Monday, Sep 23, 2013
As the first-ever Dubai Music Week opens on Tuesday with a list of big name performers and appearances, tabloid! gives your ultimate guide to the six-day event at Dubai World Trade Centre featuring talks, workshops, exhibitions, competitions and concerts.
Day 1: September 24
What: Pepsi Band Slam
When: 5pm to 8pm.
Where: Emirates Theatre, Shaikh Saeed Hall 1
Six pre-selected UAE bands will perform across four days (till the 27th) where attendees and participants can vote for their favourite acts. The band will go on to open the closing night concert featuring top Arab singers on September 29.
Tickets: Entry to the venue and exhibition and the Pepsi Band Slam areas is free.
What: Quincy Jones Seminar: Michael Jackson Dream Team
When: 8pm to 10pm
Where: Shaikh Saeed Hall 1
Grammy Award-winning producer Quincy Jones, who worked extensively with Michael Jackson, will bring the late King of Pop’s dream team to Dubai. Attendees will get to hear from the production team that worked on some of Jackson’s record-breaking albums including Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad, and discuss how the greatest selling album of all time was made.
Tickets: Dh400. Details of packages, inclusive of other seminars and concerts on dubaimusicweek.com
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Day 2: September 25
What: Quincy Jones Seminar: Producers Panel
When: 8pm to 10pm
Where: Emirates Theatre, Shaikh Saeed Hall 1
Jones will be joined by fellow producers will.i.am and Timbaland to discuss music production with fans. The event will also see the trio pick an Arab artist to be groomed by Jones for an international career. Pre-selected finalists are Emirati Soul singer Hamdan Al Abri, Dubai-based Lebanese rocker Jay Wud, Lebanese pop singer DD Fox, soul singer Xriss Jor from Lebanon and UAE-based R&B singer Nile.
Tickets: Dh400.
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Day 3: September 26
What: Midem Workshops and Conferences
When: 11am to 6pm
Where: Emirates Theatre, Shaikh Saeed Hall 1
Curated by Midem, the world’s biggest music tradeshow held annually in Cannes, France, the first day of workshops and conferences will include panel discussions on social music and streaming, workshops on digital marketing campaigns, rights managements and start-ups and talks by A&R (artists and repertoire) executives, who are responsible for scouting and managing talent.
Tickets: Dh550 for two days of Midem workshops and conferences.
What: will.i.am and Timbaland Live in Concert
When: 10pm
Where: Dubai World Trade Centre Arena
The producers will play DJ as they perform some of their biggest hits over the years. Prepare to dance to will.i.am’s latest hits including Scream & Shout featuring Britney Spears and #thatPower featuring Justin Bieber.
Tickets: Prices start at Dh200.
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Day 4: September 27
What: Midem Workshops and Conferences
When: 11am to 6pm
Where: Emirates Theatre, Shaikh Saeed Hall 1
The second day of Midem’s workshops and conferences will feature a panel session on the challenges of music publishing in the Arab world and one on how to monetise music through mobile platforms. There’s also a session on how to build successful brand partnerships for new revenue streams featuring X Factor Arabia 2013 winner Mohammad Rifi and a workshop on how to use digital tools to build a music business.
Tickets: Dh550 for two days of Midem workshops and conferences.
What: Selena Gomez Stars Dance Tour
When: 7:30pm
Where: Dubai World Trade Centre Arena
This Disney discovery makes her Middle East debut as part of her ongoing Stars Dance world tour to promote her first solo album of the same name. Expect to watch Gomez perform some of her recent hits including Come and get It and Slow Down, and an opening act by Dubai regular, Lebanese-Canadian singer Karl Wolf.
Tickets: Prices start at Dh350.
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Day 5: September 28
What: Bollywood Night
When: 8pm
Where: Dubai World Trade Centre Arena
Bollywood actor and director Farhan Akhtar will perform live for the first time in Dubai along with music composer Pritam, who has hundreds of Bollywood film music hits to his credit. They will be joined by singers Mohit Chauhan, Benny Dayal, Arjit Singh, Harshdeep Kaur and Neeti Mohan.
Tickets: Prices start at Dh200.
Day 6: September 29
What: Arabic Night
When: 6pm
Where: Dubai World Trade Centre Arena
Dubai Music Week will close with a free concert featuring rising Arab stars. Headliners include X Factor Arabia 2013 winner Mohammad Rifi, who will be joined by the show’s participants Ebrahim Abd Elatheem, Adham Naboulsi and rap group Young Pharoz.
The second half of the evening will feature performances by Arab Idol contestants, including Egyptian singer and 2012 winner Carmen Soliman, and Dounia Batma and Yousuf Arafat.
The winner of the Pepsi BandSlam will open the show at 6pm.
Tickets: This is a free event.
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For details on specific events, workshops and the full scehdule, go to dubaimusicweek.com. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ae.
By David Tusing, Deputy tabloid! Editor
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
