Lionel Richie Dubai New Year's Eve concert review: All Night Long singer rings in 2025 with charm

The American singer-songwriter was in rude health in hit-filled set at Atlantis, The Palm

Lionel Richie performs at Atlantis The Palm on New Year's Eve. Photo: Atlantis the Palm

UAE New Year's Eve gigs over the years have showcased the myriad ways artists view the big occasion.

One approach is to remain aloof, as Coldplay demonstrated during their 2011 performance at the Volvo Ocean Race on Abu Dhabi's Corniche, where singer Chris Martin simply trudged off the stage as the clock struck midnight.

Sting, similarly dismissive, wrapped up his stellar 2023 set at Atlantis, The Palm a full half-hour before midnight. Alternatively, some artists treat it as just another gig. This was the case with Najwa Karam during her performance at the now-defunct Abu Dhabi Du Forum, where she seemingly forgot to lead the audience into the countdown.

In contrast, Robbie Williams fully embraced the joy of the moment during his 2022 show at Atlantis, The Palm, bounding around the stage like an excited child as he revelled in the fireworks overhead.

Not so much for Lionel Richie. The Grammy-winning hitmaker is no stranger to New Year's Eve gigs, having performed many throughout his nearly six-decade career, with one of his last being in 2016 in Las Vegas.

Entering the stage at Atlantis, The Palm at 11pm, as part of the resort's annual celebration, Richie was the consummate star and host, promising “to take you all into the New Year, but first we sing and party”.

Indeed, at 75 years of age, Richie's voice remains as smooth as velvet. Opening with Hello, his signature 1984 power ballad, it was the first of an 11-song hit set functioning as the ideal hour-long Richie playlist.

Running with the Night showcased Richie's four-piece band to full effect, capturing the track's heady atmosphere with moody synths and urgent basslines. In contrast, the gentle Easy, with Richie at the piano, was a delight, featuring its signature swaying RnB harmonies.

Richie showcased his mastery of styles and tempo throughout the set. Sail On is an example of his long-standing appreciation for country music, with its rustic harmonica and delicate guitars. While Brick House, from his former band the Commodores, was an all-out funk hoedown, led by his saxophonist's muscular grooves.

Anyone who witnessed Richie's epic 2015 performance at the Glastonbury music festival would surely remember the moment when a security guard broke into a choreographed dance routine during Dancing on the Ceiling. While that exact moment wasn't replicated in Dubai, the sheer giddiness the song elicited from the crowd was undeniable. Perhaps it's the infectious synth line summoning everyone to the dance floor, the galloping rhythms, or the nonsensical chorus – it's the kind of timeless, escapist fun that defines truly great pop music.

Glee made way for some pathos when the piano notes heralded the beginning of We Are the World, the charity single turning 40 years old in March. It marked the first time he performed the song live since the passing of its legendary producer Quincy Jones, who died in November aged 91.

While Richie didn't directly acknowledge Jones' passing to the audience, his heartfelt rendition and the moving singalong that followed served as a fitting tribute.

“We are getting nearer,” he teased the crowd after a loving take of ballad Say You, Say Me, as the band launched into the song fit for the occasion.

Released in 1983, All Night Long (All Night) arguably deserves a place on the Mount Rushmore of the American pop songbook. The song's success is particularly remarkable because, on paper, it shouldn't work – mixing Caribbean rhythms, exuberant funk horns, RnB vocals, and a gibberish refrain could have easily descended into chaos in the hands of lesser talents.

However, Richie and his frequent song writing collaborator James Anthony Carmichael made it a universal anthem by fully leaning into its infectious and unadulterated feel-good spirit. With the final notes leading into a 20-second countdown, Richie stood with us as he revelled in the fireworks display across Palm Jumeirah.

“The world is going to be a better place, starting from right here,” he declared. We can only hope.