Firmly established as the number one electronic music event in the region, Creamfields Abu Dhabi is poised to celebrate its fourth birthday in pretty spectacular fashion on December 7 this year when the dance festival bandwagon rolls back into town. With the promise of another evening of beat-filled bliss on the cards, tickets for the event are rapidly becoming the hottest thing in town. Some feat considering past events have welcomed the likes of Calvin Harris, Magnetic Man, Underworld and Dizzee Rascal to name but a few.
Produced by the masterminds behind the Cream clubbing brand, their quest to create and develop a bespoke large-scale outdoor event has far exceeded their hopes and dreams because Creamfields is now recognised globally as the most popular and renowned open air electronic music festival in the world. Indeed, it’s won the coveted Best Dance Festival gong at the UK Festival Awards on five separate occasions in 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2011! It might well be in line for a plethora of plaudits this year too as they attempt to cater to everything electronic from dance, trance and dubstep through to progressive and trip hop at the Du Arena on Yas Island. So, if you’re into your electronic music get down to the Arena and prepare yourself for a marathon eight hour dance music session.
Aside from the two world class dance masters headlining, the line up is fleshed out by Brit electro/rap heavyweight Example (back to business after being forced to cancel his appearance at the recent Sandance festival, and no stranger to a number one hit himself) along with some of the region’s biggest names on the electronic scene such as AN21 & Max Vangeli, ARTY, Riva Starr, maDJam, Gunther & Stamina, Genie, Stacktraxxx, Angelo & Asphyxia, Big AL, Ronin & Nesta, Mister Outlaw, Mark Pick Up, Natalie Brogan and Immaculate Touch. All eyes will be on the main headline acts of the evening though, so with that in mind let’s take a closer look at the two men taking centre stage on the big night.
David Guetta
Having started his career as a nightclub DJ in the ’80s the French house music genius has gone on to become a household name and created some of the catchiest dance anthems in recent memory. Fast forward to 2012 and Guetta boasts five studio albums (which are selling well too), a clutch of compilation albums and has sold somewhere in the region of 15 million singles along the way. In fact, his singles collaborations, with a castlist including the likes of Rihanna, Flo Rida, Usher, Snoop Dogg and Nicki Minaj, have seamlessly crossed the divide between electronica and pop, in the process creating global dancefloor smashes. On top of this he’s also won armfuls of DJ awards and even take home some Grammy’s. Not too shabby and it’s no wonder his name will be in big lights on December 7.
Armin van Buuren
The world renowned Dutch trance legend is a huge name in the music world. Regularly voted the number one DJ in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJs, van Buuren also hosts a weekly radio show, A State of Trance, which is said to be one of the most listened to radio shows in the world. Although arguably not as popular in the mainstream as Guetta, van Buuren’s dance credentials more than hold their own. With four big-selling albums to his name, including the acclaimed Imagine in 2008, van Buuren is going to be a huge draw for the clubbers
at this year’s Creamfields.
Creamfields takes place on Friday December 7 from 6.30pm. General Admission tickets will be available at Dhs275. VIP Standing tickets (21+) at Dhs595. Tickets on sale through www.thinkflash.ae or call 800 FLASH (35274).
