Top 26 concerts and events coming to the UAE in 2025, from Nas to David Gray

Rock, rap, opera, ballet and classical music concerts are some of the performances coming soon to the UAE. A host of global stars will take centre stage from pop stars Ed Sheeran and Amr Diab to US rapper Nas and British singer-songwriter David Gray. The Abu Dhabi Festival returns with a series of orchestral and dance performances, while the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season brings more laughs with stand-up shows featuring Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson and Bill Burr. Here, The National rounds up the best coming live events. The German electronic composer will return for a show dedicated to his latest album In a Landscape , out on September 26. He will be accompanied by the American Contemporary Music Ensemble. Show starts at 8pm; tickets start at Dh330 The Grammy Award winner is bringing his Sting 3.0 world tour to the UAE capital. He'll be joined by virtuoso guitarist and long-time collaborator Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas (Mumford & Sons, Maggie Rogers) to perform some of the biggest hits from his discography. Doors open 7pm; tickets start at Dh395 The chart-topping singer has arguably been the reigning pop king in the region since his 1983 debut album Ya Tareea . He also made a mark beyond the Arabic-speaking world, with his 1996 hit Nour El Ain becoming one of the most popular pop songs to come out of the Middle East. Doors open at 10am; tickets start at Dh302 Drumming meets theatre in this performance by the seasoned Japanese troupe. Since their debut international show in 1981, the ensemble has given about 7,000 performances in more than 50 countries. Meaning “heartbeat” in Japanese, Kodo’s Abu Dhabi show will be an intricate and dazzling display of percussion prowess. The largest drum used in the show weighs up to three tonnes and is made from the trunk of a single tree. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 The world's longest-running musical is based on a novel by Victor Hugo and was adapted into a popular film in 2012 starring Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman, receiving eight Academy Award nominations the following year. The new stage show has a grander production design built for larger venues and features a cast and orchestra of more than 65 people. Tickets start at Dh130 Irish pop band The Script will be heading back to Dubai as part of their ongoing Satellites world tour, in support of their latest album of the same name. The event has been dubbed the Late Late Paddy's Day Party, and will be supported by a full day of live Irish music that will be announced in the coming weeks. Doors open at 12:00pm; tickets start at Dh250 Renowned as a musical prodigy, Japanese percussionist Kuniko Kato, who plays various instruments – from the xylophone to the marimba – will present a programme of traditional and contemporary works. These include interpretations of works by modern composers Iannis Xenakis, Steve Reich, Arvo Part and Unsuk Chin. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 The French siblings are at ease playing with major international orchestras and baroque music ensembles. Favourites of influential US composer Philip Glass , they will present a cinematic programme featuring works by Glass and others, inspired by director and poet Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film version of Beauty and the Beast . Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 The group has woven itself into South Korea’s cultural fabric since its founding in 1993. The first performance programme features works by Brahms and Tchaikovsky, in addition to an excerpt from the ballet Princess Bari by South Korean composer Geon-Yong Lee. The follow-up concert will feature US soprano Jessica Pratt and Mexican tenor Javier Camarena, performing aria duets from composers Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 Usher, Snow Patrol and Raye are set to perform in Abu Dhabi for the Club Social music festival. Snow Patrol will launch the event on April 18, playing hits like Chasing Cars and tracks from their new album The Forest is the Path , with British rockers the Kooks will also join them. Usher will take to the stage on April 19, blending club anthems like Yeah with ballads from his Confessions era and songs from his latest album Coming Home . His appearance will mark a break from his Las Vegas residency. The festival will finish with Raye’s debut full-length concert in the capital on April 20, featuring viral hits Escapism and Prada . She’ll be joined by London Grammar, performing tracks from their latest album The Greatest Love . Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh295 Experience the excellence of some of the world’s most talented dancers, representing esteemed companies such as the UK’s Royal Ballet and Germany’s Bayerisches Staatsballett, in a repertoire of popular classic and contemporary pieces. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 Returning for the second year, US hip-hop star Nas will headline the music and culture festival alongside Canadian R&B singer PartyNextDoor. The line-up also features Palestinian-Jordanian rapper The Synaptik, Saudi artist Asayel, and Egyptian rapper Karim Osama. Sets by Egypt's Cairokee and Lebanon's Adonis will showcase some of the best sounds from the Arab indie-music scene. Tickets start from Dh125 Ed Sheeran and the Kaiser Chiefs will headline the first Off Limits music festival. The event is planned as a 12-hour extravaganza, with doors opening at 2pm. Sheeran and the Kaiser Chiefs will lead a bill of more than 20 artists performing across two stages, which now includes One Republic, Zeyne and Fun Lovin'Criminals. Sheeran will play a full-length concert set, of around two hours, after which other artists will perform into the early hours. The remaining acts will be announced in the lead-up to the event. Doors open at 2pm; tickets start at Dh495 Palestinian violinist Yamen Saadi returns to the Abu Dhabi festival for a concert alongside Spanish violinist Sara Ferrandez and star cellists Kian Soltani from Austria and Pablo Ferrandez from Spain. Expect a varied repertoire of pieces to be performed with precise technique and charm. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 The comedian and former The Daily Show host Trevor Noah kicks off the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season festival. The Emmy Award-winning comedian will perform a satirical set, exploring pressing global issues on stage. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 The American trumpeter is known for co-founding the Westerlies, an important New York brass band that performs a mix of jazz, modern classical music and folk. A 2020 winner of the Lincoln Centre’s Emerging Artist Award, Mulherkar will show off his skill as a composer and arranger. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets start at Dh140 One of the biggest Filipino pop acts, the all-girl group will perform in Dubai as part of their new world tour, delivering a greatest hits set featuring anthems Pantropiko , Salamin Salamin and Karera . Tickets start from Dh195. The Academy Award-winning composer will bring his globally acclaimed Hans Zimmer Live concert to Abu Dhabi for the first time. Known for his extensive catalogue of work, expect to hear soundtracks from films such as Interstellar , The Lion King and Dune . The performance will also celebrate Abu Dhabi’s role in the Dune films, with Zimmer and his ensemble being joined by the original vocalists from Dune , Gladiator and The Lion King on stage. Doors open 6pm; tickets start at Dh579 The American comic, named Yas Island's Chief Island Officer in 2022, returns to Abu Dhabi for what will surely be another sold-out performance. His latest show, titled Act My Age , will feature him sharing more tales from his childhood and family life, as well as his experiences as a high-profile celebrity. Doors open 8pm; tickets start at Dh295 Known for his Bollywood film hits such as Kabira , Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Channa Mereya from various films, Singh is often referred to as the “king of playback singing” – for recorded songs which are then pictured as being sung by the stars in movies. Known for his soulful voice, Singh, who first gained fame for the song Tum Hi Ho from the 2013 film Aashiqui 2 , has performed a number of sold-out concerts in the Emirates. Doors open 6pm; tickets start at Dh200 A regular performer in the UAE, Koy is known for his relatable comedy, pulling inspiration from his family. From his modest beginnings performing in a Las Vegas coffee house, he is now one of the top names in comedy, with four Netflix specials, an autobiography and a Billboard No 1 for his stand-up comedy album, Live From Seattle . Doors open at 6.30pm; tickets start at Dh180 The stage sensation celebrates 25 years since its debut in London’s West End. Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson and scored to the hits of Abba, the story is set on a Greek island and follows young Sophie’s quest to find her father before her wedding. Tickets start at Dh125 Comedian, actor and former Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson will coming to the UAE's capital this June as part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Season. The performer also appears in the 2025 animated film Dog Man . Doors open at 6:30pm; tickets start at Dh295 Considered one of the most influential comedic voices of his generation, Burr has made a name for himself for his informal, honest and punchy style of storytelling. Doors open 8pm; tickets start at Dh250 He one of classical music’s biggest-selling acts, with more than 40 million albums sold, but Rieu is also renowned for almost single-handedly reviving the waltz, a popular European 16th-century folk dance originating in Austria. He returns to Abu Dhabi with his own 80-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra to perform waltz standards and classical version of modern hits. Doors open at 6pm; tickets start at Dh250 After headlining festivals, the British singer-songwriter returns to Dubai for his first solo concert. Fresh off the release of his elegiac album Dear Life , Gray will perform tracks from his new work alongside enduring hits such as Babylon , Sail Away and This Year's Love . Tickets start from Dh395

Top 26 concerts and events coming to the UAE in 2025, from Nas to David Gray

From comedy to music and dance to drama, the next six months offer an eclectic mix of shows