Question – who will be rocking Yas Island’s du Arena each night during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend?
As is traditional, the line-up of the first concert, on November 26, is all-Arab and has already been announced: Algeria’s Cheb Khaled, Lebanon’s Fares Karam, Emirati singer Aryam and Lebanese producer DJ Said Mrad.
With the official unveiling by promoters Flash Entertainment of the stars of the other three gigs due in the next few weeks, careful study of the November touring schedules of some of the biggest and best international bands and performers might give us a clue about which ones will be making a pit stop in the UAE during the Formula 1 fun.
Blur
This is as close to a rock-solid guarantee as you can get, until the official confirmation. News of the Britpop legends making their Middle East debut has come to The National from multiple sources close to the group, as we reported last week. That being so, they are a perfect fit to headline the prestigious Sunday-night after-race gig. A performance in Abu Dhabi would also be in line with Blur's touring philosophy this year, which is to play fewer but bigger shows. Since resuming live performances in June, in support of comeback album The Magic Whip, the Damon Albarn-led four-piece have headlined festivals, including the United Kingdom's Isle of Wight, Spain's Benecassim Festival and Australia's Splendour in the Grass. With a generous set mixing more-recent tracks with the classics – yes, they do play Parklife and Girls and Boys – the group have the potential to bring the F1 festivities to a spectacular and triumphant close.
Florence + The Machine
This rumour has gained traction recently after doing the rounds for a few months. The ethereal English rockers will conclude their Australian and New Zealand tour on November 21, before embarking on a run of European dates on December 9, so they have more than enough time to squeeze in a return to the UAE, where they entranced the Sandance crowd at Atlantis, The Palm’s Nassimi Beach in May 2013. An Abu Dhabi warm-up or stopover is a regular practice of F1 headlining bands, with Depeche Mode in 2013 and The Who last year using the capital as a stepping stone on the way into Europe.
Stereophonics
Several sources have told us that the Welsh rockers are coming to the UAE towards the end of the year, so the big question is which event will host them? If Blur are to headline the race-day concert, then a Stereophonics gig the previous night could be considered too much Britpop for a single event. Either way, Stereophonics fans can definitely look forward to a performance by the band in the coming months.
U2
Rumours of the Irish rockers finally coming it to the UAE have been building gradually. Technically, it makes sense as the band conclude their latest touring commitments with a show in Paris on November 15. Another reasonable assumption, however, is that U2 would be more likely to headline a show of their own instead of sharing the limelight with the grand prix. That is how it worked out with The Rolling Stones who, after a year of F1 rumours, instead ended up coming to du Arena for their own massively popular gig in February last year.
Usher
As Pharrell Williams proved last year, racegoers are up for dancing along to some stellar R&B tunes – and Usher could fit the bill. It has been a relatively quiet year for the pop star, as he has been in the studio working on his delayed eighth album. However, he did manage to find time to perform a few big shows across Europe and at Morocco’s Mawazine Festival in June. It was there, when we asked him whether an Abu Dhabi show could be on the cards, that he replied “there is a possibility”.
Katy Perry
There is lots of chatter surrounding the possibility of the pop queen returning to the UAE. After a slightly odd gig at the closing ceremony of the World Parachuting Championships in 2012, many thought Perry would quickly return for a show of her own. She is free to play during the grand prix weekend, as her last scheduled concert for the year is in Mexico on October 18 – but the hefty price tag to bring her to Abu Dhabi for a one-off performance could prove prohibitive. A safer bet is a UAE gig as part of her next global jaunt.
Foo Fighters
Rumours of the Foo Fighters headlining the F1 weekend have been circulating for a few years. It has never happened and one of the more outlandish whispers to explain this is that frontman Dave Grohl is supposedly wary about performing in the region because he fears the band would not be appreciated. Whether this is fact or fiction, we are adding the Foo Fighters into the mix this year because they will round off their European tour in Spain on November 19, after which they are free. Also, the chance to see the recently incapacitated Grohl – who broke his leg falling off stage – seated in his elevated rock-star throne in the middle of the stage at du Arena would be a sight to behold.
Fleetwood Mac
A performance by the rock legends, including the recently reinstated Christine McVie, would surely be the perfect way to close this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend – not to mention tick off another item on the bucket lists of thousands of expatriate baby boomers. The possibility works calendar-wise, with Fleetwood Mac’s last show in New Zealand scheduled for November 22. If this one does happen, Blur would surely be relegated to the Saturday slot to make way for these veteran giants – and if that is the case, we could be looking at the greatest F1 line-up ever.
sasaeed@thenational.ae