Superstar DJ to spin in the capital

The globetrotting Dutch performer Tiesto will play at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on October 1.

ABU DHABI // One of the world's most popular disc jockeys will give a live show in the capital in what is being billed as the biggest DJ-only tour in history. The Dutch performer Tiesto, who played to billions during the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and has received a Grammy nomination as well as numerous MTV awards, will play at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on Friday, October 1.

The concert, announced yesterday, is the latest addition to his Kaleidoscope world tour, which began last September in New York. Over the 14 months of the tour, Tiesto is to headline 150 shows across five continents. The Abu Dhabi date has been slotted in so he can stop here on his way to Miami after shows in London and the Spanish island of Ibiza. John Lickrish, the managing director of Flash Entertainment, which is hosting the concert, said he was delighted to bring the "superstar DJ" to the Emirates.

"[He] is playing a key part in the exciting and growing dance music scene here," Mr Lickrish said. Tiesto, whose real name is Tijs Michiel Verwest, was born in 1969 and raised by his mother. He started DJing in small clubs and became a star of the Dutch trance scene. In 1999 he played a 12-hour set in Amsterdam. He is a three-time winner of DJ Magazine's world DJ of the year title, as voted by its readers. Two years ago he was nominated for the Grammy for best electronic dance album for his CD Elements of Life but lost to The Chemical Brothers.

Tickets will go on sale on Sunday. The general admission price of Dh150 will be reduced by Dh20 for tickets sold before September 5. Tickets are available at Virgin Megastores nationwide and online at www.ticketingboxoffice.com, www.timeouttickets.com and www.boxofficeme.com. @Email:[e-mail]