Where have all the rock stars gone? It’s possible to make your dreams of being in a band come true, and Abu Dhabi is as good a place as any to start.
There isn’t a clear live band scene in Abu Dhabi. If you want to see a live act, there are plenty in the city – but the vast majority are covers bands, and even the jazz outfits around town stick to well-known standards of the genre. If we’re talking original musical talent that draws in small, sweaty crowds with songs they’ve written themselves, it’s fair to say there’s not that much going on.
While we’re lucky to have such venues as the Du Arena, which has bands passing through intermittently including big international stars, but these music industry giants don’t inspire the community to get together and have a grassroots jam themselves. If you’re an expat, you may be missing the music scene back home, and if you’re native to the area, you may be wanting to begin one. Start a band and give Abu Dhabi the music it deserves – by following these simple steps.
Equip yourself
There are plenty of places to buy your instruments in order to form the loudest rock ’n’ roll band possible (or the gentlest solo acoustic act, if you’d prefer). A good place to start would be the AKM Music Centre
(02 621 9929), a large supplier of musical instruments with a particularly wide range of guitars. There are two Abu Dhabi branches, one on Electra Street and the other on Muroor. Meanwhile, there’s also The Young Musician in Al Raha Mall (02 556 0211), inside which the musician’s corner is a hub for pianos and also boasts a selection of Fender guitars, a must for any blues enthusiast. Thomsun Electronics (02 677 9230), a prime seller of quality music brand Yamaha, is located in Hamdan Street and Dalma Mall. And if you don’t find your ideal instrument at these places, there’s always www.dubizzle.com which offers second-hand equipment – just make sure you’re getting a good deal.
Learn the trade
You’ve acquired your tools. Now it’s time to learn how to play your instrument and foster your talent as a solo act, or assemble that dream band. There aren’t many better ways to do both than enrol at a music school. The Modern Art Music Institute, Al Firdous St (02 673 8380), teaches courses in guitar, drums and keyboards, as well as vocal training for the wannabe Mick Jaggers and Jon Bon Jovis among you. And if you want to hone your musical abilities to the maximum, there’s the classically inclined Royal Institute of Music and Art (02 622 5410).
While learning the ins and outs
of the trade, not only will you become the next Jimi Hendrix in
no time (willpower required), but you’ll also meet like-minded people – the ideal circumstance of getting your troupe of minstrels together. Once you’ve got some songs together, start practicing!
Perform live
When you’re ready and raring to go with your own tunes, mind-blowing talent and a healthy dose of winning charm, it’s time to get out there and make an impression. B Lounge at the Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort (02 677 3333) offers the only widely-advertised open mic night in Abu Dhabi, and puts on its popular musical free-for-all on the second Saturday of every month from 6pm. First-time performers are welcome (and so are regulars), so if you want to test your limits as a performer and potentially wow the crowd, this is the perfect testing ground – or the setting for your big moment. Just make sure to forward you details on to B Lounge at least five days in advance to ensure a place at this aspiring musician hotspot. Now, what are you waiting for?
Inspiring tales of homegrown bands
Anuryzm
Thrash metal group Anuryzm have managed to break through with their debut album Worm’s Eye View, released in 2011, with lead guitarist John’s hometown being Abu Dhabi. Singer Bibby Nadeem says, ‘I also think that there is a huge misconception that artists or bands are what “define” or “make” a scene when in actuality it is the people or fans who should work hard to create their scene.’
Juliana Down
Though based in Dubai, Juliana Down are a success story for the UAE’s music culture. In 2011, they became the first band from the country to be signed to a major record label – signalling the potential rise of regional talent. ‘If you really want it bad, just keep working at it’, they say, having so far opened for Muse, Guns N’ Roses and Maroon 5. If they can do it, why can’t you?
