Comedy, musicals, hip-hop and classical music gigs are some of the events coming our way in the UAE.
A host of big names and star attractions from around the world will be taking centre stage through the coming months from the broadway musical Chicago to the Arab pop hits of Egypt's Ahmed Saad.
Rock concerts by The Scorpions and Green Day are also on the cards in addition to bevy of comedy shows by stars such as Dave Chappelle, Andrew Schulz and Aziz Ansari. Here, The National rounds up the best live events coming up.
1. Mikki: Wednesday to Sunday at Qs Bar and Lounge and Palazzo Versace Dubai
The Dutch singer found fame at home with her star turn on the television talent quest The Voice Holland. UAE fans can now hear the artist on a regular basis with Mikki's residency at the stylish jazz venue Q's Bar and Lounge. In addition to original tracks, her set will take on the jazz standards and favourites from RnB songbook.
7pm to 1am; prices begin from Dh250 minimum spend per-person; palazzoversace.ae
2. The Scorpions: May 17 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
The veteran German rockers will bring the 40th-anniversary tour of the seminal album Love at First Sting to the UAE. The 1984 album is regarded as the commercial peak for the group with its glam metal hits Still Loving You and Big City Nights.
Doors open at 7pm; from Dh195; etihadarena.ae
3. Miami Band and Ayed Yousef: May 17 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Formed in 1991, Miami Band from Kuwait has been viewed as one of the first boy bands from the Gulf. With the original quartet now reduced to a duo, the group still manages to attract a devoted crowd with shows full of tunes such as 1994's Ghazala and 2008's Miami Forever. Supporting Miami Band is the rising young Saudi singer Ayed Yousef.
Showtime is 9pm, tickets from Dh195; coca-cola-arena.com
4. Aziz Ansari: May 18 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Known for his role in the hit series Parks and Recreation as well as his Emmy-winning Netflix show Master of None, Ansari will open the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. In 2016, he made history as the first Indian-American actor to land a lead comedy-acting Emmy nomination for his role in Master of None.
Doors open at 6pm; from Dh250; etihadarena.ae
5. Chris Botti: May 18 at Dubai Opera
Smooth pop jazz trumpeter Botti is one of the most successful American instrumental artists today courtesy of crossover versions of When I Fall In Love, Concierto de Aranjuez and The Very Thought of You. His latest album, Impressions, won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh300; dubaiopera.com
6. Andrew Schulz: May 22 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
A New York native, Schulz is known for unfiltered comedy that is geared and customised for the city he is performing in. He has sold out arenas on his US tour and was in Abu Dhabi in October to perform as part of UFC 294 Showdown Week. Schulz also hosts popular podcasts Flagrant and The Brilliant Idiots and stars in the comedy mini-series Schulz Saves America on Netflix.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh250 etihadarena.ae
7. Dave Chappelle: May 23 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
One of the biggest names in comedy is coming to the UAE capital for the first time. Known for his fearless approach on the mic, Chappelle rose to international fame with his ground-breaking sketch comedy series Chappelle's Show, which aired from 2003 to 2006. He also garnered international audiences with popular Netflix comedy specials that earned him several Emmys and a Grammy Award.
Doors open at 6pm; from Dh275; etihadarena.ae
8. Kadim Al Sahir: May 23 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Often referred to as “the Caesar of Arabic songs” and “Iraq's ambassador to the world”, Al Sahir is one of the most successful singers from the Arab region and has been putting out music since the 1980s. Fans can expect to hear classics such as Ana Wa Laila, Ha Habibi and Dhomni Ala Sadrak.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh175; coca-cola-arena.com
9. Bassem Youssef and Maz Jobrani: May 24 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
An Egyptian surgeon-turned-comedian, Youssef has been in the global spotlight recently thanks to his viral interviews with Piers Morgan on the Israel-Gaza war. Their first, which was posted on YouTube on October 18, has been viewed millions of times. Morgan said it is his most-watched interview since his show was launched two years ago. American comedian Jobrani, who is of Iranian origin, has appeared on popular shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Shameless.
Doors open at 6.30pm; from Dh250; etihadarena.ae
10. James Blunt: May 24 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The British singer-songwriter is coming to Dubai as part of his new album Who We Used To Be. Expect the multi-instrumentalist to also play favourites such as You're Beautiful, Wisemen and Goodbye My Lover.
Showtime is 9pm; tickets from Dh250; coca-cola-arena.com
11. Jo Koy: May 26 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Known for his stints on Chelsea Lately and his Netflix special, Comin' In Hot, Koy’s work pulls inspiration from his family, specifically his son and mother, which gives his comedy universal appeal. His father is American and his mother is Filipina.
Doors open at 7.30pm; from Dh180; etihadarena.ae
12. Majid Al Mohandis: May 31 at Dubai Opera
Iraqi-Saudi singer Majid Al Mohandis, often referred to as the “Voice of Diamond”, released his debut album in 2005 and is approaching 20 years in the industry. Some his notable hits include Shahd El Hourouf and Wahishni Moot.
Showtime is 9pm; tickets from Dh350; dubaiopera.com
13. Hans Zimmer: May 31 and June 1 at Coca-Cola Arena
Composer Hans Zimmer has promised to deliver an “unforgettable musical experience” when he returns to Dubai for another live extravaganza. The two-time Academy Award winner will perform selections from his more than 240 film compositions, including The Lion King, Interstellar, Gladiator, The Dark Knight, Top Gun: Maverick and the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Showtime is 9pm on May 31 and 8pm on June 1; tickets from Dh399; coca-cola-arena.com
14. Ballet Hispanico: May 31 and June 1 at Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi
Performers from the largest Hispanic cultural organisations in the US will perform in the UAE with a program fusing classical ballet with Latin dance culture.
Showtime is 8pm; from Dh100; culturalfoundation.ae
15. Jason Derulo: June 15 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The Savage Love singer headlines the Earth Soul lifestyle festival and will perform hits including Whatcha Say, Wiggle and Swalla. Derulo recently released Nu King, his first album in nine years, and Dubai is one of the first stops on a new world tour.
Showtime is 9pm; tickets from Dh199; coca-cola-arena.com
16. Amr Diab: June 18 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The Egyptian singer will make his concert debut at the Yas Island venue. 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.
Showtime is 9.30pm; tickets from Dh295; coca-cola-arena.com
17. Matilda, The Musical: June 20 to 23 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
The musical, now in its 13th year on London's theatre circuit, returns to the UAE after its successful run at Dubai Opera last year. Inspired by the children’s book by Roald Dahl, it tells the story of a little girl with a vivid imagination, a sharp mind and a hunger to devour knowledge as she takes control of her own life in the midst of hardship.
Evening, afternoon and matinee shows available; from Dh150; etihadarena.ae
18. French Montana: June 22 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The last time French Montana was on stage in the UAE, it was during a surprise appearance at Post Malone's 2018 gig at Etihad Arena. Since then, the artists has released enough hits to earn his own gig – expect to hear favourites including Unforgettable, No Stylist and Pop That.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh199; coca-cola-arena.com
19. Ahmed Saad and Tamer Ashour: June 29 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Saad is known for breezy Arabic pop hits Eh Elyoum El Helw Da and Sayreena Donya. He will be joined by Egyptian singer Tamer Ashour, who is known for ballads Zikrayat Kaddaba and Ekhtrarna Leh.
Doors open at 7.30pm; from Dh250; etihadarena.ae
20. Chicago: September 12 to 22 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
A tale of passion, murder, greed, betrayal and redemption, Chicago is the longest-running musical in Broadway history, since premiering in 1975. Chicago follows two fiercely competitive women accused of murder – aspiring jazz performer Roxie Hart and vaudeville Velma Kelly – who fight for fame in an attempt to avoid the gallows. The show produced many popular songs, including All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango and Razzle Dazzle.
Evening and matinee shows available ; from Dh185; etihadarena.ae
21. Apocalyptica: September 13 at The Agenda, Dubai
The Finnish cello trio will play select tracks from the Metallica songbook. Expect ethereal takes of classic metal hits including Ride the Lightning, One and Master of Puppets.
Doors open at 7pm; from Dh299; dubai.platinumlist.net
22. Take That: October 25 at Etihad Park, Abu Dhabi
Responsible for the hits Back For Good and Patience, Take That is one of the UK's most successful acts, with more than 15 chart-topping singles to their name. They return to the UAE on the back of their latest release, This Life, which came out last year and features the singles Windows and Brand New Sun.
Doors open at 6pm; from Dh299; etihadarena.ae
23. Lea Salonga: November 10 at Coca-Cola Arena
Besides winning Olivier and Tony Awards for Miss Saigon, Salonga is perhaps best known for providing the singing voices for two Disney princesses – Jasmine in Aladdin (1992) and Fa Mulan in Mulan (1998) and Mulan 2 (2004). Hailing from the Philippines, the singer has also performed in some of the biggest theatre productions around the world, including Les Miserables and Once on This Island.
Showtime is 7.30pm; tickets from Dh150; coca-cola-arena.com
24. Ludovico Einaudi: January 19 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
After selling out all of his previous shows at Dubai Opera, Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi returns to the UAE for his biggest show to date. His haunting compositions, which can be best described as minimal, not only helped him build a successful solo career, but also afforded him the opportunity to score numerous Italian films in the 1980s, before landing international gigs, including 2011's French blockbuster The Intouchables and 2020 Oscar winner Nomadland.
Doors open at 6pm; from Dh250; etihadarena.ae
25. Green Day and The Offspring: January 27 at Expo City Dubai
The veteran American punk-rock bands will make their Middle East debut in a purpose-built open-air concert venue that will host up to 30,000 people. Expect to hear three decades worth of Green Day hits, including Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Longview. The Offspring also have an extensive catalogue of tracks, including the 1998 hit Pretty Fly (For a White Guy), as well as early favourites Come Out and Play and Self Esteem.
Doors open at 5pm; from Dh445; dubai.platinumlist.net
