The Backstreet Boys' Abu Dhabi gig last May sold out within six hours. Pawan Singh / The National
The Backstreet Boys' Abu Dhabi gig last May sold out within six hours. Pawan Singh / The National
The Backstreet Boys' Abu Dhabi gig last May sold out within six hours. Pawan Singh / The National
The Backstreet Boys' Abu Dhabi gig last May sold out within six hours. Pawan Singh / The National

Backstreet Boys to return to Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena in October


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

The Backstreet Boys are returning to Abu Dhabi. The band will perform at Etihad Arena on October 23.

The show will come a little more than a year after their first in the capital, which was part of their DNA World Tour. The concert was one of the fastest-selling arena shows in the UAE, selling out in six hours.

During the two-hour gig at Etihad Arena last May, the band played some of their biggest career hits, including Everybody and I Want It That Way, interspersed with tracks from their 2019 album DNA.

“They made it clear from the start that the night would not only be about their chart-toppers but also songs that helped to make the Backstreet Boys who they are today,” The National’s Evelyn Lau wrote in her review of the performance.

Their previous concert was one of the fastest-selling arena shows in the UAE. Pawan Singh / The National
Their previous concert was one of the fastest-selling arena shows in the UAE. Pawan Singh / The National

The group, she wrote, performed “with high energy as they sang and danced with moves that proved they can still charm after all these years. Although older, they still come across as endearing as ever".

While the upcoming concert promises to be as memorable, member Kevin Richardson will be absent due to scheduling issues. However, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean and Brian Littrell will be performing.

Presale tickets will be available on the Live Nation website on Thursday before opening to the general public at noon on Friday. Ticket prices start at Dh295.

Formed in 1993, the Backstreet Boys remain one of the biggest boybands in the world, and they have a dedicated fan base in the Arab world.

They are no strangers to the region, having performed in Saudi Arabia in 2019 on the back of their well-received album DNA. It was their first in the kingdom. The group also performed in Dubai as part of the 2018 Blended music festival, which had more than 10,000 fans singing along to hits such as Larger than Life and Everybody.

More information at www.etihadarena.ae

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Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?

If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.

Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.

Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.

Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).

Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal. 

Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.

By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.

As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.

Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.

He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.” 

This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”

Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.

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4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions; Dh90,000; 2,200m
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6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden; Dh80,000; 1,600m​​​​​​​
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh100,000; 1,600m​​​​​​​
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh125,000; 1,600m​​​​​​​
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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: October 23, 2024, 12:27 PM`