New Year’s Eve is always a huge deal in Abu Dhabi and traditionally there’s been a big concert to mark the end of the year.
From Coldplay to Katy Perry, the UAE capital comes alive to the sounds of some of the world’s biggest stars every December 31.
This year is no different, as superstar Bruno Mars is coming to the city as part of Resolution by Night, a massive event that will see 2019 end with a bang.
He will perform at Yas Island’s du Arena on December 31, and tickets are on sale now. They start at Dhs350 and can be bought here and from Virgin Megastores across the country.
The Hawaiian has been riding high in the charts since his first single The Way You Are in 2010. Here are five reasons you need to see the man live in person.
THE MAN IS AN AWARDS-MACHINE
Throughout his career, Mars has been lauded for his songwriting as well as performing. Among them, he’s won eleven Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards and has made the Guiness World Record books four times, including being the first solo artist to have three 10 million-selling singles, and spending the most weeks at number one in the Billboard digital music charts in the USA.
UPTOWN FUNK IS AN ALL-TIME CLASSIC
Written and performed with UK producer Mark Ronson and Mars’ backing band The Hooligans, this 2014 banger has broken all kinds of records. It hit number one in 19 countries (and reached the top 10 in 15 more), it was on top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks and number one in the UK for seven weeks. The song went 11 times platinum in America and four times platinum in the UK and broke its own streaming record three times in the UK, as well as breaking the US and Worldwide records at the same time.
HE’S A GOOD GUY
In his native Hawaii, Mars set up a scholarship to help young aspiring musicans from his homeland in honour of his mum. He also donated US$100,000 to orphans in the Philippines who were affected by a typhoon and in 2017 gave US$1 million to victims of the flint water crisis in the US. Hes also a regualr at concerts raising funds and awareness for good causes, such as the Make It Right gala, which builds homes for people in need, the Robin Hood Foundation, which fights poverty in New York and the Somos Una Voz initiative, which helped survivors or a hurricane in Puerto Rico.
A BRUNO MARS SHOW IS BRILLIANT FUN
If there’s one word to describe Mars on stage, it is ‘showman’. The singer, songrwiter, dancer and all-round performer has made a name of himself as a brilliant frontman. He grew up watching the likes of Elvis Presely and Michael Jackson and took cues from their on-stage styles. It’s just one of the reasons why Mars appeals to people of all ages and from all backgrounds. As well as singing, he will switch between piano and guitar and even drums during a concert. There’s also a lot of cool choreography during gigs, with The Hooligans also able to switch between playing and dancing. Throw in some fireworks and you have yourself an amazing show.
YOU GET TO HEAR PRETTY MUCH EVERY STYLE OF MUSIC
You could never accuse Mars of being a one-trick pony. Since bursting onto the scene in 2010, he’s thrown out piano ballads, funk stompers, slick soul numbers and immediate pop classics. He is a one-man hit parade, with smash hits such as Just The Way You Are, Grenade, The Lazy Song, Marry You, 24K Magic and, of course, Uptown Funk just a handful of the tunes you can expect to hear.
From Dhs350 (Bruno Mars). Dec 31, 6pm onwards. du Arena, Yas Island, www.ticketmaster.ae.
