The weather is not the only thing heating up.
The UAE concert calendar is set to bounce back at the beginning of the Eid holidays next month with eclectic shows featuring Arabic pop stars, Bollywood royalty, DJs and one of the world’s biggest pop-rock groups.
To start planning, here are 10 shows to see in the UAE in May and June. All shows in Abu Dhabi require vaccinated guests to show their green pass on Al Hosn app upon arrival. Those not vaccinated are required to present a negative PCR test taken no more than 96 hours in advance of the show.
1. Amr Diab: May 3 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
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.
Doors open at 7pm; from Dh100; etihadarena.ae
2. Nassif Zeytoun and Rahma Riad: May 3 at Dubai Festival City Mall
Since winning the 2010 talent show Star Academy, Syrian singer Nassif Zeytoun has built a solid solo career, with hits including Bi Rabbek and Mesh Aam Tezbat Maae.
Zeytoun's latest move is singing the theme song to Lebanese television drama Lil Mout 2, which is on nightly throughout Ramadan on Lebanese channel MTV.
Also performing a separate set is Rahma Riad. The up-and-coming Iraqi singer recently released her new single Sa'et Ramil.
Doors open at 8.30pm; from Dh195; dubai.platinumlist.net
3. Afrojack and Steve Aoki: May 3 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Two EDM titans will perform in what should be an exuberant night of back-to-back hits.
Dutch DJ Afrojack has been performing since he was a teenager and has found international success through a number of crossover hits including 2010’s Take Over Control. He also contributed to the production of Beyonce's 2011 anthem Run the World (Girls).
In 2021, Afrojack achieved a career-high ranking of 6th place in DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list.
US spinner Steve Aoki has released six albums, including the Grammy Award-nominated Wonderland. In 2019, he released his memoir, Blue: The Color of Noise.
Doors open at 8pm; from Dh195; coca-cola-arena.com
4. Kadim Al Sahir and Sherine Abdel Wahab: May 4 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Two popular Arab pop stars are teaming up for a night of exquisite balladry.
Nicknamed “the Caesar of Arabic songs” and "Iraq's ambassador to the world", Kadim Al Sahir is one of the most successful Arab singers and has been putting out music since the 1980s.
Fans who attend can expect to hear classics such as Ana Wa Laila (Me and Laila), Ha Habibi and Dhomni Ala Sadrak.
As for Abdel Wahab, expect a greatest hits set including songs such as Sabri Aleel and Hobbo Ganna.
Doors open at 7pm. Tickets begin from Dh250 at www.etihadarena.ae. Green pass on the Al Hosn App is required. Those not vaccinated are required to present a negative PCR test taken not more than 96 hours.
5. Maroon 5: May 6 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
The US pop group will perform for the first time in Abu Dhabi.
Formed in 2002, Maroon 5 have been a mainstay of charts worldwide thanks to singles such as This Love, Harder to Breathe and Moves Like Jagger. Their back catalogue showcases a hotchpotch of influences ranging from disco and funk to rock.
Doors open at 7pm; from D300; etihadarena.ae
6. Shreya Ghoshal: May 7 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
One of India’s most successful singers, Shreya Ghoshal performs in several of the country's languages, including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
It was a television performance in 1999 as part of the 200th episode of talent show Sa Re Ga Ma P that was a career-changer for the classically trained Ghosal.
She has gone on to build a successful solo career and was a judge on a number of Indian music competitions including Star Voice of India, X-Factor India and Indian Idol Junior.
Doors open at 9pm; from Dh120; coca-cola-arena.com
7. Conor Maynard and Zack Knight: May 7 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
British singer-songwriter Conor Maynard was discovered on YouTube in 2009 courtesy of his covers of songs by artists such as Taio Cruz and Rihanna.
Mentored by RnB star Neyo, Maynard has gone on to release hits such his 2012 debut single Can't Say No and 2013's R U Crazy. Last year, he released five tracks including Believers, featuring EDM producer Alan Walker.
As for Zack Knight, the British-Pakistani singer is known for his bilingual hits including 2017's Bom Diggy.
He's coming to Dubai on the back of recently released tracks including Yaar Tu, Ego and Stand With You.
Doors open at 8pm; from Dh100; coca-cola-arena.com
8. Fatboy Slim: May 20 at Zero Gravity, Dubai
The original superstar DJ, Fatboy Slim, real name Norman Cook,was one of the biggest dance music acts of the 1990s, scoring seven UK Top 10 singles, including four from 1998's bestselling album You've Come A Long Way, Baby.
He's returning to Dubai on the back of a well-received show at Coachella in the US.
Doors open at 10am; from Dh199; dubai.platinumlist.net
9. The International Indian Film Academy Awards 2022: May 20 and 21 at Etihad Arena Abu Dhabi
It may be a night to honour the best in Indian cinema, but the International Indian Film Academy or IIFA Awards will also be packed with musical performances.
Bollywood stars confirmed to take to the stage include the new celebrity face of Yas Island, Ranveer Singh, as well as Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Panday, Divya Khosla Kumar and Nora Fatehi.
Doors open at 6pm; from Dh440; etihadarena.ae
10. Mohammed Abdu: June 25 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
The Artist of the Arabs — an epithet given to Abdu by the late Tunisian president Habib Bourguiba — has had a music career that's spanned four decades.
Saudi Arabian crooner Abdu has released thousands of songs and more than 30 albums. He is most celebrated for his preservation of mawrouth (heritage songs), doing so without changing much of their musical arrangement or build up.
Doors open at 6.30pm; from D788; etihadarena.ae
