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

Hello, Cairo!

It’s looking like a gloomy weekend across the capital with more cold and wet weather expected, leaving Cairenes with their collective knickers in a twist. It’s tempting to wrap-up and watch something utterly trite like The Notebook, but a whole bunch of events await across Cairo.

Cairo Jazz Club kicks off its weekend with a Thursday night of live music, as Egyptian-Armenian rock band, Electric Picnic, on opening duties for Beatles tribute band, Glass Onion, while in one of the more off-kilter events of the weekend, local electronic musician and producer, NeoByrd, is performing at the French Institute as part of Soiree French Touch – an event which will also see French producer and DJ, Strip Steve, take to the stage.

On a very different notem 6th of October City's MUST Opera House hosts The Smurfs Live on Stage, which will run till Sunday. Back in the centre of the city, meanwhile, Swiss duo, Scala Nobile, take to the stage for the last time at Garden City’s ROOM Art Space as part of their unique Concert in the Dark performances, while Falaki Theatre in Downtown Cairo hosts Nada – an original play that has been conceived as part of

The Friday fun kicks off bright and early, with Cairo Fashion Festival returning to Cairo Festival City for the fifth edition of the fashion extravaganza, while Eat & Barrel welcomes up-and-coming DJ duo, Disco Masr, for the Nile-side Lounge’s weekly boozy brunch, Eat to the Beat. There are special brunches at Downtown’s Eish & Malh and Night & Day at Garden City hotel, the InterContinental Semiramis – both with live music thrown into the equation.

Later in the day, Swiss dance troupe, Compagnie 7273, kick of their residency at Darb 1718 with the debut of contemporary dance piece, Listen and Watch, while live music can be found at Maadi bar, the Tap, where local band, Vybe, are set to perform. Meanwhile, Cairo Jazz Club’s Friday Fever this week features DJs Special K and Omar Sherif, whileEl Genaina Theater hosts a double header of live music with acclaimed percussionist, Said El Artist, and shaabi music star, Islam Chipsy,

There’s more shaabi music at Cairo Jazz Club on Saturday, as the second edition of Electro Shaabi welcomes Figo and Islam Chipsy. Over in Maadi, Hassan Ramzy performs at the Tap, while other highlight gigs come in the form of a Salalem concert at El Genaina Theater and a performance by local rock-metal band, Darwasha, who take to the stage at ROOM Art Space.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Falaki Theater hosts a special concert by Lions of Cairo; a unique musical collective who fuse medieval Spanish and Italian music with classical Arab sounds.

There’s new art to feast on too around the city, with this week’s new exhibitions including Sidewalk Stories at Al Sharja Art Gallery and Boats of the Borrollos at Arts-Mart.

These are just a few of the events taking place across Egypt’s capital this week – check out the Cairo 360 events calendar for more. And watch out for the rain.