Flash Entertainment last week lifted the lid on a new series of shows – dubbed ‘Yas Island Show Weekends’ – set to make the upcoming F1 gigs look like an open mic night at your local bar. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest superstars set to take the city by storm.
The Jonas Brothers
November 18
Those with kids will already be well aware of these squeaky-clean popsters, since chances are you’ve recently been pestered for a DVD, lunchbox or similarly plastic-based lump of merchandise bearing their adorable little faces. For the rest of us, think of the J-Bros (not an abbreviation coined by us, we’d like to add), as a scaled-down version of the Osmonds, with the addition of asymmetrical haircuts specifically engineered to part pre-teen girls from their pocket money. Still, even the most cynical of music nerds can’t deny the toe-tapping catchiness of hits ‘Burnin’ Up’ and ‘SOS’, and after all, you don’t sell eight million records in less than five years without a hefty helping of raw talent. Detractors of commercial pop would be advised to stay away, but for the city’s families, this ought to be the live music event of the year.
Nelly Furtado
November 26
She may have lost a few fans when she sassed up her image and went all R&B a couple of years back, but that doesn’t change the fact that this lady is one of the biggest selling artists of the past decade and a fine match for Abu Dhabi’s biggest stage. Struggling to put a song to the name? ‘I’m Like A Bird’ is probably her best-known hit, and helped her debut album Whoa, Nelly! on its way to mutli-platinum status in five countries back in 2000. More recently, ‘Maneater’ picked up a series of award nominations in 2006, thanks in part to the seriously raunchy video that accompanied it. A compilation album of her best-known tracks is due out the week before the show, so expect a hit-laden set, sprinkled with a couple of newbies from fifth long-player Lifestyle, due in the new year.
Creamfields
December 9-11
The two-day dance festival returns for its second year in the city, with a new venue and a killer line-up of international stars. French turntable king David Guetta tops the bill, though there’s plenty more action on offer from the likes of Sasha, Above and Beyond, Sander Van Doorn, Gareth Emery and James Zabiela, who’ll have the masses of Yas Arena writhing all the way until 4am. Not one for those fond of early nights and chocolate biscuits, but for the capital’s clubbers (specifically those itching to get their groove on following the cancellation of Tiësto earlier this month) this ought to easily be the sweatiest weekend of the year.
Guns N’Roses
December 16
Okay, so there’s no escaping the fact that frontman Axl Rose isn’t the universally respected rock figurehead that he once was. Physically out of shape and vocally struggling, recent live performances have found themselves on the receiving end of some savage critical maulings, and long-awaited album Chinese Democracy didn’t fare much better when it finally arrived two years ago. Still, nab a spot in the front row while the boys are belting through ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ or ‘Welcome to The Jungle’ and you’re guaranteed an experience that’ll be seared into your brain until your dying day. And with Rose nudging 50, this could be one of your last opportunities to see one of the most iconic guitar acts of all time.
