Far from the glamour of the French Riviera or the boho nearby Ibiza, nights in Oran are rough and things don't happen underground but under the tables. Only few cities in the world are entitled to call themselves home of music styles, and Oran is one of them.
Rai and its diverse forms are everywhere, from the balconies to the speeding cars. Don't look for it, it will find you.
WEDDING
Before Wedding-planning became a lucrative business, wedding used to take place on the top of every building of the city. Green canvas and light bulbs were the sign to know where was the party at. The majority of Rai singers, specially the Medahat style started to perform in traditional weddings. Times changed, wedding celebrations got more sophisticated but in the manichean popular psyche, el A3ress (wedding in Arabic) remain the lighted side of Wahran nightlife. Try to be invited or just wander smiling in front of any "salles des fetes" (Party halls) in big hotels or in town to live a night without tomorrow.
Adress: Sheraton Oran, Meridien Oran or our favorite is the dedicated wedding celebration hall, Afrah el Djezair 30, Chemin de la Wilaya / 33, Dar El Beida –Oran – Algerie 31000 Oran, Algeria
CABARETS
Dark-side Oran. Wahran is moody and “el cabariyet” (the Cabarets) are the place where she likes to swear, to drink (nor always first quality red wine or local beer) and to dance carelessly. The sound and the clientele are often loud as until now all aspirant Rai singers must pass the Tebriha test to start a Cheb or Cheba career: during their performance depending on their ability to entertain the crowd, singers are cut by clients paying for a Tebri7a, special mention of the name and region of the client starting by the amount given and the formula “Fi khater…” (specially for…). Except for regulars, the atmosphere is more undercover than underground and you generally you won’t be authorized to film or take pictures.
Adress: Several places: La Guinguette in Canastel / Cabaret El Djawhara Rue Frih Mohammed Tel: +213 796 59 99 94 /Cabaret Manara in Ain El Turk Tel: +213 550 40 94 51
ATMOSPHERE CLUB
It's not Amnesia but this provincial club located in the Sheraton Hotel Oran is the place to listen to Deep House or Hip Hop in town. Thursday evenings are often animated with Gogo dancers but as previously mentioned nothing very niche here.
Adress: Sheraton Hotel, Boulevard 19 Mars. Tel: +213 41 59 01 00