From left: British singer-songwriters Rag'n'Bone Man, Mahalia and Tom Jones will perform shows as part of Revive Live Tour. AFP, Reuters
From left: British singer-songwriters Rag'n'Bone Man, Mahalia and Tom Jones will perform shows as part of Revive Live Tour. AFP, Reuters
From left: British singer-songwriters Rag'n'Bone Man, Mahalia and Tom Jones will perform shows as part of Revive Live Tour. AFP, Reuters
From left: British singer-songwriters Rag'n'Bone Man, Mahalia and Tom Jones will perform shows as part of Revive Live Tour. AFP, Reuters

Tom Jones, Rag'n'Bone Man and Mahalia to play intimate gigs to revive UK’s live music


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

Tom Jones and Rag’n’Bone Man are some of the British stars playing local and intimate shows to help revive the UK's live music industry.

As part of the Revive Live Tour initiative, more than 20 tours will be held across the UK in community venues such as pubs and small clubs to provide grassroots support for the live music sector.

Other artists signed up to the cause are singer-songwriters Sam Fender, Mahalia and James Arthur, as well indie groups The Magic Gang, Twin Atlantic and The Futureheads.

It is being arranged by The National Lottery – which will contribute £1 million ($1.37m) to underwrite the associated fees and productions costs of the shows – and the Music Venue Trust, and dates and locations of the gigs will be announced soon.

In supporting Revive Live Tour, Jones, known for vintage hits Delilah and It's Not Unusual, says the shows provide opportunities for British musicians to hone their craft after months of online performances.

“Musicians can record in their bedrooms, but they can’t learn to perform in public without a place to play. Without that, there is no way you can communicate directly to people,” he said.

“Without a grassroots music venue, the neighbourhood won’t have a place where people can come together to discover and support a new talent. So support your local pub, club, gym … or wherever someone has the guts to bring in some entertainment, it makes all the difference both to budding artists and the community.”

Music Venue Trust chief executive Mark Davyd says Revive Live Tour will act as a lifeline for venue and crewing staff who have seen most of their livelihoods unplugged since March 2020.

"Grassroots music venues play a crucial role in the development of British music, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills,” he said.

“These venues also play a vital role in the cultural and economic vibrancy of any village, town or city.”

London back in tune

The move comes as the British government prepares to ease Covid-19 restrictions for the public.

At present, hospitality venues across England can only operate at 50 per cent, however that may be lifted to full capacity from Monday, July 19.

Stars and indie music acts are already booked in to play London shows to full crowds.

Concerts include Scottish group Mogwai at Club Pryzm on Tuesday, July 20; Beautiful singer James Blunt at Royal Albert Hall on Friday, July 23; and a solo show by Libertines co-frontman Peter Doherty at the PowerHause on Sunday, July 25.

London's O2 Arena will be back at full capacity from August, according to organisers.

After hosting The Brit Awards in May with limited attendance, the popular music venue aims to be fully operational in time for summer with a series of Welcome Back concerts.

The venue, which has a capacity of 20,000, is already booked for high-profile gigs taking place later in the year.

This includes a rescheduled concert by American pop group Haim on Thursday, September 30, followed by British rapper AJ Tracey on Thursday, November 25 and veteran DJ Pete Tong on Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4.

The venue also announced a comedy show on Wednesday, December 8, with Mo Gilligan leading a line-up of comedians as part of The Black British Take Over.

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Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

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  • 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
The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T

Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000

Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic

Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm

Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km

How to vote in the UAE

1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/

2) Take it to the US Embassy

3) Deadline is October 15

4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll

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
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

Four stars

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

The Year Earth Changed

Directed by:Tom Beard

Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough

Stars: 4

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)

TV: Abu Dhabi Sports

Specs
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BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

Updated: July 09, 2021, 5:15 AM`