Music fans across the Middle East have more than a few reasons to be happy with the announcement that Pharrell Williams will join rock legends The Who and DJ powerhouse Armin van Buuren for the upcoming Formula 1 after-race concert series in Abu Dhabi.
Yesterday’s reveal put to rest the speculation regarding which acts will be heading to Yas Island from November 21 to 23, and some fans will undoubtedly be disappointed by the omission of a major female vocalist (Beyonce, Adele and even Mariah were all potential candidates). Still, this year’s line-up includes artists at the top of their game in what should be an exciting weekend of commercial pop, classic rock and for the first time, electronica.
Arabic music lovers haven’t been forgotten as the race weekend opens up on November 20 with Egyptian bad boy Tamer Hosny, Lebanese bombshell Carole Samaha, Emirati singer Fayes Al Saeed and the young Palestinian vocalist Mohammed Assaf who won over hearts across the Middle East last year when he beat the odds to win Arab Idol.
Things will officially pop off on November 21 with an epic EDM set by Armin van Buuren, the man who many credit with helping to take electronic music to the masses. This will mark the first year that a DJ headlines an after-race concert so visitors should prepare for a rave atmosphere and younger crowds.
Next up on November 22 is the man himself, Pharrell. Perhaps no other artist in music is having a better year than he is thanks to a string of monster hits including Happy, Get Lucky, Blurred Lines and too many other collaborations to mention. Concert goers can expect a feel-good show and possibly a few surprise guests that Williams might be stringing along with him while in town.
Finally on November 23, one of the most iconic bands in history will kick off their 50th anniversary tour (how old are you feeling right about now?) with a show that will bring back to life the best moments of their celebrated careers. The phrase ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ is so often overused, but in this case, that’s exactly what The Who’s upcoming performance in the capital will be for the region.
Concerts are for F1 ticket holders only. For tickets visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com or go to Virgin Megastore.
By Mohamad Kadry
