It has been a while since we had a mega music festival on the beach. Judging by the strong line-up of the inaugural Wake Up Call event, let's hope this will soon be a regular thing.
Set in the lavish grounds of the new W Dubai – The Palm, over a dozen acts, both international and local, will take the performance stage and DJ decks for a weekend full of fresh and edgy tunes. Here are some of the key acts not to miss.
Friday
Rufus Du Sol
Stage time: 11pm
The Australian indie-electro group are on a roll. The trio released consistently acclaimed projects, including their latest album Solace. As a result, they have played at some of the world's biggest music events. They come to Dubai as part of a well-received world tour that saw them perform as part of the influential North American music festival Coachella.
Rita Ora
Stage time: 9.30pm.
She loves the UAE and we love her back. The pop singer has performed in seemingly every major event in the UAE over the past few years, from the inaugural RedFestDXB event and Abu Dhabi's Beats on the Beach in 2014, to a string of regular club appearances. The only difference now is she finally has new songs to play. Ora managed to get herself out of her messy record label situation and released her anticipated second album Phoenix this year. Perhaps as a thank you for the UAE fans for staying the course, she shot the video for her latest single New Look in Dubai.
Disclosure (DJ Set)
Stage time: 7.45pm.
While we would love to see a full band set from the UK electronic music stars, a DJ set by the duo will do just fine. Get ready to groove along to their pulsating tracks that are full of collaborations with the likes of Sam Smith, Lorde and Mary J. Blige.
Saturday
Bob Moses
Stage time: 6.05pm
The Canadian electronic duo know how to work a crowd. They have the hit the ground running since their 2015 debut album Days Gone By, which spawned the club hit and Grammy Award nominated Tearing Me Up. They come to the UAE on the back of their latest release Battle Lines, which is home to the fan favourite Back Down. Seasoned performers, they have played many of the world's leading music festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonaroo as well as the UK super-club Fabric.
Nightmares on Wax
Stage time: 4.25pm
George Evelyn's sets brings a cool vibe to any party. The English DJ, who resides in Ibiza, will showcase his blissful electronic vibes that have earned him multiple Best Downtempo DJ awards.
Wake Up Call Festival runs from Thursday, October 10 - Saturday, October 12; weekend festival pass starts at Dh345; W Dubai – The Palm, Palm Jumeirah. ww.wakeupcallfest.com
_________________
Read more:
[ 16 concerts and festivals happening in Dubai and Abu Dhabi before the end of 2019 ]
[ Amr Diab in Dubai: the Egyptian singer is set to return to the UAE next January ]
[ Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie and Enrique Iglesias are heading to Saudi Arabia ]
_________________
