Not many 21st century pop bands have the staying power of Maroon 5.
Almost 20 years on from the release of their critically acclaimed debut album, Songs About Jane, they are still pulling in fans of all ages, blending their two-decade back-catalogue seamlessly to put on a show that doesn’t stop for breath.
The US band made their Abu Dhabi debut in impressive fashion on Friday, taking to the stage at Yas Island’s Etihad Arena for what felt like a proper return to pre-pandemic live events.
The 90-minute set jumped back and forth through the band’s musical journey, switching from ballad to upbeat, in a show that managed to avoid a single flat moment.
Dramatic music and flashing lights built atmosphere ahead of the band’s energetic burst on to the stage, and they headed straight in for crowd-pleaser Moves Like Jagger, during which lead singer Adam Levine danced around, not quite matching the song’s namesake.
From then on, it was hit after hit, as they went into This Love, Stereo Hearts and One More Night.
There was little crowd interaction from the band in the first half of the show, save for the odd: “How you doing Abu Dhabi?” but Levine still managed to command as a frontman, showcasing plenty of charisma throughout.
However, ahead of ballad Payphone, he asked for the arena’s lights to be turned up, so he could take in the crowd.
“I want to see everyone,” he said. “This is our first time here, we’ve been waiting a long time and we are finally here to see you.
“We have the best job in the world.”
He then played a slowed-down version of the track alongside lead guitarist James Valentine, to which the crowd sang along with might, as the screens to either side of the stage bathed the pair in sepia light.
The band also took several moments to show off their instrumental prowess, including Grammy-winning keyboardist PJ Morton during Sunday Morning and Matt Flynn, who performed an energetic drum solo during Harder to Breathe.
“To still be playing these songs 20 years later, and to be able to come all the way over here, we could never have imagined it,” a genuinely touched Levine said.
After a short encore, the band returned to close the evening on a high, from ballad Memories and fan-favourite She Will Be Loved, into the energetic Sugar, ensuring everyone ended the night on their feet.
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
On racial profiling at airports
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud
