This week is shaping up to be a musical feast. Astana asks you to lend an ear to the edgy yet sentimental lines of the Kyrgyz rapper Bakr. Almaty is welcoming a new sound in Kazakh traditional music with Arkayim’s rendition of old kuys. Meanwhile, in the south, Shymkent will be hosting a chill indie rock evening with the Qonyratbay fam band. QazMonitor presents you with a list covering all the affairs in the life of our biggest cities.
Astana
Barys vs Admiral
Will Astana’s Barys put an end to its five-game losing streak in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)? The home arena should give them the edge over Vladivostok’s Admiral, who’s coming off of a fresh victory over Avtomobilist. But will it be enough to keep Barys steady on their skates?
Date: November 4, 7:30 p.m.
Address: Barys Arena, Turan Avenue 57
Entrance: ₸800-₸2,800
Bakr concert
As a rising Kyrgyz talent, Bakr is known for his edgy and expressive style of performance. He mixes lyrical themes with a variety of genres as a way to express the turmoil of his autobiographical character.
Date: November 4, 7:30 p.m.
Address: Nazarbayev Tsentr, Alikhan Bokeikhan 1A
Entrance: ₸10,000
Yerkesh Shakeyev concert
Having been a frequent collaborator with the legendary rock band A’Studio and the late Batyrkhan Shukenov, Shakeyev’s music is known throughout Kazakhstan for its gentle sound imbued with nostalgia and humanism.
Date: November 5, 6:00 p.m.
Address: Nomad City Hall, Mangilik Yel Avenue V2/3
Entrance: ₸12,000-₸15,000
“45”
Known in English as “The Book of Words”, Abay’s magnum opus, consisting of 45 short parables and treatises on humanity’s inner being, left a strong mark on Kazakh philosophy. The experimental play will explore this legacy in the genre of the spoken word.
Date: November 6, 4:00 p.m.
Address: Sintez Theater, Dostyk Street 4
Entrance: ₸1,500-₸2,000
Almaty
Arkayim Concert
Neo-folk band Arkayim is a duo of musical virtuosos known for their mastery of 30 instruments. On their pursuit of finding unique ways to perform kuys, they’ve incorporated new sounds from around the world into traditional Kazakh music.
Date: November 3, 7:00 p.m.
Address: Zhas Sahna theater, Abay Avenue 117
Entrance: ₸5,500
“Spontaneous Stand-Up. For women only”
A mix of contemporary poetry by Vera Pavlova and the author’s life observations, the stand-up takes a humorous approach to situations every woman encounters in her life.
Date: November 4, 8:00 p.m.
Address: Independent Experimental Theater “Bunker”, Dosmukhamedov Street 78A
Entrance: ₸3,000-₸7,000 (extra charge for male attendees)
“Sen”
The musical follows the story of Aiman and Galymzhan. They are forced to question their every action to avoid falling prey to blind belief–or unbridled paranoia. In the end, they must answer one question: do they trust each other?
Date: November 6, 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Address: Orken Theater, Abdulliny Street 38
Entrance: ₸3,000-₸8,000
“Digital Autumn: Sensation” virtual festival
The festival will feature nine immersive experiences for VR headsets, each created in different parts of the world from Iraq to France. In every piece, the wearer will be able to sense a multitude of different emotions, ranging from joy to sorrow.
Date: until November 6
Address: SmArt.Point coworking space, Baizakov Street 280
Entrance: ₸4,000 (1 hour)
Echo of Time exhibition
DUNIYA-ART Gallery gathers renowned Uighur artists from around the globe to showcase historical role of women in the arts. The exhibition will feature the works of stage costume designer Guzel Mamedinova, painter and graphic artists Maris Khitakhunov, master of plastic arts Gulbahar Ashimova, and others.
Date: until November 14
Address: Central State Museum, Samal-1 Microdistrict, 44
Entrance: ₸500
Sur-Aq exhibition
The exhibition will present works by Turbay Muratbek, whose talent for embroidery developed into woven artworks that depict the nuances and fleetingness of everyday life. “Sur-Aq” is a play on words. Separately, the words mean the colors gray and white; together, it spells out the word “question”, as if to ask the audience “what do you see?”
Date: until November 24
Address: Abylkhan Kasteyev Museum of Arts, Koktem-3 Microdistrict, 22/1
Entrance: ₸500
Shymkent
Soundtrack concert by BN TEAM ORCHESTRA
An entire symphonic world will be unleashed on the stage of the Turkistan Palace. BN TEAM ORCHESTRA will perform all the major pieces from contemporary TV shows including the Mandalorian, Squid Game, Game of Thrones, Bridgerton, and many more.
Date: November 3, 7:00 p.m.
Address: Turkistan Sarayı, Nazarbayev Avenue 10/2
Entrance: ₸6,000-₸13,000
Qonyratbay fam musical evening
Indie rock is an ever-evolving genre susceptible to the changes going on in the city. Qonyratbay fam’s songs happen to reflect those shifts on a much deeper level. The soft and gentle nature of their works is perfect for cozy evenings.
Date: November 5, 7:00 p.m.
Address: KIIZSPACE, Abay Avenue 29A
Entrance: ₸6,000