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

Hello Cairo,

With just a week  left until  trick or treating season starts, many are already making Halloween plans, but before then, there's plenty of live music, parties, exhibitions, bazaars and more across Egypt's capital.

One of the biggest music events of the weekend is set to take place on Thursday at Rawabet Theatre, where the Dowtown venue is set to host the Cairo leg of international music event series, Labyrinths, on a night that will see Egypt’s Maurice Louca and experimental British musician, Helm, perform, before the guys at VENT take over the Old French Colsulate for the Labyrinths' after-party. Also in Downtown, Zigzag kicks off the weekend with local DJs, Aroussi and Aly Goede. while across the river at Cairo Jazz Club, Massar Egbari celebrate ten years on the music scene with a special gig.

In Maadi, meanwhile, DJ Neil Edward goes indie, while Zamalek’s Gu Bar hosts DJs Tony L and Lyon Avakian and Riverside will be under the spell of resident DJ, Tamer Hegazy, for another edition of Party by the River.

At the other end of the musical scale, up-and-coming neo-pop band, Hawas, perform at El Sawy Culturewheel and Riham Mostafa performs at Onyx Lounge at Fairmont Nile City, where Soraya will be performing at Bab El Nil and Lana doing likewise at Saigon Restaurant & Lounge.

On Friday, another huge music event is taking place, with the Middle East’s first music industry expo, MUSIX, taking over the Greek Campus, while in Zamalek, Aguizi & Fahim lead the charge at Eat & Barrel’s boozy brunch, Eat to the Beat.

There’s more daylight fun to be had over at Rehab City’s Family Park, meanwhile, with Bazarna’s latest event, the Costume Island.

Later in the evening, Zigzag continues its policy of hosting only the best young talent, with Student DJ alumnus, Nour Fahmy and Gawdat, taking to the decks, while local duo, Disco Masr, unleash their Arabic underground and retro sets at Cairo jazz Club, where Safi is set to follow with French house and nu-disco. Elsewhere, another duo – DJ Fuzzy & Ayman Nageeb – return to Four Seasons Nile Plaza’s Graffit.

There’s live music at the Tap with Tom Waits band, Raindogs, as wells as Eslam El Sha’ary at Zamalek’s 3elbt Alwan and Kayan at ROOM Art Space.

Saturday sees MUZIX enter into its second day, while a much anticipated event on he fashion calendar arrives in the form of Fashion Zone’s Cairo Couture Collections.

Cairo Jazz Club ends the weekend with Wust El Balad and Balcon Lounge in Heliopolis welcomes a double-header of live music with underground bands, Object Obscure and Finrod, while Meshwar perform at ROOM Art Space.

Art is aplenty across the city, with some of the highlight exhibitions including Salah El Mur’s The Last of Domestic Rituals at Mashrabia Gallery, Picasso gallery’s EVE and unique photography initiative, #everdaycairo at the Shelter in Zamalek.

This is just a snapshot of what is shaping up to be a busy weekend in the capital – check out the Cairo 360 events calendar for more parties, gigs, exhibitions and more.