The Abu Dhabi F1 weekend closed with a roaring performance by EDM star Martin Garrix and DJ Snake.
Just minutes into his act, Dutch DJ Garrix had the audience at Etihad Park jumping up and down to his tunes.
Although the show was pulled together at the last minute, it was a huge success.
Having been thrilled by the F1 finale, in which Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was crowned world champion, the crowd welcomed DJ Martin Garrix with energy.
He kicked off the night with one of his most well-known hits, Scared To Be Lonely.
“Let me see your hands in the air,” he implored the audience, who were happy to comply.
Dua Lipa’s voice roared in the open-air space as the crowd sang along to every word.
“Abu Dhabi, I missed you guys. After two years of isolation it feels crazy to be together here again,’ Garrix said.
“I'm feeling high on life, thanks to you, Abu Dhabi. I'm so happy and so grateful to be here with you tonight, Abu Dhabi.”
The DJ also played other hit songs like Lana Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness, Love tonight by Shouse, Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved and Save Your Tears by The Weeknd.
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Lewis Capaldi performs at Etihad Park on the third night of the Yasalam After-Race Concert series on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
The Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter took to the stage on Yas Island dressed in black trousers and a black Anti Social Social Club T-shirt. -
Capaldi's presence proved the perfect antidote to tensions that had built up ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale on Sunday, where a Formula One world champion will be crowned. -
The singer, 25, kicked off the night with 'Forever' and the lyrics of the song rang out loud in the open-air space as the crowd joined in and sang along. -
Capaldi has achieved huge success since he burst on to the scene with his debut album 'Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent' in 2019. -
Confetti falls on fans during Capaldi's performance. -
Fans cheer for Lewis Capaldi, amid a blizzard of confetti, as he performs at Etihad Park. -
Fans sing along with the Scottish singer, accompanying the music by shining the lights on their phones. -
Capaldi fans wait for the concert to begin. -
Capaldi often asked fans to sing along during his Abu Dhabi performance.
But it was his all-time hit song Animals that shook the stadium and enthralled the crowd.
All around the open-air space, music lovers were dancing to the beat under a confetti blizzard.
French record producer DJ Snake also performed on Sunday as part of the final concert on race day.
The pair were asked to perform after Foo Fighters were forced to cancel their anticipated show due to “medical circumstances”.
The band was en route to the UAE on Thursday night when a member was taken to the hospital from an airport in Chicago, forcing them to pull out.
A quick call to Garrix and DJ Snake proved successful, as both are big fans of F1.
Garrix is no stranger to the UAE, nor the Abu Dhabi Formula One event. He performed an exclusive set in 2017 as part of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Beyond The Track concert series at du Forum and, in 2018, he was a headliner at the Bao Festival in Meydan alongside Afrojack. He also headlined RedfestDXB in 2020.
He will perform at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena this Thursday in a show open to vaccinated guests and participants.
