Guns N’ Roses’ Abu Dhabi concert this month is a continuation of their 15-year love affair with the UAE.
They are one of the few major rock acts to have performed consistently in the country and across the Gulf during that period.
Fans in the UAE have seen the band at various stages of their career: from the time it was essentially a solo vehicle for Axl Rose, backed by hired hands, to the reunion of the classic line-up, including guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan. The band continues to sell out arenas around the world.
Their visits to the UAE have mirrored Abu Dhabi’s own evolution as a live events destination, from their shows at Etihad Park, the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix and their sold-out concerts at Etihad Arena. Each of these packed shows not only reaffirmed the UAE’s place on the band’s touring map, but also laid the groundwork for other hard rock acts. These have included everyone from Metallica to upcoming gigs by Limp Bizkit and Smashing Pumpkins, who are making their first visit to the city.
Their impact would have been hard to predict when Guns N’ Roses first came to Abu Dhabi in 2010. With Rose the only remaining member from the classic line-up, it was difficult to muster much enthusiasm beyond the novelty of the group’s first UAE performance. Yet the show turned out to be a triumph of will for Rose, who delivered a two-hour-plus set featuring 23 songs – including hits and defiant cuts from their 2008 album Chinese Democracy.
Former keyboardist Dizzy Reed remembered the band’s first Abu Dhabi visit as memorable for what happened offstage. “It was trippy,” he told The National in 2013. “We saw Emirates Palace and the world’s most expensive Christmas tree. We also caught a soccer game and went to this yacht club – it was pretty amazing.”
With the novelty of a first appearance gone, Guns N’ Roses’ return to Etihad Park three years later – with the same line-up – was a no-frills affair in the best way, featuring a set list that stretched to nearly 30 songs. According to The National’s review, Rose was on scintillating form.
“No lip-synching from this guy – a physical performer, he ran himself breathless at times – yet Rose hit the right notes all the time, every time, proving he can still snarl, scream and roar,” wrote The National's Ellen Fortini. “The band was gelled, tight, and put on a memorable show. Every bit of it came across as genuine, even Rose himself, who laughed, smiled, danced, strutted and spun his way through the set with a few well-timed and good-natured microphone stand tosses.”
Perhaps as a reward for staying the course, Rose returned to the UAE in 2017 with the reformed classic line-up, delivering a sold-out performance in front of nearly 30,000 people at Dubai’s Autism Rocks Arena. The return of Slash and McKagan brought a renewed energy and added potency to what was a thrilling show.
“Do the three reassembled key players like each other? Does it even matter? Bands have been built on money and ego for as long as recorded music has existed. Do they have the same cultural zeitgeist – the same whiff of danger and ability to shock – that they did 25 years ago? Of course not,” read The National's review of the show.
“But Slash and Duff’s return has comfortably upgraded the group’s legacy from a touring tribute circus outfit to long-reigning rock ’n’ roll heroes. And on the basis of this euphoric, knockout juggernaut of a show, there’s no rock band of the past three decades who can rival the might of Guns N’ Roses.”
After cementing the reformation’s staying power with a follow-up show at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix a year later, the band went one better by choosing the UAE capital as the opening stop of their 2023 world tour. This time, they dug deep into their catalogue, performing Bad Obsession and Pretty Tied Up for the first time in 30 years, and featuring McKagan on lead vocals for the first time for their cover of T.V. Eye by The Stooges.
With no new music reportedly on the horizon, Guns N’ Roses’ return to the UAE may seem minor, but their enduring relationship with the region reflects a band comfortable to dig deep into their catalogue, and a fan base embracing them in whatever form they take.
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
Paltan
Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
more from Janine di Giovanni
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
