Ten artists who have played at Pyramids of Giza


Saeed Saeed
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The Pyramids of Giza will once again host another huge concert as Travis Scott prepares to play.

The Sicko Mode rapper will launch his new album Utopia at the live-streamed gig on July 28.

Scott won't be the first to perform amid Egypt's archaeological wonders, with fellow American hip-hop star Russ headlining the site last October.

Here are 10 other stand-out performances.

1. The Grateful Dead (1978)

American rock band The Grateful Dead played two nights in September 1978. AP
American rock band The Grateful Dead played two nights in September 1978. AP

The Grateful Dead were one of the first rock bands to perform at the majestic site in 1978.

At the peak of their fame, the idea for the show was reportedly inspired by an Egyptian holiday taken by manager Richard Loren.

After proposing the idea to the group, The Grateful Dead rocked the site with back-to-back concerts.

Three decades later an official recording from the show was released on DVD and a double CD titled Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 in 1998.

2. Frank Sinatra (1979)

Ol' Blue Eyes graced the stage on September 27, 1979, with a classic set that included Someone to Watch Over Me, I've Got You Under My Skin and Strangers in the Night.

Such was the significance of the event, the US press sent along a handful of journalists to document the performance. It was reported Sinatra was his usual charming self on stage and fired off a pun or two.

According to The Washington Post, Sinatra expressed his amazement about the pyramids behind him, quipping about his own heritage: "If the Italians had done it, they would never have finished it."

3. Jean-Michel Jarre (1999)

A portrait of the Egyptian diva Umm Kulthum was projected onto the pyramids as part of Jean-Michel Jarre's Millennium New Year party.
A portrait of the Egyptian diva Umm Kulthum was projected onto the pyramids as part of Jean-Michel Jarre's Millennium New Year party.

A Unesco ambassador at the time, Jarre performed a spectacular New Year’s Eve concert to herald the new millennium in December 1999.

Featuring more than 1,000 performers and artists, the concert was televised live nationally and featured visual elements of Egyptian mythology.

The concert was released on DVD under the title 12 Dreams of the Sun.

4. Sting (2001)

Sting performing in Giza, 2001. Photo: Norbert Schiller / Newsmakers
Sting performing in Giza, 2001. Photo: Norbert Schiller / Newsmakers

Reportedly billed as the region's first "mega" concert, Sting’s solo show featured a guest appearance by Algerian Rai singer Cheb Mami.

As well as the duo performing their global hit Desert Rose, the 19-song set featured Fields of Gold and Englishman in New York as well The Police's classic Every Breath You Take.

5. Mariah Carey (2010)

Mariah Carey performed at the pyramids in May 2010. AP
Mariah Carey performed at the pyramids in May 2010. AP

As one of the first western female pop stars to perform at the pyramids, the Honey singer impressed with a concert covering all aspects of her career.

From Dream Lover and Emotions to the epic ballad Hero, Carey lived up to the moment.

6. Andrea Bocelli (2010)

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli enchanted audiences at the pyramids in 2010. AP
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli enchanted audiences at the pyramids in 2010. AP

Having first performed at the pyramids as part of the 2003 Cairo International Song Festival, the Italian tenor returned for a sold-out show in 2010.

Held on a crisp September evening, the audience was treated to an evening of arias and Bocelli's signature ballad Time to Say Goodbye.

7. Armin van Buuren (2017)

Electronic dance music truly arrived at the pyramids with a show by a master of the form in 2017.

Backed by a blinding light and laser show, the Dutch DJ performed a roaring set that went on to be viewed as a landmark for the genre.

8. Red Hot Chili Peppers (2019)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers played to a big crowd in 2019. AFP
The Red Hot Chili Peppers played to a big crowd in 2019. AFP

Touring for kicks, the US funk rock group arrived with no album to promote in 2019.

That leisurely spirit permeated throughout the live-streamed gig featuring plenty of classics, deep album cuts and extended jam sessions.

Highlights included the mountainous rocker Dani California and the soulful tones of Californication and Under the Bridge.

Acknowledging their surroundings, the group also performed a cover of Radiohead's Pyramid Song.

9. Black Eyed Peas (2021)

From left, Taboo, J Rey Soul, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas at a 2021 concert in front of the pyramids. EPA
From left, Taboo, J Rey Soul, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas at a 2021 concert in front of the pyramids. EPA

For the concert held in the wake of the pandemic, the Black Eyed Peas spread good cheer with their enthusiastic hybrid of hip-hop and pop.

Opening the show with Let's Get It Started, the group tore through their sizable catalogue including Boom Boom Pow, Pump It and the epic closer Where is the Love?

10. Maroon 5 (2022)

Maroon 5 keyboardist PJ Morton told The National performing in front of the Pyramids was better than headlining the 2019 Super Bowl half-time show.

The US pop group left no stone unturned when it came to playing their hits over the 19-song concert.

Beginning with Moves Like Jagger and This Love, Maroon 5 kept the sold-out crowd singing along to tracks Harder to Breath and Memories before ending with the one-two punch of She Will Be Loved and Sugar.

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Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

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Updated: July 15, 2023, 2:03 PM`