Coldplay are making a return to the UAE, but this time they will be playing for free at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The British My Universe band, led by frontman Chris Martin, will be playing an Infinite Nights concert on February 15, performing music from their new album, Music of the Spheres.
They will be taking to the stage at Al Wasl Plaza at 9pm. Entrance to the concert is limited, but will be free to Expo 2020 Dubai ticket holders.
Tickets are available to book from 9pm on Saturday.
Tickets are required for entry to the show. However, Expo ticket holders will also be able to watch the show on the giant screens on site.
PThe concert will also be livestreamed on VirtualExpoDubai.com, Expo TV on YouTube, Expo 2020’s Facebook page and Oculus VR (Virtual Reality).
The monthly Infinite Nights concert series takes place at Al Wasl Plaza and is streamed to a global audience, with performances focused on themes tied to the world’s fair. Past acts to have performed have include Kadim Al Sahir, Nancy Ajram and Ragheb Alama, Alicia Keys and Black Eyed Peas.
This is not the first time Coldplay has performed in the UAE. They have played New Year's Eve concerts in Abu Dhabi in 2011 and 2016, and Martin returned to Dubai in October 2021 to perform at Armani's One Night Only in Dubai event.
This year, the band is on a mission to make their world tour eco-friendly. Coldplay’s sustainability tour plan examines everything from power usage and materials sourced to build the stage, to the kind of food and beverages served.
In December, consultant Paul Schurink, the founder of Zap Concepts, who has co-designed the band's world tour in 2022, told The National they intend to cut their direct emissions by 50 per cent, compared to their previous 2016-2017 tour.
Schurink said the measures, broadly outlined on Coldplay’s website, are the result of various workshops with the tour’s stakeholders, from the band to venue operators.
“These conversations are not always smooth, especially with the creative teams because there is always that friction between creativity and sustainability,” he recalled. “But I think that is good. I welcome that friction because it is from that energy that we get the best results.”
Black Eyed Peas perform at Expo 2020 Dubai - in pictures:
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The Black Eyed Peas perform at Expo 2020 Dubai. All photos: Reuters -
The US pop-rap group performed at Al Wasl Plaza. -
The group hopes the concert can help to chart a way forward for the live music industry struggling with the pandemic. -
The euphoric performance was live-streamed from the Expo website. -
Ahead of the show, will.i.am said he hoped the performance 'acts as an inspiration to hold live events with safety measures in place'. -
Band member Taboo makes a heart-shaped gesture to his fans. -
The show featured tracks sung in English, Spanish and Tagalog. -
The Black Eyed Peas have topped the charts for nearly three decades, with songs such as 'Where Is the Love?' and 'Boom Boom Pow'. -
A multicultural crowd sang along to some of the band's biggest hits. -
Will.i.am motivated the crowd throughout the night with shouts of 'yallah!' -
'We can't wait to vibe under the dome and have some magical moments,' will.i.am said ahead of the show. Pictured with singer J Rey Soul. -
The high-octane affair was held according to strict safety standards.
