Maroon 5 is hotly tipped to be the opening act for the soon-to-be-opened Dubai Arena. Why? Well, according to multiple international industry sources, the American pop-rock group, led by front-man Adam Levine, will be heading to Dubai as part of their upcoming European tour. With the groups run of shows beginning in Denmark on June 1 and finishing in Paris on June 11, we should expect Maroon 5 to touch down in the emirate at the end of tour. The holy month of Ramadan will end around June 4. And, with the summer heat rendering any outdoor show in Dubai, a virtual impossibility, not to mention the imminent announcement of<a href="https://www.thenational.ae/uae/dubai-s-new-air-conditioned-sports-arena-for-17-000-spectators-looks-set-to-open-next-year-1.787940"> Dubai Arena</a>'s opening series of shows, we think Maroon 5 could be the band to open up the anticipated new venue. The band, responsible for the hits <em>Sugar</em> and <em>This Love,</em> recently faced a backlash at home for agreeing to perform the half time show in last month's NFL Super Bowl. Normally a prestigious slot that results in bumper concert and album sales, this edition was mired in controversy with a host of artists – including superstar rappers Jay Z and Cardi B – declining to perform at the event due to the treatment of player and activist Colin Kaepernick by NFL team owners. Maroon 5, in additions to hip-hop artists Travis Scott and Big Boi, faced fierce criticism for agreeing to perform at the event – viewed as one of the US's most popular sporting event. Whatever the case may be, whether it is Maroon 5 performing or not, the Dubai Arena promises to be a game changer for the UAE music scene. The air-conditioned 17,000-seater indoor arena will allow for music acts to tour the country during the summer, which is a particularly busy time for artists, due to the plethora of music festivals and summer tours happening across Europe. Located in the City Walk district and built by Dubai based developers Meraas, Dubai Arena will be a venue that can accommodate a range of events, including tennis, basketball, boxing, volleyball and ice hockey, in addition to gala dinners, exhibitions, conferences and festivals. Day-to-day operations of Dubai Arena are to be managed by international venue management company AEG Ogden, which is part of the Anschutz Company, whose portfolio currently includes the O2 in London and the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
