Discover the events and expand your horizons. Read more…
The weather is getting cooler, and things are back in full swing on the island after the Ramadan and summer hiatus. Restaurant launches, boutique openings and cultural events are happening left, right and centre. Khaleejesque has chosen its picks of cultural events for the month of October to help you.
The 18th Bahrain International Music Festival: Brought to you by the same people who organise the extremely successful Spring of Culture and the Bahrain Summer Festival (need we say more?), the Bahrain Music Festival is bringing the best of world music to Bahrain. The Cultural Hall, next to the Bahrain National Museum, will see (and indeed hear!) the likes of Simon Shaheen and Qantara, Duo Scarmouche, and Jahida Wehbe from the 10-16th. We are particularly looking forward to the Joubran Trio on the 14th and their tribute to Mahmoud Darwish.
ELHAM20: Okay, we are a little biased towards Elham, only because it is unpretentious and a group for the people, by the people. Having said that though, the group’s exciting events and amazing line-up’s every single time would impress even the toughest of critics. Elham is having its 20th gathering in the AlBareh Gallery in Adliya, on the 27th of October, from 19:30 to 21:30, and will feature up and coming artist Sara Al Aradi. Also, Shabana Feroze will be sketching faces from the crowd in her distinctive style, while one-man band The J.A.M. Project will be performing in Bahrain for the first time. Last, but certainly not least, Ahmad Al Shaikh will be reciting some of his Arabic poetry.
Le Club Bachraf and Dreamtime: When Tunisia and Japan meet, you get Le Club Bachraf: a group of Japanese musicians who studied in Tunisia. The trio of nai, oud and derbakeh are joined by Bahraini oud player Hassan Hujairi on the 22nd of October at La Fontaine. You can opt to stay for the dinner too, where guests will dine on dishes from Australia, Japan and Bahrain. All guests will gain exclusive access to the opening of “Dreamtime” – an exhibition of Aboriginal art. Trust the big house with magical fountain to bring the unconventional and exciting right to the heart of Manama!
So there you have it, our pick of events to jot in your diary for October. There is a lot more going on too, such as Street Art outside Al Riwaq Gallery in Adliya, the “Written Paintings” exhibition in Al Bareh, and pretty much everything under the sun! So you really have no excuse not to do something to expand your horizons in October. We’ll see you there, in the meantime, we’re thinking that Bahrain really should be named as the official cultural capital of the Khaleej.
– Khaleejesque
