Cairo Live Events Guide

Goodbye

2013-10-22T14:06:00.000+02:00

Saying goodbye is seldom a nice experience, but when the time to part comes, saying goodbye is still better than remaining silent.

Cairo Live Event Guide has been online for five years. During this period of time few days have passed without me thinking about it, writing on it, receiving mails about it. Even after my departure from Cairo two years ago it has been, though necessarily less conspicuously, an integral part of my life. But now I have come to a point where the distance and other obligations prevent me from giving CLEG the amount of time and dedication it needs in order to continue to be the blog I wish it to be. So, after a lot of thinking, I decided that it was better to close it, rather than to let it fade away.

Cairo Live Events Guide has been a work of passion, a passion for a city and for its artistic richness. It has contributed to bring Cairo’s cultural life closer to my heart and, given the number of readers and subscribers, I assume to the hearts of many other people too. That was the sole aim of it.

I would like to thank all artists and event organizers that have collaborated with me during these years and wish them all the success they deserve.

The blog comes to an end, ... the passion remains.

Goodbye to you all,

Cairowanderer

HIGH ON BODY FAT & SALALEM at El Genaina Theatre

2013-09-24T08:42:00.001+02:00

The two Cairo based bands HIGH ON BODY FAT and SALALEM will perform on Thursday September 26, 2013 starting 7:00 PM at El Geneina Theatre in Al Azhar Park.

Ahmed Safi el-Din and Marwan Imam are HIGH ON BODYY FAT, a musical comedy duo hailing from our very own Cairo, whose distinctive style involves parodying popular songs and replacing the lyrics with humorous Arabic or English ones.

Formed in 2005, SALALEM band benefits from the diverse influences of its members and its unique formation involving three guitarists, a formation unusual anywhere in the world, and almost unheard of in the Middle East. The end product is simple groovy tunes fused with sarcastically humorous Egyptian lyrics that have come to be their distinguishing quality.

Entrance tickets: 10EGP, available also online at ticketsmarche.com

Al Azhar Park - Salah Salem Rd. – Darassa
For more info please visit: mawred.org or call 02 23637081
Please Note that smoking, eating and drinking are prohibited inside the theater.
More information on Al Mawred on facebook & twitter

TELEPOETIC BAND at the Makan

2013-09-22T14:37:00.002+02:00

The Makan (Egyptian Center for Culture and Arts) presents a concert of the TELEPOETIC BAND on Tuesday September 24, 2013 at 8:00 PM.

Telepoetic's music is an original mixture of experimentation resulting from the clash of the approaches of a trio of musicians. It is melodic deformed audio material combined with improvisations that walk over a strong tight acoustic construction.
To watch a Telepoetic performance, click here.

Tickets price: 30 LE per person, 20 LE per person for families.
Doors open at 7:30PM.
Tea and Karkade are served.
E-mail: makan@egyptmusic.org
MakAn: 1 (Not 1a) Saad Zaghloul Street, 11461, El Dawaween, Cairo.
(on the corner of across Saad Zaghloul and Mansour street)
Tel: 00202 27920878
http://www.egyptmusic.org
www.facebook.com/pages/Egyptian-Center-for-Culture-and-Arts-Makan
Click here for a map.

5th CAIRO VIDEO FESTIVAL

2013-09-20T22:54:00.002+02:00

Over the span of two weeks, the festival presents a diverse program of experimental film and video art from around the world. The selection was made from hundreds of received applications to highlight recent experiments in these fields. The screenings are followed by special sessions led by guest filmmakers and program curators to present their work and discuss it with the audience. The 5th Cairo Video Festival seeks to become a platform for all those experimenting with the mediums of film and video.

The festival is organized by MEDRAR, a space for young artists to host conversations on the state of contemporary art, initiate and carry out collaborative projects and engage in a process of collective learning.

Opening: Wednesday 25 September 2013 at 7:00 PM
Daily program: from 25 September to 7 October 2013

Loop videos from 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Screening program from 7:00 to 10:00 PM
For the detailed program of the event click here (scroll down for English version)

Address: 7 Gamal El Din Abou El Mahasen Street, First Floor, Apartment 4, Garden City, Cairo, Egypt, 11519
Phone: (+2) 02 27957714
Email: info@medrar.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Medrar.org

MARWA EL-SHAZLY at Mashrabia Gallery

2013-09-19T16:17:00.000+02:00

Mashrabia Gallery invites you to attend the opening of the exhibition Made in Lebanon by MARWA EL-SHAZLY on Sunday September 22, 2013 at 7:00 PM.

"I am speaking about the Lebanese pop divas, those who are being produced mainly in Beirut but also in Cairo and represent one of the cultural prides of Lebanon. The basic feature of this industry is the combination of regional Arabic tunes and the elements of international pop music. The themes tend to focus on longing, sorrow, passion and all kinds of dreamy romantic love issues. Therefore the most frequently used words are “my love”, “my sweetheart”…etc. which comes from an unrealistic world, probably as a mean of resistance or a getaway or to satisfy irreplaceable human needs which enriches the idea of dream and hope"

The exhibition runs until October 17, 2013, daily except Fridays from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art - 8, Champollion St., Downtown Cairo
Phone 02 25784494, mobile 0100 1704554.
Opening hours: Daily except Friday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
www.mashrabiagallery.org

SUMMER BREAK

2013-08-14T07:30:00.002+02:00

Dear readers,
This post should have appeared 10 days ago, but somehow it did not; I apologize for that.

CLEG will take a (quite long) rest and will be back in October. Wish you all a happy summer and hope to find you again in a peaceful and more stable Cairo.

SANAA MOUSSA (Palestine) at the Geneina Theatre

2013-08-02T17:59:00.000+02:00

On Sunday August 04, 2013 at 9:00 PM the Palestinian singer SANAA MOUSSA will perform at the Geneina Theatre in Al Azhar Park for the closing night of Mawred's Hayy Festival.

Sanaa Moussa was born in the Palestinian village Deir Al-Asad in the Galilee. Her father is a well known musician and singer who excelled at singing folkloric songs of Syria, Egypt and Iraq. That was the trigger for Sanaa’s connection to classic Arabic music and in particular the Palestinian folk.

In 2003 she received training and performed at the Oriental Music Center. Startin in 2004, she has been performing classic and folkloric songs at several festival across the Arab World and Europe. In 2008 she founded her own band and called it “Naw Athar”. The band presents folkloric songs in new arrangements while maintaining their oriental flavor.

Tickets are available online at: ticketsmarche.com
Al Azhar Park - Salah Salem Rd. – Darassa
Please note that smoking, eating and drinking are prohibited inside the theatre
For more information, please follow Mawred Al Thaqafy on facebook & twitter

KHANSA BATMA (Morocco) at the Hayy Festival TONIGHT

2013-08-02T12:01:00.001+02:00

Tonight, Friday August 02, 2013 at 9:00 PM the Moroccan singer KHANSA BATMA will perform at the Geneina Theatre in Al Azhar Park in the framework of Mawred's Hayy Festival.

Khansaa Batma was born in Casablanca. She joined the Casablanca Conservatoire at the age of nine. The kick start of her career was a 2001 debut album entitled “Sharq wa Gharb” which featured folkloric Moroccan songs with European sounding arrangement, and international folklore songs with Moroccan instrument arrangement. In 2003, she released her second album “Ala Abwab El Sahra” or (On the gates of the Desert). This album describes a lost soul’s journey from Spain to Sudan and through North Africa. Her third album “The Dark Album” achieved huge commercial success among the youth; songs like “Barano”, “Gharani” and “Nestahel” were very popular. Batma’s songs bring together Arabic and Moroccan rhythms blended with Rock.

Tickets are available online at: ticketsmarche.com
Al Azhar Park - Salah Salem Rd. – Darassa
Please note that smoking, eating and drinking are prohibited inside the theatre
For more information, please follow Mawred Al Thaqafy on facebook & twitter

MICHELLE ROUNDS New Album Release

2013-08-02T11:44:00.001+02:00

Cairo based Jazz singer MICHELLE ROUNDS has just released her latest work under the title "Michelle Rounds and Her Amazing Friends". The album is a compilation of previously sold out works and new originals from 1993 - 2013 including performances by Tui Ravai, Vili Tuilaucala, & Paul Stevens. For more information click here to be redirected to Michelle's website where you can find a description of the work in detail.

The album is available for download at cdbaby.

MAWAWEEL TONIGHT!

2013-08-01T16:28:00.002+02:00

The final event of the MAWAWEEL Festival is finally confirmed and set for tonight Thursday August 1, 2013 starting 8:00 PM at Darb 1718.

The evening will feature very exciting musical acts (Basheer, Salalem and Massar Egbari) and performances such as tahteeb, tannoura and fire dancing.

Below is the link to the now updated facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/409991165777157/?directed_target_id=0

UPDATE: MAWAWEEL FESTIVAL CANCELLED till further notice

2013-07-27T14:32:00.001+02:00

Due to current circumstances, the organizers have announced that unfortunately they will have to postpone the Mawaweel Festival until further notice.

NAWEL BEN KRAIEM at the Hayy Festival

2013-07-24T14:21:00.001+02:00

The mesmerizing Tunisian artist NAWEL BEN KRAIEM will perform tomorrow Thursday 25 July, 2013 at 9:00 PM in the Geneina Theatre in Al Azhar Park in the framework of the Hayy Festival organized by Al Mawred Al Thaqafy.

To listen to NAWEL's music, click here.

"AL WARSHA NIGHTS" at El Dammah Theatre

2013-07-23T16:27:00.000+02:00

El Mastaba Center for Egyptian Folk Music invites you to a performance of "Al Warsha Nights" at El Dammah Theatre on Wednesday July 24, 2013 at 9:30 pm. Entrance is free!

Since 1992 "Al Warsha Nights" has reflected interest in our heritage and in the daily life in Egypt as a source of contemporary theatrical creativity.
These "Nights" include tales, sketches, songs and dances from artistic sources, and represent long periods of training and preparation for the various performances.
Since January 2011, "Al Warsha Nights" have responded to the emotions triggered by the revolution. Today, on the occasion of Ramadan, Al Warsha presents a night of satire; we contemplate our Egyptian character in the face of this world, and the difficult circumstances that are sweeping our lives.

For more information please visit www.el-mastaba.org

MAWAWEEL FESTIVAL - Update

2013-07-15T18:06:00.001+02:00

The organizer have announced that the band MASSAR EGBARI have cancelled their performance due to take place next Friday 19th July. They will be replaced by the band US WE LAZQ.
The facebook event has been updated accordingly, see https://www.facebook.com/events/409991165777157/

MAWAWEEL FESTIVAL 2013 - Schedule

2013-07-14T20:26:00.002+02:00

As promised in the introduction post of June 29 (click here), herebelow you'll find the detailed schedule of this year's Mawaweel Festival at DARB 1718. Congratulations to the organizers for coming up with such a great event at such a difficult time. Chapeau!

Friday 19th July 2013
9:00pm - 12am: Children Workshop Corner - Art Therapy Workshop / Monoprint Workshop/ Recycling (Re-Art) Workshop/ Pottery Workshop
9:00pm – 1.30am: Bazaar/ Food & Beverages/“Khadra 2013’ Art Exhibition (featuring female artists from Egypt and the Middle East)

9:00pm – 9:30pm: Opening Act - El Khayal El Shaby (Theatrical Performance)
9:45pm – 10:00pm: Short Film Screening - ‘Ravings’ by Alia Ayman
10:00pm – 11:00pm: Concert - Mohamed Mohsen Band
11:00pm – 12:00am: Concert - Massar Egbari

Friday 26th July 2013
9:00pm - 12am: Children Workshop Corner - Art Therapy Workshop / Monoprint Workshop/ Recycling (Re-Art) Workshop/ Pottery Workshop
9:00pm – 1.30am: Bazaar/Food & Beverages/“Khadra 2013’ Art Exhibition (featuring female artists from Egypt and the Middle East)

9:00pm – 9:30pm: Opening Act - The Percussion Show
9:30pm – 10:00pm: Two Short Film Screenings - ‘Noor’ Ahmed Ibrahim & ‘Al Maktoub’ by Ahmed Amer
10:00pm – 11:00pm: Concert Mawlawiyah (Sufi Band)
11:00pm – 12:00am: Concert Salalem

Friday 2nd August 2013
9:00pm - 12am: Children Workshop Corner - Art Therapy Workshop / Monoprint Workshop/ Recycling (Re-Art) Workshop/ Pottery Workshop
9:00pm – 1.30am: Bazaar/Food & Beverage/“Khadra 2013’ Art Exhibition

9:00pm – 9:30pm: Opening Act - Tanoura & Tahteeb Show
9:30pm – 10:00pm: Two Short Film Screenings – ‘6’ by Bahaa Al Gamal & ‘Bahari’ by Ahmed Ghoneimy
10:00pm – 11:00pm: Concert Ashara Gharby
11:00pm – 12:00am: Concert Basheer

Entrance Ticket: 30EGP (children under 12 are free)
Children Workshops Corner: 50EGP per workshop

For latest updates and more info, go to the Festival Facebook page.

Egypt's Musicians and the current political situation - Article

2013-07-08T04:42:00.000+02:00

An interesting piece by Janne Louise Andersen for Al Monitor about Egypt's musicians and their take on the current situation in the country.
Click here to be redirected to the article.

OMAR EL NAGDI at El Kahila Art Gallery

2013-07-04T16:01:00.002+02:00

Striving to keep going against all odds and pursuing its commitment to honour and promote Egyptian artists, Al Kahila Art Gallery is glad to announce an exhibition of works by OMAR EL NAGDI. The exhibition will start on Saturday 6th of July, 2013 at 1:00 PM and will continue until Tuesday 9th at 9:00 PM.

Born in 1931, Omar El Nagdi graduated at the Academy of Venice, in Italy, in 1965 (Higher Diploma). He has a mention in the French Thesaurus Larousse since 1970. His works are part of several State collections including the Museum of Modern Art, the Ruskin Museum, the Library of Congress in USA , Museum of Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram, Museum of the White House in USA and in the private collections of the Nile Hilton Hotel, and Hotel Four Seasons in Sharm El Sheikh.

MAWAWEEL FESTIVAL 2013

2013-06-29T15:17:00.000+02:00

Mark your calendars!
Following the successes of the 2010 and 2012 editions, Cairo Jazz Club Agency’s ‘Mawaweel’ festival will hold its third edition for three consecutive Fridays during Ramadan, starting from 19th July and ending on 2nd August, 2013 at Darb 1718, Egyptian Contemporary Art and Culture Center.

Mawaweel offers a fresh alternative Ramadan experience, rich in culture and entertainment value. The program includes art exhibitions, crafts, workshops by Grammy Award winner Fathy Salama, theatrical and musical performances, as well as diverse bazaars. Friends and families from all walks of life can mingle and enjoy a fun packed program while indulging in an array of delicious oriental nibbles and beverages to get a proper taste of Middle Eastern flavours.

CLEG will keep you posted with the complete program and schedules once we receive it from the organizers. For live updates, click here to visit Mawaweel Facebook page.

UPDATE: KAFAFA TROUPE concert cancelled

2013-06-27T11:27:00.002+02:00

El Mastaba Center for Egyptian Folk Music has just announced that, due to current political events, they are going to cancel this evening performance of the KAFAFA TROUPE at El Dammah Theater.

KAFAFA TROUPE at El Dammah Theatre

2013-06-26T16:18:00.001+02:00

El Mastaba Center for Folk Music presents the KAFAFA TROUPE from Upper Egypt, led by singer Abdel Wahed al-Banna, on Thursday June 27, 2013 at 9:00 PM at El Dammah Theater.

KAFAFA (from "kaf" or "palm") takes its name from the clapping rhythms of the singers and dancers. The Kaf performed in southern Upper Egypt in the villages around Aswan, Luxor, and Qena mostly relies on a strong use of heritage and the singer's ability to improvise. The kafafa, who dance in front of the singer moving in one rhythm while usually clapping their hands, are those who offer the singer the topic of his performance.
Traditionally performed at weddings, the kafafa come from the audience. Their task is to sing one sentence directed at the singer, who is referred to as "the artist." The sentence is a lead which inspires the singer's lyrics to flow. Throughout the performance the kafafa can offer the singer more than one topic. The lead inspiring the artist usually comes as a riddle, explains an expert on the art of Kaf, Ahmed Abu-Khnegar. "The sentence sang by the kafafa refer to a topic or a known folk story which the group has agreed the singer should tackle in his lyrics. If they feel he got the topic wrong and that's not what they wanted him to sing about they can go on repeating the sentence until he gets it right" said Khnegar.
The Kaf borrows from and merges other folk art forms of the area, including Moulid, Namim, Waw, and El-Sira. It refers to stories from the area's heritage and tackles all aspects of life and culture, including morals, love, hate and [more recently] politics and other concepts.
In the past, before Kaf became a professional form of art, a woman used to dance during the performance. Traditionally only percussion instruments were used; the addition of the Oud (lute) is a recent innovation as is the absence of the female dancer. The common melodic modes (maqam) used in the singing are Rast and Ajam .

Tickets at the counter 30 EGP, by reservation 20 EGP. For reservations write to info@el-mastaba.org or call 01150995354 or 0223926768. Reservations will be cancelled at 9:00 PM.
Door opens at 8:30 PM
For more information please visit www.el-mastaba.org

Cairo Jazz Club update

2013-06-25T17:16:00.001+02:00

Due to the uncertainties surrounding Sunday 30th June, the Cairo Jazz Club has announced that they will be closed for the evening. Entertainment should resume the following day, depending on the circumstances that will follow.
Below you will find the entertainment line-up for the first week of July.

Monday 1st July: Misty & Hafez (Vocal, Electro Tech House), starting from 10:00pm
Tuesday 2nd July: The Cadillacs (Rockabilly) starting from 9:00pm followed by Crash Boom Cirque (Pop, Rock, Funk - Circus theme), starting from 10:00pm
Wednesdays 3rd July: Supa Dupa Fly ft. DJ Feedo (RnB & Hip Hop), starting from 11:00pm
Thursday 4th July: Karkadan (Debut: Cat Stevens Tribute), starting from 9:00pm followed by Glass Onion (Beatles Tribute), starting from 11:00pm
Friday 5th July: Rolling in the Deep ft. Minus T (Deep House), starting from 10:00pm
Saturday 6th July: DJ Mohasseb (Uplifting Progressive House), starting from 10:00pm
Sunday 7th July: DJ Ramy (House), starting from 10:00pm

The Egyptian ballet's challenges in the post-revolution era - Article

2013-06-21T10:47:00.000+02:00

I arrived somehow late at this interesting article by Ati Metwaly, but if you haven't read it yet, and you are interested in the future of ballet in Egypt (and you should be if you read this blog!), click here to be redirected to the article itself.

SORAYA FAHMY at Al Kahila Art Gallery

2013-06-19T14:08:00.000+02:00

Al Kahila Art Gallery invites all art lovers to the opening of the Art Exhibition "L'Égypte d'antan" by Soraya Fahmy. The vernissage will take place on Saturday June 22, 2013 at 6:00 PM.

Soraya Fahmy is an Egyptian contemporary artist, born in Athens in 1968. She always had the chance to travel the world since she was a child thanks to her parents' job. She graduated from the University of Geneva, after being educated in five different Lycée Francais schools worldwide. She has been painting since she was very young.

"My paintings are an emotional response to memory of people, places and of times spent with friends and family . The pleasure and joy is in the making, the layering, and the final reflection of the soul of people I met. I tell stories with my brush. Slowly, layer by layer the spirit flows into the painting. Eventually something pure seems to breathe below the layers. The time is frozen. How did the story begin? Who are these people ? I am walking in big footsteps. My footprints might be still small, but they are of importance to me and to the one whose heart is marked by my paintings".

The exhibition will run until June 29, and can be visited daily from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE 2013

2013-06-18T17:21:00.001+02:00

After one year break, the FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE is back to Cairo's Citadel.
This music festival, organized by the French Cultural Centers, and taking place (almost) simultaneously in several countries around the world will take place on Thursday June 20, 2013 starting from 8:00 PM. This year's lineup comprises the bands DARWASHA, SALALEM, and EGYPTIAN PROJECT.
FREE ENTRY.

For more information, in French, and some video of the participating bands, click here. For more information in English, click here.

RANGO "The Masters of All Spirits"

2013-06-17T17:35:00.001+02:00

In Sudanese Zar tradition, the "Sanga" is the spiritual mediator between the visible and the invisible. The "Sanga" plays the tanbura, a large-sized lyre shaped like a simsimia. This instrument was brought to Egypt by successive waves of Sudanese immigrants who came to Egypt after Mohamed Ali conquered Sudan under the leadership of Ibrahim, Mohamed Ali's son. Until the middle of last century there were many tanbura players. However, new generations lacked interest in learning and playing this instrument and the tanbura all but disappeared until Zakaria Ibrahim rediscovered the last remaining players and, with the founding of the Rango band, revived its practice.
Hassan Bergamoon and El Arby Jakamo are two of the last four tanbura players in Egypt and they will be hosting a performance of Sudanese Zar music at El Rango's performance at al Dammah Theatre on Thursday June 20, 2013 at 9:00 PM.

Tickets at the counter 30 EGP, by reservation 20 EGP. For reservations write to info@el-mastaba.org or call 01150995354 or 0223926768. Reservations will be cancelled at 9:00 PM.
Door opens at 8:30 PM
For more information please visit www.el-mastaba.org

To know more about RANGO check El Mastaba Center - Rango group & 30IPS - Rango group