A look at the line-up ahead of this year’s Beats on the Beach event.
• Gates open daily at 6.30pm. Free entry
Thursday
As well as a performance by Bamboo Mañalac on Thursday, the Corniche welcomes two very distinct vocal talents: Swedish pop singer Tove Lo – best known for 2013 international hit Habits (Stay High) – and the UAE's very own "Ambassador of Tunes", Fayez Al Saeed, who performed an Eid concert in Fujairah in July. Thursday's opening night of free music will also feature the first big show from new UAE band Bridge Incident, a synth-rock outfit fronted by long-standing singer-songwriter Tim Hassall, and the winner of Yasalam's inaugural Emerging Talent Competition was the UAE urban group S.O.S.
Friday
Lebanon's "King of Romance" Wael Kfoury will serenade supporters with his sultry tones on Friday. Love songs of a rather more explicit nature will come from US hip-hop star J Cole – expect to hear hits Work Out and Power Trip (which, incidentally, features last year's Beats on the Beach headliner, Miguel). Also performing will be Emirati singer Omar Marzouqi, who is something of a local hero, known for a spirited UAE National Day performance of Belad Al Ezz. Smoother R&B sounds will be provided by US rising star Jhené Aiko, who hit it big with last year's The Worst. The bill will be rounded off with a DJ set from Will Smith's elder son Trey "Ace" Smith (not to be confused with Jaden, who was here during the summer) and up-and-coming UAE funk-pop band Carl & The Reda Mafia, who you might have seen warming up for Bon Jovi last month.
Saturday
Beats on the Beach is guaranteed to close in style, with Morocco's man of the moment, Saad Lamjarred, parachuted onto the bill at the last minute. Hot off the back of LM3ALLEM – this year's super-smash which has clocked 197 million YouTube views – we expect the 30-year-old star to receive a warm welcome. For sheer adrenalin, he'll have to compete with Faithless. The vintage Brit dance group have a good record when it comes to waterside UAE gigs, too – fans still get misty-eyed about the outfit's spirited Atlantis Beach set in 2011. Fans of beats of a markedly newer variety will turn out for Far East Movement. The urban/EDM crossover quartet scored worldwide success with 2010's breakout Like a G6. Also performing are female Arab talents – Yemeni TV host Arwa and Lebanon's "Queen of hip-hop" Malikah. Rockers, meanwhile, can look forward to award-winning heavy hitters, Point of View.
