Elissa and Al Mohandes cater to all at Dubai Shopping Festival concert

Double bill of Elissa and Majed Al Mohandes provides entertainment for all ages.

Elissa performs at the Dubai Shopping Festival Nights at Dubai Media City Ampitheatre. Reem Mohammed / The National

Young and old were serenaded on Thursday as part of the second weekend’s instalment of the Dubai Shopping Festival concert series.

The evening’s double bill consisted of the Lebanese chanteuse Elissa and the Iraqi singer Majed Al Mohandes.

Elissa remembered to cater to her older fan-base, kicking off the evening with a set mixing her latest tracks with old favourites .

The 43-year-old occupies a rather curious place in the Arab music pantheon.

Going strong into her third decade as an artist, her sound is a balance between a throwback to smooth classical Arab pop style of old to some interesting fusion of East and West.

This cross-generational vibe was on ample display through her 90-minute set. Elissa made use of her orchestra as she cooed her way throughout Baddi Doub, a tale of unrequited love (what else?).

Her emotive vocals were best displayed in the strings-laden Ala Hibak, a trademark being her husky voice and the strength it carries. The heart may bruise, it seems to say, but it will never break.

That conviction faltered in some of the newer tracks, the most glaring of which was Asaad Wahda where the tune seemed to be buried under what producers have wrongly calculated as a "cool club sound".

Al Mohandes, on the other hand, catered to the younger set with his vibrant blend of Khaleeji pop.

The 43-year-old suffers from a shortage of stage presence, which is all the more infuriating as he has enough upbeat songs to have a great time on stage.

It was up to the exuberant crowd to save Al Mohandes from himself, and they did, dancing along (some clambering up on chairs) to the catchy tunes Bayni W Baynak and ­Saharni Hawaha.

• Visit www.mydsf.ae for details about forthcoming concerts