Dubai Summer Surprises 2021: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to perform two shows at Coca-Cola Arena

The Pakistani qawali singer's performances will be held under strict Covid-19 guidelines, organisers say

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is set to perform two shows at the Coca-Cola Arena during Dubai Summer Surprises. Courtesy Coca-Cola Arena

Five months after Coca-Cola Arena hosted its latest performance, organisers are bringing back live shows during the Dubai Summer Surprises shopping festival.

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a regular performer in the UAE, will headline two shows on Wednesday, July 21 and Friday, July 23. The first show, called Just Qawali, will focus on the devotional genre made famous by Khan and his late uncle, the Grammy-nominated Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The second performance, titled Just Bollywood, will feature Khan's extensive repertoire of film songs, starting from 2003.

"Dubai is my second home and each time I perform here is like performing at home. My last commercial concert in December 2019 was in Dubai, where I enjoyed performing at the Coca-Cola Arena and I'm equally excited to return back to the same venue," Khan said.

Organisers at Coca-Cola Arena say the shows will follow strict government Covid-19 guidelines. Capacity for each day will be capped at 1,500 guests with social-distancing regulations in place. Attendees will be required to have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

"We are delighted to announce the return of our first live event at the region's premier entertainment venue and kicking off Dubai Summer Surprises. We look forward to welcoming both residents and tourists to many more live events at Coca-Cola Arena," Mark Kar, general manager of Coca-Cola Arena, said.

English-Norwegian DJ Alan Walker was the last performer at the indoor venue on January 7 during the Dubai Shopping Festival.

The show was held without a dance floor, with masked crowds seated metres apart.

"I didn't realise the audience weren't allowed to stand. So when I was on stage and said 'one, two, everybody jump,' and no one did, I was like 'this is a tough crowd'," Walker recently told The National.

"But then I realised what was going on and it made sense. It just felt really good to play for an audience again. I think we all missed that experience.”

The annual Dubai Summer Surprises shopping festival will begin on Thursday, July 1 and run for 10 weeks. The 24th season of the festival, organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, is set to bring back many of its popular elements, including shopping, hotel, dining and entertainment options at discounted summer rates as well as new events and offers.

Tickets for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's shows start at Dh400 and are available at coca-cola-arena.com