Abu Dhabi Corniche F1 fun

The Corniche lights up this month with free nightly concerts held on the beach (Oct 27-31) as part of the F1 celebrations Discuss this article

1

© ITP Images

View slideshow

• 
• Picture 1 of 2
• 

Day one (Oct 27)

Myriam Faris
8.30pm-9.45pm
Talented Beirut-born singer (and now actress) who struck it big aged just 21. Think Christina with a bit of Britney thrown in and the full-on Lebanese glam.

Listen to… ‘Ana Wel Shou’ (YouTube).

Freshly Ground
10pm-11.15pm
Up-tempo South African fusion band bringing together kwela (street music of Southern Africa) and African folk. Feel-good music with a hint of R&B.

Listen to… ‘Doo Be Doo’ (www.freshlyground.com).

Day two (Oct 28)

Music Hall
7.30pm-midnight
An old-fashioned cavalcade of Lebanese entertainers, including beard-wielding multi-instrumentalists The Chehade Brothers, mustachioed crooner Tony Hanna as well as Raphael Gio’s tribute to rock. It might err on the wrong side of kitsch at times, but the atmosphere promises to be electric.

Listen to… Tony Hanna’s ‘Yaba Yaba La’ (YouTube).

Day three (Oct 29)

Beat Antenna
8pm-8.45pm
One of the most prominent members of Dubai’s music set, UAE rock regulars Beat Antenna released their first EP, Half Now, Half Later, earlier this year to some acclaim.

Listen to… ‘As Soon As I Left You’ (MySpace).

Soul II Soul
9pm-9.50pm
Around the end of the ’80s, UK dance-R&B act SIIS struck it huge with hits like ‘Back to Life’. Jazzie B and co return to rekindle fond memories.

Listen to… ‘Keep on Movin’ (YouTube).

Hussein Al Jasmi
10.15pm-11.45pm
UAE-born singer and entertainer Al Jasmi has a huge following in his native land, although he will be unfamiliar to most Western ears.

Listen to… ‘Wahactini’ (YouTube)

Above & Beyond
Midnight-1.30am
UK trance gods A&B are well known on the dance scene and even host their own weekly radio show, Trance Around the World (check out their website www.aboveandbeyond.nu).

Listen to… ‘Alone Tonight’ (YouTube).

Day four (Oct 30)

Ragheb Alama
10pm-11.30pm
A Lebanese popstar whose career has spanned a lengthy 25 years.

Listen to… ‘Nassiny el Donia’ (YouTube)

DJ Dany Neville
1am-2.30am
Previously the youngest professional DJ/radio presenter in the Middle East, the prominent Dubai disc spinner gets his decks out on the corniche to end day four.

Listen to… The Edge on Radio One

Day five (Oct 31)

Dahab
7.30pm-8.15pm
Described as acoustic ethnic rock, with a ’70s influence, this Dubai-based band are regulars at the UAE’s various jazz festivals.

Listen to… ‘I Am Gold’ (MySpace).

Mohamed Hamaki
8.30pm-10pm
The Egyptian pop singer Hamaki has a strong following in the Arab world.

Listen to… ‘We Aftakrt’ (YouTube)

The Wailers
10.15pm-11.30pm
Led by the Ashton ‘Familyman’ Barrat (so-named because he has 52 children), he is the one remaining link to the original line-up that backed Bob Marley, but they still remember all the hits.

Listen to… ‘Exodus’ (YouTube).