Cairo Opera House’s El Bab Gallery tonight. Alternatively,
you can see what Sandra Kassenaar and Bart de Baets’ poster project ‘Success
and Uncertainty’ says about Egypt at Townhouse Gallery.

Spice up your long lazy Friday with funk rockers Salalem at After Eight, or DJ Migo at
Cairo Jazz Club for some house music. Early risers can enjoy fashion,
furniture, and food at the Nile Emporium festival, held at the Nile Pharaoh
Boat. The French Cultural Centre’s 9th Festival of Young Artists continues
tonight with play L’Analogue, directed by Mohamed Yehia. The Talents
Development Centre trains and empowers young musical talent; catch the young
prodigies in action at El Gomhouria Theatre tonight.

Local artist Ayman Ramadan has two unique video projects
showing at Townhouse Gallery, and is worth seeing before their run ends on June
15th. Same applies to  Makram
Henain’s exhibition at Picasso Gallery, which explores the spiritual
relationship between reality and imagination, and the late Salah Taher’s
tribute exhibition at Zamalek Art Gallery. Samir Rafea & Mahmoud Abdallah’s ‘Apparition and Symbolism’
exhibition ends on Sunday. The Qarm Qart exhibition at Mashrabia Gallery has
been turning heads, and is worth a visit for its satirical overtones and
analysis of our lives with the ex-President.

On Saturday, international
singer Sami Yusuf will perform one of the biggest gigs of the year at Gezira
Youth Centre.  If you aren’t lucky enough
to have a ticket, there’s plenty more music. The Cairo Symphony Orchestra will
perform a classical music concert at Cairo Opera House, and Fuego will play a
selection of Latin hits at After Eight in Downtown Cairo, while Salalem play their second show of the weekend at Cairo Jazz Club.

Art lovers should check out the
‘Heralding Spring’ exhibition at the Museum of Mohamed Khalil. The exhibition is a series of landscapes by Egyptian author
and painter Nazli Madkour, whose work falls between abstraction and figuration.
Alternatively, you can check out Nadia El Tantawy’s exhibition ‘Good
Vibrations’ at Tache Art Gallery, which ends on June 17th.

Hope you have a great weekend, Cairo!