Mohammed Assaf, Dam and more to perform free online concerts for Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation

The pop singer and rap group will have their concerts streamed on YouTube

Mohammed Assaf will perform an online gig for the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. Courtesy Mawazine Festival

Mohammed Assaf leads the next wave of online concerts organised by the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation.

The Palestinian pop star is one of four artists whose gigs will be shown on the foundation's YouTube page.

While these concerts will all be streamed from 8pm and exclusive to the Cultural Foundation, some of them will be pre-recorded. As of yet, no details have been provided on which concerts will be performed live.

Foundation director Reem Fadda said the shows continues the organisation’s quest to bring innovative arts programming to the UAE.

“Viewers will be able to enjoy our upcoming summer season of performances free of charge, and from the comfort of their own homes,” she said.

“While we hope that we are able to reopen before too long, at the moment, live streaming through our YouTube channel is an effective way of carrying on with our mission of promoting both established and up-and-coming, experimental artists and entertaining audiences across the emirate.”

Here are the online gigs coming our way.

Friday, June 19: Majaz

A popular indie act at home, the Bahraini fusion group is known for their intriguing fusion of styles ranging from rock, pop and jazz to traditional Khaleeji folk.

They last performed in the UAE as part of the 2018 Wasla Festival. Speaking to The National before that performance, percussionist Abdullah Faisal described the band's creative approach. "We didn't want people to label us and put us in a certain box," he said.

“We just wanted to show people what we can do. Majaz is basically us putting in as many different emotions that we can into song. The songs here begin at one place and end at another.”

Opening the concert will be oud performance by Ali Dridi and Bashir Al Gharbi from Abu Dhabi’s Bait Al Oud conservatory.

Friday, July 3: Wonho Chung

Wonho Chung is proof that laughter is universal. The South Korean comic, who is fluent in Arabic, will bring his winning brand of multicultural humour to our screens.

"The thing that I always try to do with my comedy is for the material to be inclusive," he told The National. "I want everyone to be on the joke as opposed to the joke being on them."

Warming up the virtual stage will be veteran Emirati funny man Abz Ali.

Friday, July 17: Dam and Freek

This one is for the hip-hop heads.

Pioneering Palestinian hip-hop collective, Dam, is one of the first acts to show that Arabic hip-hop can have its own distinctive voice.

Formed in 1999, the group's two albums Idha (2006) and Dabke on the Moon (2012) are full of their potent lyricisms that discuss the Palestinian plight as well as social justice.

One of their fans is the influential Lebanese producer Zeid Hamdan, who hailed Dam as one of the best indie acts in the region. Joining the trio is Freek. The Somali rapper, who resides in Dubai, found international success with last year's Arabic trap music single Wala Kilma.

Friday, August 21: Mohammed Assaf

For the former Arab Idol winner, this gig is unfinished business as Assaf was due to perform at the venue before Covid-19 struck.

Expect the singer to drop solo hits Makanak Khaly and Ya Halali Ya Mali, in addition to performing covers of hit songs from the Egyptian crooner Abdel Halim Hafez.

In a 2019 interview with The National, Assaf said he was working on a new Hafez inspired album. "I have already started this project, which is to renew these songs for a new generation," he said. "We are still in the early stages. We are communicating with his estate about doing these songs."

For  more information visit www.culturalfoundation.ae