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

Hello, Cairo!

Life’s too short for intros that don’t really add anything to the overall value of an article and act as the written equivalent of small-talk, so let’s dive right in to what awaits across Egypt’s capital this weekend.

Night-time revellers will be flocking to the Temple on Thursday, as the Nile-side Giza venue kicks-off a new bi-weekly party series, with each edition welcoming a mix of local and international talent. The debut of the Temple Party Series will see Swiss DJ, Lee Van Dowski, headline a night that will also see locals, Abou Samra, Hafez and Fayek take to the decks.

In Heliopolis, meanwhile, Japanese restaurant-come-bar, Hakamoro, welcomes DJ Hussein Gamal for night of house, while DJ Mash is the man in charge of the music upstairs at neighbouring bar, the Garden, for Motion.

Elsewhere, Maadi bar, the Tap, kicks off its weekend with Neil Edward, while Brit singer, Ellie of London, takes to the stage at Indigo in 6th of October City and Noha Taha provides a backdrop of mellow jazz at Fairmont Nile City’s Saigon Restaurant & Lounge. Cairo Jazz Club, meanwhile, is starting its weekend with a big night of live music, with Tom Waits cover band, Raindogs, and Beatles cover band, Glass Onion, set to perform.

There’s live music at El Sawy Culturewheel, too, as the El Sakia String Orchestra perform in and prodigiously talented harpist, Manal Mohey El Din, takes to the stage in separate gigs.

Friday starts early at Galleria40 in one of the more unique events of the weekend, meanwhile; the Sheikh Zayed mall is set to launch the Galleria40 Culture Lab, which will play host to courses, classes and performances, covering everything from art to music to crafts. This weekend’s opening – which is free to attend – will give a taste of exactly that, with plenty of activities for both adults and kids lined-up.

Meanwhile, back in the centre of town, Nile-side Giza lounge, Eat & Barrel, is set to host DJ Abou Samra for this weekend’s edition of brunch-come-day-party, Eat to the Beat, while a decidedly calmer brunch can be had under the roof of Garden City’s InterContinental Semiramis at Night & Day’s Big Friday Brunch.

Staying in Garden City, ROOM Art Space hosts a gig by Amman-based experimental electronic producer, SWAMP (aka Al-Mosstanqa3), while Downtown Cairo’s Zigzag welcomes local DJs, H.Ash and Abou Samra – yes, again. There’s more electronic music at Cairo Jazz Club, meanwhile, with Hisham Zahran and Aly Goede taking to the DJ booth at Cairo Jazz Club and Nader Tahawy playing at Zamalek’s Riverside.

As usual, Saturday, is much more relaxed, but there’s still plenty to sink your teeth into, starting at Cairo Jazz Club, where the latest Electro Shaabi night will welcome performers, Islam Chipsy and El Sweasy. Other live music can be found at the Tap, where Hassan Ramzy winds down the weekend, and ROOM Art Space, where self-taught musician, Shady El Qasseer,performs alongside his band.

Alternatively, you could do the singing yourself at Saturday Karaoke at cosy Maadi bar, Cheers, or indulge in a performance by the Cairo Symphony Orchestra at Cairo Opera House.

Art recommendations this week come courtesy of Zamalek Art Gallery, which is currently hosting two exhibitions, boths of which have received positive reviews by Cairo 360 – Blossoming in Firenzie by Yasmine El Hazek and Zeinab Salem’s The Best is Yet to Come.

For more events across Cairo this weekend, check out the Cairo 360 events calendar.