Music and nostalgia never fade, especially when wrapped in four chords and high school-era anthems.
More than 25,000 fans were reminded of pop-punk’s enduring pedigree and relevance at a high-energy, double-bill concert by Green Day and The Offspring at Dubai Expo City.
The California stalwarts turned back the clock, while also reinforcing their role in the genre's resurgence. Green Day are set to headline the mammoth Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April and The Offspring are embarking on one of their largest tours.
Their careers are a testament to perseverance. Both bands weathered lean periods, teetering on the brink of irrelevance, only to stage remarkable comebacks. For Green Day, it came on the back of their career-defining 2004 album American Idiot. The Offspring kept the good ship afloat by consistently delivering standout singles, from 2008's You're Gonna Go Far, Kid to their latest sparkling release, Make It All Right.
That experience, energy and commitment were on full display in back-to-back sets in Dubai that came tantalisingly close to punk-pop perfection.
For those seeing The Offspring for the first time, their energetic 60-minute set was the perfect introduction. Launching with a storming rendition of their perversely catchy breakout hit Come Out and Play and the frenetic, two-minute blast of All I Want, the band quickly settled into a crowd-pleasing set list.
They showcased tracks that were rock radio staples from the late 1990s to the turn of the century. Gotta Get Away, with its momentous build-up and chugging guitar riffs, echoed the grunge movement alongside which the California punk scene seemed to flourish.
The faux-reggae strut of Why Don’t You Get a Job and the suburban life-baiting Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) – during which the band released giant balloons into the crowd – highlighted their knack for striking gold with novelty tunes. These light-hearted moments, paired with the goofy banter between guitarist Noodles and singer Dexter Holland, didn’t detract from the serious precision of their live performance.
Their absolutely electrifying version of The Kids Aren’t Alright and the anthemic You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid showed that beneath their breezy, summery demeanour lies an excellent band that are entirely at ease with their craft.
Green Day, on the other hand, seemed to have become better with rage. Once wry and despondent commentators on youth culture and delinquency, they found some rocket-fuelled mojo when focusing on big-picture issues, from patriotism to the rise of fascism. That focus sharpened the songwriting, as displayed in the band’s searing show in Dubai.
Even if their two-hour show was a relatively abridged version of their epic stadium world tour, fans would have been satisfied. The rollicking 22-song set was a welcome tribute to the seminal albums American Idiot and Dookie. The latter, released in 1994 and credited alongside The Offspring's Smash with catapulting US punk scene beyond its underground roots, dominated the first half of the show.
Basket Case, with its jittery verses and explosive chorus, remains one of the finest rock anthems, capturing the debilitating effects of anxiety. Longview, driven by Mike Dirnt's loping basslines, further showcased the band's ability to combine humour with introspection.
With singer Billie Joe Armstrong keeping up the banter, the band tackled the set with an intensity that resembled the flow of a carefully curated mixtape. The marching rhythm of Know Your Enemy seamlessly transitioned into the pogo-inducing riffs of Dilemma, while the distorted punk-metal grind of Brain Stew was the perfect launch pad for a ferocious take of hit single American Idiot.
The 12-minute, multi-suite Jesus of Suburbia remains as epic and invigorating as it did two decades ago, blending a vibrant smorgasbord of rock styles, from 1960s doo-wop to power-pop. The night concluded on a heartfelt note with Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), featuring the customary participation of an audience member – who proved more than adept on the acoustic guitar.
With both bands breaking new ground with their Dubai performance – and judging by the electrified audience reaction – one can only hope this is the first of many punk-pop groups to make their way here in the future.
Blink-182, the spotlight’s now on you.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
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The five pillars of Islam
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1. Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 69 65 69 - 12-under-par
2. Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 71 66 69 - 9-under
3. Li Haotong (CHN) 69 73 69 63 - 6-under
T4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 68 69 67 - 5-under
T4. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67 73 67 68 - 5-under
T6. Marc Leishman (AUS) 69 76 66 65 - 4-under
T6. Matthew Southgate (ENG) 72 72 67 65 - 4-under
T6. Brooks Koepka (USA) 65 72 68 71 - 4-under
T6. Branden Grace (RSA) 70 74 62 70 - 4-under
T6. Alexander Noren (SWE) 68 72 69 67 - 4-under
Under 19 World Cup
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
