Coldplay’s concerts in the UAE have not only inspired memories of a lifetime for fans but underscored the steady evolution of the country’s live events sector.
Their return to Abu Dhabi next year as part of their blockbuster Music of the Spheres World Tour reflects the fortunes of both the Grammy winners and the UAE’s seasoned and dynamic concert scene. The British band will perform at Zayed Sports City Stadium on January 11.
When they made their Middle East debut at Emirates Palace in 2009, their ambition to become one of the world's biggest rock bands was clear to see and hear. The tour was their first foray into creating an immersive concert spectacle, including the main and intimate satellite stages, the French Revolution-inspired costumes and the surrealistic lighting design and imagery.
Abu Dhabi was also itching to be recognised as a global music hub. When Coldplay took to the outdoor stage, both the band and the city were united in making a grand statement to the industry.
The only thing was, the night was overshadowed by the rumbling sounds of nature. Their show was not held under a sky full of stars, but under enveloping clouds erupting in lighting and thunder.
The near-20,000 fans and band seized the moment and the show is now part of modern UAE folklore, with drenched frontman Chris Martin’s crooning Singing in the Rain an enduring image from the evening.
"I remember the Abu Dhabi show very strongly," guitarist Johnny Buckland told The National in 2011. "I could feel the metal in my belt pack, on stage, you wear one, and I could feel it rumbling as the static was going off it."
He was speaking ahead of the band’s next Abu Dhabi show: a New Year’s Eve slot at the Corniche. By then, both the group and the city‘s stature for entertainment were well established. Coldplay were on the cusp of conquering stadiums with the successful 2011 album Mylo Xyloto.
Fast forward five years and Coldplay's 2016 New Year's Eve concert in Abu Dhabi had the band and city at the top of their game. Touring on the back of their album A Head Full of Dreams, the band were selling out stadiums from the US to Australia.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi firmly established Etihad Park as one of the region’s leading concert venues, having already hosted sold-out shows by Sir Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Eminem and Metallica.
As The National declared in its review, Coldplay’s spectacular gig was the “real deal”. The report praised the large-scale production featuring three stages with cutting-edge production – lighting rigs beaming out swirls of colour, as wristbands – which were worn by more than 25,000 fans – lit up in hues to complement songs.
“There were also cannons that shot lorry-loads of confetti, giant balloons and so many fireworks that the pyro display by the Rolling Stones in 2014 seemed tame in comparison,” it read.
Their most recent UAE performance took place in 2022 when both the band and country were taking leading roles in encouraging the global live events sector’s recovery in the wake of the pandemic. Performing as part of Expo 2020 Dubai, the free concert was an abridged version of the current Music of the Spheres show and provided a clear example to the concert industry on how to execute a high-end production with appropriate crowd safety measures in place.
Coldplay’s coming concert at Zayed Sports City Stadium once again reflects the symbiotic relationship between the group and the UAE’s event sector. The group will return with a roster of new hits, courtesy of their coming album Moon Music (out on October 4).
As for one of their favourite countries to play, Coldplay will be met with the same adoring fans, only this time in a historic venue in need of some revitalisation. It’s a relationship that seemingly grew with the speed of the sound and filled with memorable moments that fleetingly felt like paradise.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Company%20profile
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
