The recently expanded Abu Dhabi shopping district, The Galleria, is gearing up for an epic 12-hour festival on Friday with a host of international and regional acts performing in an outdoor purpose-built stage.
This is on top of a host family friendly activities such as face painting and showcases by street artists and dancers.
A big crowd is expected, so come prepared. Here is what you need to know if you are attending Block Party At The Galleria.
Who is performing and at what time?
1.15pm: Abu Dhabi Police Band
The event begins at midday with the opening of family friendly audience zones, followed by a concert by the Abu Dhabi Police Band. The ensemble will return encore sunset performance at 5.45pm.
7pm: DJ Jazzy Jeff
The supreme spinner, and former Will Smith side-kick on both television and records, is much loved in the UAE for his expansive sets that please both ardent hip-hop heads and the normal partygoer. His set will be another demonstration of his skills, which has him heralded as one of hip-hop most revered DJs and producers.
7.45pm: Abu
The singer is much loved in his native Egypt for his chirpy pop songs. His 2018 football world cup anthem 3 Daqat (in support of the Egyptian national team) became a regional viral hit with 274 million YouTube views. He comes to the capital on the back of his two new single Habibi Ya Leil and Eish Ya Alby.
8.30pm Nadine Lustre
The Filipina actress and pop star should attract a mighty crowd tonight. The star, whose acclaimed performance in 2018's Never Not Love You, also enjoyed success as a singer with tracks including Nowhere I Wouldn't Go.
9.15: YoY o Singh
The Bollywood singer and rapper knows how to keep a party going with his blend of hip-hop and bhangra beats. Since his 2011 hit single Lak 28 Kudi Da, Singh built a strong career as both a concert and club performer, in addition to producing music for a slew of Bollywood films. In 2019, he lent his musical ear for two films, the romantic action film Marjaavaan and the upcoming action comedy Pagalpanti.
How to get there?
While car parks at The Galleria will be open, organisers encourage guests to car pool and arrive early. Take note that Al Falah Street will be closed through the duration of the event, while the Zayed The First Bridge will remain open.
Buses will drop off and pick up from the east side of the mall's expansion entrance.
Taxi/Careem: The taxi will drop you off at the the east side of the mall's expansion entrance. While the pickup point will be from the Debenhams Atrium. Careem customers can get up to 50 per cent off your ride by using the code: TGUAE50. This deal extends up to Dh30 per ride.
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Read more:
A guide to Abu Dhabi Festival 2020: from US jazz star Gregory Porter to the American Ballet Theatre's 'Romeo and Juliet'
The Great Debate: should artists be held accountable for being late to concerts?
Why Not! Mazzika: Cairokee and Massar Egbari to play Egyptian indie music festival in Dubai
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
