Music review: Atif Aslam marks UAE return with rocking performance alongside London Symphony Orchestra

He took to the stage and opened with Jeene Laga Houn, but it was his second song that saw the crowd go absolutely insane. Doori, one of his earliest and most popular hits, had the audience on their toes and set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Pakistani powerhouse Atif Aslam rocked the stage, performing alongside the London Symphony Orchestra for the first time.

Appearing in front of a full house for Rox Nite 1, at Dubai World Trade Centre, in his first solo concert in the UAE since October 2014, her sang some of the best best-loved hits from his repertoire of Bollywood soundtracks and his own albums.

He opened with Jeene Laga Houn, but it was the second song of the night that really got the crowd going. Doori, one of his earliest and most popular hits, had the audience on their feet and set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Backed by the orchestra, he performed slow and soulful songs Tu Chahiya, Jeena Jeena, O Re Piya and Kuchh Iss Tarha, before kicking things up a notch with the faster-paced Mahi Ve and Gulabi Ankhein.

Other songs included Hona Tha Pyar, Rang Sharbaton Ka, Yeh Hai Meri Kahani and, of course, the song that shot him to stardom, Aadat.

In addition to his own songs, he also performed a selection of Bollywood classics, including Honto Se Chhu Lo Tum and Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaey. He dedicated the song Tera Hone Laga Houn to his wife, eliciting plenty of oohs and aahs from the audience.

The highlight of the evening was his rendition of his Coke Studio Season 8 superhit Tajdar-e-Haram, a qawwali originally sung by Pakistan's revered Sabri Brothers, which earned him a standing ovation.

Equally well-received was his performance of another qawwali, the better-known Mast Qalandar.

One of the most delightful aspects of the evening was Aslam’s high level of interaction with the audience. He took breaks in between each song to get feedback from the crowd – and even called a few lucky fans on stage for selfies, after spotting them brandishing a handmade poster with his name on it.

The audience got a really unexpected treat when Aslam decided to stay on stage for a while longer after the concert ended. As the orchestra started to pack up their instruments to move offstage, Aslam settled down with an acoustic guitar and extended the evening with a couple of additional songs.

This unplugged windup was the perfect way to end the evening, sending Aslam’s fans home with huge smiles on their faces.