It was announced on Monday morning that international heavyweights Florence and the Machine will be joining Enrique Iglesias and Blur to headline the three after-race concerts at this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The all-star Arabic concert, featuring Cheb Khaled, Fares Karam, Aryam and DJ Said Mrad, was announced earlier this year. All performances, at the du Arena from November 26 to 29, are available to race-day tickets holders. Here’s everything you need to know about the acts.
Arabic night — Thursday, November 26
For the third successive year, the after-race concert series kicks off with A-list Arabic talents. Topping the bill is Cheb Khaled, the 55-year-old Algerian music legend, known for powerhouse vocals and tunes that blend the North African blues of Rai music with slick pop arrangements.
Khaled will have some younger competition from Lebanese singer Fares Karam, who broke out from talent show Studio El Fan, gaining fame for adding a modern twist to traditional Dabke music.
All eyes will also be on Aryam, the only female artist on the bill. The high-profile gig is something of a graduation for the Emirati singer after her previous performance at the Grand Prix festivities, in 2011 during Beats on the Beach on the Corniche.
The late-night tempo will be set by DJ Said Mrad, who will round off the bill with his blend of Arabic pop and dance-floor beats.
Enrique Iglesias – Friday, November 27
“The King of Latin Pop” is a guaranteed party starter – ideal for Friday night’s festivities.
With record sales reported at more than 100 million, the Spaniard arrives with a solid set of hits likely to charm even a casual post-race crowd. Initially finding fame around the turn of the millennium with smashes such as Bailamos, Be With You and Hero, the past five years have seen the 39-year-old revive his relevance through timely collaborations with Pitbull (I Like It), Usher (Dirty Dancer), Sean Paul (Bailando) and Ludacris (Tonight). Other select biographical facts everyone should know: he's the son of septuagenarian music legend Julio Iglesias, and is the long-term partner of tennis star (and model) Anna Kournikova.
Florence and the Machine – Saturday November 28
Dave Grohl's bad luck was Florence Welch's good fortune – when the Foo Fighters frontman broke his leg this summer and was forced to cancel the band's Glastonbury appearance, the Machine got bumped up the bill, making Welch the first female headliner of the millennium. Even without this career boost, Welch's profile has risen since her 2013 Sandance show. After a four-year wait, her third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, was finally released this summer to unanimously glowing reviews. Welch's brand of theatrical baroque pop/rock might be an acquired taste, but that just makes this both the edgiest and most culturally relevant booking of the lot.
Blur – Sunday, November 29
Securing Blur for the closing night is a major coup – news that was originally broken by The National some weeks ago.
One the biggest and best-loved bands to hail from the United Kingdom in recent decades, the band rose to prominence with the mid-1990s Britpop boom, writing generational anthems including Girls and Boys and Parklife. Their work evolved in increasingly interesting directions into the early 2000s.
Following a five-year hiatus, the band reunited in 2008 for a series of festival dates around the world, and have since continued to dine out on former glories. However, the quartet proved they have something new to say with the surprise release of The Magic Whip in April. Their first album in 12 years, it ranks among the band's best work.
If Blur bring a fraction of the spirit and fervour they displayed in London’s Hyde Park this summer, this will be a night to remember.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
