Top 27 concerts and events coming to UAE, from Robbie Williams to Kapil Sharma

Music and comedy fans have plenty of live entertainment to look forward to this year

US band Kiss will bring their End of the Road world tour to Dubai. AFP

Several music and comedy shows are on the UAE events calendar over the coming months.

In addition to epic rock concerts by Kiss and Foo Fighters, there will also be laughs at arena shows featuring comedians Bill Burr, Jo Koy, Trevor Noah, Kapil Sharma and Michael McIntyre.

The National rounds up 25 of the best live events still to come this year:

1. Omar Kamal: July 22 at the Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi

He may be regarded as the Palestinian Frank Sinatra, but Omar Kamal is shining in his own light with his brand of balladry, inspired by classical Arabic music and the pizzazz of Ol' Blue Eyes himself.

Expect a dynamic set full of songs by legendary Arabic crooners such as Mohamed Abdel Wahab and Abdel Halim Hafez, as well as vintage jazz standards and original compositions.

Showtime is 8pm; from Dh300; culturalfoundation.ae

2. Cairokee: July 22 at The Agenda Dubai

Egyptian band Cairokee. Dana Smillie for The National

Cairokee has been described as Egypt's Coldplay, but the group has a harder sound.

Founded in 2003, the band rose to regional and international prominence courtesy of the 2011 Egyptian uprising with protest anthem Ya El Medan.

Since then, they have gone on to release a string of albums, including the latest Roma.

Showtime is 8pm; from Dh265, dubai.platinumlist.net

3. Bill Burr: September 1 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

Emmy-nominated comedian Bill Burr will be performing on stage at Etihad Arena this year. Photo: Katch This

Considered one of the most influential comedic voices of his generation, Burr has made a name for himself for his informal, honest and punchy style of storytelling.

Burr’s current comedy series Immoral Compass also scored him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.

The comedian has released a number of specials over the years, including You People Are All the Same (2012), I'm Sorry You Feel That Way (2014), Walk Your Way Out (2017) and Paper Tiger (2019), for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.

Doors open at 7.30pm; from Dh250; etihadarena.ae

4. Amr Diab: September 9 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

Amr Diab at the MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 in Riyadh. Getty Images

The Egyptian singer will make his concert debut at Abu Dhabi's Yas Island venue in September.

Diab has been the reigning pop king in the Mena region since his 1983 debut album Ya Tareea. He also made a mark beyond the Arabic-speaking world with his 1996 hit Nour El Ain, which became one of the most popular songs to come out of the Middle East.

Doors open at 7.30pm; from Dh195; etihadarena.ae

5. Modi Al Shamrani and Miami Band: September 23 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

Saudi singer Modi Al Shamrani is renowned for her modern approach to Saudi and Khaleeji folk songs, best exemplified in her signature track Han Al-Gharib.

Also performing on the night is the veteran Kuwaiti group Miami Band.

Doors open at 8pm; from Dh195; etihadarena.ae

6. Kapil Sharma: September 24 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Kapil Sharma will return for another show in Dubai. Getty Images

Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma is returning to Coca-Cola Arena for another raucous show.

The television star, known for Comedy Circus and Comedy Nights with Kapil, rose to fame after winning the comedy reality show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge in 2007.

Now a household name India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, his relatable observations have made him hugely popular with family audiences.

Showtime 6.30pm; tickets from Dh98; coca-cola-arena.com

7. Vir Das: September 28 at Dubai Opera

Comedian Vir Das is bringing his Mind Fool Tour to the UAE. Reuters

The Indian comedian and actor is bringing his Mind Fool Tour to the UAE.

This latest world tour comes on the back of his fourth Netflix stand-up special Landing last year. Das was also in 2022 film The Bubble, directed by Judd Apatow.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh150; dubaiopera.com

8. Gilberto Gil: September 29 at Dubai Opera

Gilberto Gil comes to Dubai as part of a world tour celebrating his six-decade career.

During that time, he helped introduce the world to Tropicalia, a 1960s Brazilian musical and cultural movement melding indigenous and African rhythms with British and American psychedelic rock and pop.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh330; dubaiopera.com

9. Trevor Noah: October 3 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Trevor Noah returns to the UAE in October. Getty Images

The comedian, writer and former The Daily Show host is bringing his Off the Record tour to Dubai.

The Emmy Award winner will use his sharp humour to probe global issues and pop culture absurdities in what guarantees to be a memorable evening.

Showtime 8pm; tickets from Dh295; coca-cola-arena.com

10. Junoon: October 6 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Junoon perform in the opening ceremony of the 2019 Pakistan Super League. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Pakistani rock group return to Dubai for their biggest show yet.

Formed in 1990, Junoon beguiled listeners through their brand of straight pop rock and Sufi-inspired lyricism.

Showtime is 9pm; tickets from Dh150; coca-cola-arena.com

11. Kiss: October 13 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Gene Simmons, left, and Tommy Thayer of the US band Kiss perform at a concert in Cologne, Germany. AP

Three years after their record-breaking concert in Dubai, American rock group Kiss are returning to the city for a stop on their ongoing End of the Road tour.

The band’s line-up includes two original members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer.

Some of the band's biggest hits include I Was Made for Lovin’ You, Rock and Roll All Nite and Detroit Rock City.

Showtime is 9pm; tickets from Dh295; coca-cola-arena.com

12. Ben&Ben: October 14 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

One of the Philippines' biggest bands, Ben&Ben are known for their cinematic sound and intimate lyrics sung by up to three lead singers.

Their series of well-produced online performances, coupled with the release of the excellent second album Pebble House Vol 1: Kuwaderno, resulted in the group becoming the most streamed Filipino act on Spotify in 2020 and 2021.

Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh149; coca-cola-arena.com

13. Robbie Williams: October 18 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

British singer Robbie Williams performs during the Mad Cool music festival, in Madrid, Spain, in July 2023. EPA

The singer and songwriter is known for chart-topping hits such as Candy, Angels, She's the One and Rock DJ.

Audiences at the Etihad Arena, Yas Island, can expect Williams to go through a playlist of some of the biggest hits from his 25-year career.

Doors open at 7.30pm; from Dh325; etihadarena.ae

14. Kenny Garrett: October 28 at Dubai Opera

The influential American jazz saxophonist will perform tracks from his latest album, 2021's Sounds from the Ancestors.

The collection has Garrett exploring music from West Africa, from gospel music to Yoruba chants and percussion, and their influence on modern jazz.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh250; dubaiopera.com

15. Dizzee Rascal: October 28 at Emirates Golf Club, Dubai

Rapper Dizzee Rascal returns to the UAE in October. Getty Images

The original grime super star is coming to Dubai for a rare performance.

With more than two decades in the game, expect him to rewind the years as he performs a bevy of hits including Fix Up Look Sharp, Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me.

Showtime at 8pm from Dh325; dubai.platinumlist.net

16. Jo Koy: October 28 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

Comedian Jo Koy on stage. AP

Bringing his world tour to Abu Dhabi, Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy will head to the UAE capital in October.

With four Netflix specials and an autobiography under his belt, the comedian and UAE favourite gets his laughs from drawing on material from his family life and growing up in a multicultural household.

Doors open at 7.30pm; from Dh180; etihadarena.ae

17. Bryan Adams: November 4 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Bryan Adams is touring to promote his 15th album So Happy, It Hurts. AP

The Canadian singer-songwriter is touring on the back of 15th new album So Happy, It Hurts.

With the self-titled single nominated for Best Rock Performance at the 2023 Grammy awards, Adams will also play the hits that made him sell more than 100 million records during his near four-decade career.

Expect to hear pop and rock staples such as Summer of '69, Heaven and Everything I Do, I Do It For You.

Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh199; coca-cola-arena.com

18. Hyperound K-Fest: November 11 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

Following the success of last year's inaugural event, the K-pop festival is returning with a line-up that incudes Enhypen, Sunmi Epik High, DPR Ian, XG, Cherry Bullet and Peakboy.

Registration for early bird pre-sale tickets is available now.

The pre-sale will begin on Friday, with general sales starting on July 16. Ticket prices start at Dh210 for bronze and go up to Dh987 for VIP.

More information is available on etihadarena.ae

19. Ali Sethi: November 11 at Dubai Opera

After stealing the show as part of the Coke Studio Live concert last year, Pakistani singer Ali Sethi is back for a solo show.

Expect a performance mixing covers of popular ghazals and Punjabi songs as well as original tracks such as the viral hit Pasoori.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh185; dubaiopera.com

20. Arijit Singh: November 18 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

Arijit Singh in Dubai in 2016. Antonie Robertson / The National

Known for his soulful voice, Singh, who first gained fame for the song Tum Hi Ho from the 2013 film Aashiqui 2, has performed a number of sold-out concerts in the Emirates.

With hits such as Kabira, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Channa Mereya from various films, he's often referred to as the “king of playback singing”, for pre-recorded songs which are then pictured as being sung by the stars in movies.

He was also the most streamed Indian artist on Spotify in 2020.

Doors open at 6.30pm; from Dh200; etihadarena.ae

21. Tiesto and Ava Max: November 23 at Etihad Park, Abu Dhabi

Kaleidoscope producer Tiesto is no stranger to big affairs, having performed at Expo2020 Dubai and the Qatar World Cup last year.

He returns to the UAE with new album Dive and joined by emerging US pop talent Ava Max. Concertgoers can expect the duo to perform their hit collaboration The Motto.

Access to the concert is exclusive to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders.

Tickets are available online at www.abudhabigp.com

22. Jethro Tull: November 24 at Dubai Opera

The British prog-rock group will make their UAE debut with a concert featuring genre staples Aqualung, Locomotive Breath and Songs for the Wood as wells songs from new 2023 album RokFlote.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh295; dubaiopera.com

23. Foo Fighters: November 26 at Etihad Park, Abu Dhabi

Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs at Festival d'ete de Quebec on in July 2023 at Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. AFP

The US rockers will headline the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix 2023 race-day concerts, taking to the stage on the last of four after-race gigs.

Expect a hefty set featuring roaring anthems such as Monkey Wrench and Learn to Fly as well as the new songs from the anticipated album But Here We Are out on June 2.

It will also be a chance for fans to see the Foo Fighters' new drummer Josh Freese in action, as he takes over the sticks following the death of Taylor Hawkins.

Access to the concert is exclusive to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders.

Tickets are available online at www.abudhabigp.com

24. Sole DXB: December 8-10 at Dubai Design District

Sole DXB

Sole DXB returns to Dubai Design District after a two-year hiatus. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

First held in 2011, Sole DXB is an annual event that has since grown to be one of the UAE's top festivals.

It now features a multi-format programme, ranging from talks and workshops to footwear exchanges, film screenings and musical concerts.

With this year’s headline artist to be revealed later in the year, expect a solid mix of hip-hop acts. Previous performers include rap stalwarts Mos Def, The WuTang Clan and UK singer Jorja Smith.

More information is available at www.sole.digital

25. Tinariwen: December 12 at Dubai Opera

Grammy Award-winning Malian group Tinariwen are an electrifying live act.

Melding traditional Tuareg melodies from the Sahara with a visceral rock sound, they known as the leading purveyors of desert blues by fans and critics.

They will return to the UAE on the back of this year’s new Amatssou.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh225; dubaiopera.com

26. Michael McIntyre: December 13 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Comedian Michael McIntyre returns to the UAE in December. Photo: GME Events

British funnyman Michael McIntyre will return to Dubai as part of his world tour.

Recognised as one of the UK's biggest-selling comedians, he will also be performing at arenas across the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore as part of the tour.

His 2020 Netflix special Showman was one of the most-watched comedy shows on the streaming service that year.

Showtime is 8pm; from Dh250; coca-cola-arena.com

27. Matteo Bocelli: December 21 at Dubai Opera

As the son of revered tenor Andrea Bocelli, Matteo is spending this year shining in his own light with his first solo world tour.

The Dubai Opera show will come three months after the release of his debut album Matteo, out September 22.

In addition to English and Italian songs, the album will feature a song written by UK pop star Ed Sheeran.

Showtime is 8pm, from Dh175; dubaiopera.com

Updated: July 26, 2023, 7:23 AM