Desert sounds: our pick of the best music events this weekend

From celebrating a DJ's birthday to a Beatles tribute band, we check out the essential music not to be missed around the country.

The Dubai-based band Empty Yard Experiment. Courtesy EYE

The UAE’s favourite singer?

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is officially the UAE’s favourite singer – on the basis of his recent performance schedule at least. He has clocked up a whopping four appearances in the country over the past six months alone.

In April, audiences flocked to hear the Pakistani national treasure play at Emirates Palace. Just over a month later, Dubai fans got the chance to see him perform at the Madinat Arena. Then, in June, the star launched his latest LP, Back2Love, internationally at The Conrad Dubai.

“Everybody is spending time here, so why don’t I?” the singer said at the time, justifying three UAE appearances in as many months.Renowned for performing a mix of contemporary playback tunes and the traditional qawwali music made famous around the world by his famous uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat will return to the capital this week for another, no doubt spellbinding, vocal workout. Not to be missed.

• Rahat Fateh Ali Khan performs at the Abu Dhabi Officers Club on Friday at 8pm. Tickets from Dh75 from www.platinumlist.net

Happy Birthday, Raxon

One of the region's best-loved DJs is throwing a birthday party – and we're all invited. Meet Raxon, by any standards one of the region's most in-demand DJs. The Egyptian, also known as Ahmed El Raghy, was crowned Best Dubai DJ by Time Out Dubai for an unprecedented two years running, this year and last.

The label boss of the UAE imprint Audio Tonic, Raxon is a busy man, returning from dates in the US only this week. But despite the workload, he is choosing to celebrate his 29th birthday doing what he loves most – dropping tunes at the nightspot 360°, where he’s been a resident for the past seven years.

“I can think of no better thing to do on my birthday than play some tunes in my favourite club,” Raxon says. “The past seven years have gone so fast, it feels like ­yesterday.”

Still, tomorrow’s gig is one of the last chances UAE clubbers will have to catch Rax live this year, as he departs next month for a long winter schedule in Europe. Gigs are booked in Berlin and Barcelona, scattered in-between studio work as part of a “top secret” duo project, which the DJ hints may drop an album by next year.

• Raxon and Pierre Ravan spin for Audio Tonic at 360°, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, on Friday, 4pm-3am. Free guest-list entry from www.platinumlist.net

Get Back

Who doesn't love the Fab Four? There's a reason why The Beatles remain the best-loved western pop band of the world so many decades on – mainly because they defined the very idea of what a pop band could, and should, be. And now, 45 years after John, Paul, George and Ringo last shared a stage together, Get Back: The Story of The Beatles promises to guide us through the highlights of the Fab Four's totemic 10-year career. All the hits will be brought to life by the Irish tribute band The Classic Beatles, who once worked with George Martin and performed in front of the Queen at The Ritz in London in 2004.

• Get Back: The Story of The Beatles on Thursday, 8pm (doors 6.30pm) at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Saadiyat Island, tickets from Dh80

Genre-bending wig-outs

Some of the region’s most exciting live acts are gearing up for a boundary-breaking all-star jam. The second Desert Experiment Session will feature three of the country’s top metal bands – Nervecell, Absolace and Empty Yard ­Experiment (EYE) – jamming with special guests including Nader Mansour, one-half of the hot-rod Beirut indie-blues duo The ­Wanton Bishops, and Omar El-Deeb, of the counterintuitively named Egypt prog-rockers ­Simplexity.

• The Desert Experiment Session 2, on Friday, from 9pm at The Music Room, Majestic Hotel Tower, Bur Dubai. Tickets Dh60 at the door

Whats happening in clubland

Bingo Players

If there's one thing the Dutch are good at, it's churning out dance-floor-packing electronic household names. While trailing the likes of Tiësto, Afrojack and Armin van Buuren, Maarten Hoogstraten is still a much in-demand man, not least since 2012's breakout UK number one Get Up (Rattle) featuring Far East Movement.

• Live at Nasimi Beach, Atlantis the Palm, Dubai on Thursday, 8pm-2.30am. Tickets Dh185 at the door

Cielo relaunch

The young Dubai creekside nightspot Cielo Sky Lounge is ramping things up with a fresh-­music policy for the new season, which kicks off tonight with the German deep-house decksmith Robin Schulz, who you might recognise from two recent UK chart-topping remixes, Waves and Prayer in C.

• Live at Cielo Sky Lounge, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on Thursday, 9pm-3am. Guest list and reservations, 056 410 1990

Art Department

The premier beach-clubbing brand Blue Marlin Ibiza continues to bring out the big guns, with a double bill featuring the hard-hitting Canadian house duo Art Department and the explosive Brit house name Russ Yallop, best known for the prophetically named breakout hit I Can’t Wait on the influential Crosstown Rebels imprint.

• Live at Blue Marlin Ibiza, Ghantoot, on Friday, doors 1pm-11pm. Reservations only, call 056 113 3400