Tips from the culture desk: Chose post-rock, lyrical oud or trip-hop

The end of July isn't the busiest time for the arts in Egypt, but there's enough going on to recommend three concerts and an exhibition.

Al-Waqt al-Masy — opens Tuesday

Many art spaces are having a summer break right now, but not Medrar. The result of a drawing and painting workshop run by prolific, pop-culture-exploring painter Ahmed Sabry, their three-day selling exhibition Al-Waqt al-Masy (Diamond Time) shows works by six diverse and promising young artists: Amira Fahmy, Eilaf Qourish, Mahmoud Magdy, Toqa Ahmed, Omnia Nagieb and Reham Qasem.

Opening July 26 at 7 pm, then daily until July 28, from 12 to 9 pm. See Facebook event here.

Telepoetic — Thursday

Medrar’s neighbor ROOM is also going strong despite the heat. This week the intimate Garden City space hosts Telepoetic for the first time.

“This Alexandria-reared band has been around since 2006, and were of the first to garner a big following with an experimental, electronica and post-rock blend,” Mada’s Maha ElNabawi has written of the largely instrumental trio (Amir Rizk on percussion, Mohamed Desouky on bass, and Ahmed Saleh on electronics, keys and electric guitar). “Maybe it’s because they’re from Alex, which has always been poetic, or maybe it’s because their sound is better than most locals in their category, but where Telepoetic succeed is through their particular ability to evoke metaphysical journeying. At the same time, their sound isn’t too far out there: the songs have a good groove that invites you into a sonic world that you might not want to leave again for a while.”

Tickets LE50. For information call 01000681543 or 01000681539, or check out the Facebook page here. ROOM Art Space and Cafe, 10 Etehaad al-Mohamin Street, Garden City, Cairo.

Marcel Khalife — Friday

For the opening of the 14th International Summer Festival, veteran Lebanese oud star Marcel Khalife, accompanied by the orchestra of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and conducted by Hesham Gabr, plays the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Great Hall. The 66-year-old’s jazzy, passionate, lyrical brand of music has a large following, so we expect a full house.

8.30 pm, July 29. Tickets: LE275, 200, 135 and 85. See Facebook event here.

Maryam Saleh + Zeid Hamdan — Friday + Saturday

Ambitious Egyptian musician Maryam Saleh, joined by longtime collaborator Zeid Hamdan, play their Arabic trip-hop at the open-air Genaina Theater twice this week due to high demand. Saleh met the Lebanese underground music pioneer in November 2010, and they have been working together in Cairo and abroad ever since. They rework classic Arabic songs with new instrumental and electronic beats and sounds, in addition to performing Salah’s own lyrical compositions. Hamdan has another project with Egyptian musician Maii Waleed, with whom he will perform at Geneina Theater the following Sunday.

8 pm, July 29 and 30 at Geneina Theater in Azhar Park. Due to high demand we recommend buying your tickets in advance here.