Having previously hosted music legends such as Aerosmith, Beyonce, Kanye West, Prince, Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue, Yasalam, the largest city-wide entertainment programme run by any race host city, is exceeding all expectations in 2013 with an extra night and a full and diverse line-up of world-class artists.
Running for an unrivalled four nights this year to celebrate the Abu Dhabi race’s fifth anniversary, the After-Race Concerts will start with a bang. Amr Diab, the biggest selling Arab recording artist of all time, will top the bill on Thursday 31 October, with award-winning Emirati artist Hussain Al Jassmi and three-time world music award winner Lebanese superstar Elissa.
One of the Arab world’s top singers, Diab is considered a living legend by many of his fans. He has created his own style which is often termed ‘Mediterranean Music’ or ‘Mediterranean Sound’ and is a blend of Western and Egyptian rhythms.
Elissa is one of the Middle East’s best-selling artists – an instantly recognisable superstar across the region. All of her recordings have spent several weeks at the top of the charts and have catapulted her to the pinnacle of Arab pop music.
Since debuting in 1997 on the television talent show ‘Layali Dubai’, Hussain Al Jassmi continues to be at the forefront of Emirati, Khaliji and Arab singers. He has released four albums, from 2002 to 2010, including 2007’s Ihtart Aabar, which included 14 self-penned songs.
Friday 1 November will see one of world’s biggest music superstars, JAY Z, deliver his first Middle East performance. Widely regarded as one the greatest rappers of all time, JAY Z has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and won 17 Grammy awards in a career that has spanned 17 years. He is expected to perform a selection of hits from 12 studio albums including Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, The Blueprint and Kingdom Come, and songs from his latest chart-topping album Magna Carta… Holy Grail released last July.
Muse, a trio of rock geniuses, take to the stage on Saturday 2 November. One of the world’s biggest rock acts, the Grammy-winning multi-platinum selling group is renowned for highly theatrical, energetic, extravagant performances and also for their fusion of many music genres.
The UK group is expected to perform a selection of hits from six albums including Hysteria, Time is Running Out and Uprising, and songs from their dramatic 2012 album The 2nd Law.
The weekend energy soars higher with pioneers of the post-punk era Depeche Mode closing out Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend with the final After-Race concert on Sunday 3 November. Named by Q magazine as the world’s most popular electronic band of all-time, the group will play classic hits such as Just Can’t Get Enough and Enjoy the Silence.
With global sales in excess of 100 million albums, Depeche Mode, one of modern music’s most influential groups, will close-out the Grand Prix weekend fresh from releasing their 13th album, Delta Machine.
Rock on!
