Two scheduled UAE appearances by a duo of Boyzone’s Keith Duffy and former Westlife member Brian McFadden have suddenly been axed.
Going under the moniker “Boyzlife”, the ageing boyband stars were to meet fans in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11 but according to the Ticketmaster website, the show is listed as “postponed”, yet no replacement dates have been flagged.
Rather than hosting a McBusted-style concert — as described elsewhere in the press — the pair were planning to visit at part of a speaking tour of Hilton hotels, promising fans “the opportunity to hear what really went on behind the headlines” with an “intimate evening of stories, laughter and music”.
Such was the surprise success of the debut 12-date UK leg of the tour, that new dates have been recently been announced for April and May, and a documentary commissioned.
Which might lead to speculation that the UAE was snubbed in favour of playing to its core market, or that poor advance ticket sales put the Middle Eastern visit on the chopping block.
The pair united earlier this year, much to the annoyance of former bandmates. The "supergroup" project was reportedly the brainchild of Duffy, who went on to join British soap Coronation Street following Boyzone's 2000 split. The band later reconvened in 2008. McFadden meanwhile quit Westlife in 2004.
Dubbed Boyzlife, the duo were set to appear at Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach on November 10 and at Hilton Abu Dhabi on November 11.
Tickets started at Dh350, with over-enthusiasts invited to shell out Dh550 for a VIP package complete with a meet and greet and signed merchandise.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
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Jersey 147 (20 overs)
UAE 112 (19.2 overs)
Jersey win by 35 runs
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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