Tuesday March 19th, 2024
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ZigZag: Cairo's Newest Nightlife Venue Revealed

With social media a-buzz with news of a new venue set to open at Arabesque this Thursday, we speak to CEOs and founders Marc Wahba and Alex Chesnais to get the inside scoop ahead of the big launch...

Staff Writer

A new venue with an edge, or rather more than one edge, is set for opening this Thursday September 17th. ZigZag, downtown's newest hot spot with a knack for the unprecedented, is coming to life with such force and conviction in supporting and developing local indie talent, day in and day out, all week long. With the recent increase in nightlife options in Cairo, there's no shortage for events or venues, but what sets ZigZag apart is its weekday focus on live acts, and dance-music oriented weekends where you can escape the grinding reality of everyday city life. The new downtown hotspot is located at Arabesque, in the space that used to hold Vent (no affiliation). We’re not complaining as competition drives the competitors to really step things up a notch or two to always stay ahead, as it’s also always refreshing to see people who are willing to take risks and not follow the herd; establishments who are about a little more than just making money.

Zigzag is a bar and multi-use entertainment venue in downtown Cairo which brings together artists and talented individuals from across the city. Inspired by the cooperative model, its vision is to offer its artists a unique and profitable musical experience. We sat down with the creative brains behind ZigZag, founders and CEOs, acclaimed party-fun-time makers, Marc Wahba and Alex Chesnais who took the time to explain to us what their new endeavor is all about. "Mainly it's focusing on live acts during the week and giving non-established names a platform; ZigZag is that extra pump of blood our musical veins are missing," says Wahba. "Opening 7 days a week is a challenge, but it gives you space to diversify your musical direction and we're embracing that."

Dance music fans won't be left behind in the dust, as the weekend is specifically catering to all your four to the floor needs, with the opening night this Thursday hosting some of Egypt's best DJs; Aly B, Aly G, and Abou Samra. There's also an after-hours slot every Friday for the party animals who just won't call it quits. "It's not only about what you offer or the musicians you work with that differs a venue from other venues, it's a general overall vibe," continues Wahba. "And after all, we work in the hospitality and service industry, so what really differentiates this kind of business is how you treat people and how welcoming you are in an environment that is far away from reality as possible," adds Chesnais. Working on more than just a platform for developing artists, ZigZag's team are also starting a new model of working in collaboration with the artist, so that the artists are able to benefit in the long run by taking their time to realise and conceptualise their work, providing a sense of continuity many artists in Egypt here need.

The refreshing tone of ZigZag and the collaboration between Wahba and Chesnais are certainly piquing our interests, we can't wait to head down, downtown, and get down at what is set to be one of Cairo's new prime hot spots.  Stay tuned with what's next for ZigZag, and join their Facebook page here.