Lebanon's Mashrou' Leila will perform at Alexandria's Cinema Rio on 14 November. They will deliver two performances on the same night, at 6pm and 9pm.

The band released their third album ‘Raasük’ (They Choreographed You) on 28 August, to rave reviews from across the Arab world. The album was largely supported by money raised via Lebanese crowd-funding platform Zoomal.

Mashrou' Leila is one of the most popular bands in the contemporary Arab music scene. The band consists of five architecture students, and a graphic designer. They began in 2008 in Beirut, following an open call for auditions by the three founding members: Haig Papazian (violin), Andre Chedid (guitar) and Omaya Malaeb (keyboards). The idea was to start a band to relieve stress, especially in light of enduring political instability in Lebanon.

Today, Arab struggles and societal changes are brought to the fore in their lyrics, creating a soundtrack for stories of heartache, hope and defiance that millions from across the region can relate to.

They performed in Egypt for the first time in 2011 at El-Genaina theatre and the Cairo Jazz Club, during Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafy's (Culture Resource) summer programme, and at an Underground Music Federation (UMF) concert at the Nile Garden in 2012. They returned in March 2013 with a performance at the American University in Cairo. This will be their first performance in Alexandria.

Programme:
Thursday 14 November, 6pm and 9pm
Fouad Street, Bab Sharq, Alexandria

More details on tickets here.