There is a reason why Hussain Al Jassmi is the go to artist for UAE landmark concerts amid the pandemic.
Over the past 18 months, the Emirati crooner has performed high profile gigs mixing his brand of evocative Khaleeji pop with the poignancy of the occasion.
Last night, he headlined the first music concert to take place at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
This comes on the back of being the inaugural act for Sharjah’s newly built Khor Fakkan Amphitheatre on New Year’s Eve, as well as stepping on stage for Dubai Opera’s return concert last August, when the venue reopened after a four-month closure as a precaution against Covid-19.
So what is it about Al Jassmi that makes him a perfect fit for such an occasion?
“We all grew up with Hussain,” explains Yusuf Saleh, 32.
The Emirati and Abu Dhabi resident tells The National that Al Jassmi is one of those rare local acts with cross generational appeal.
“You go to any of his concerts and he will have songs that if you don’t immediately know your elders will and vice versa. It’s just a guaranteed good time.”
And that was basically the brief handed to Al Jassmi. Since the onset of the pandemic, the last major concert held in the capital was by Bruno Mars in 2019 on New Year’s Eve.
Similar to the US pop star, Al Jassmi came with a mission to please and in-turn delivered a 90-minute set of back-to-back to hits.
With the exception of breezy latest single Heta Min Alby , this was not the stage to experiment with new material.
The Abu Dhabi crowd needed to be reminded of the power and unifying spirit of a great live gig.
Al Jassmi delivered this in spades with a mix of up-tempo Khaleeji pop classics, such as Gased and Ahwak Ya Shebh Al Gomar and regal ballads like Bahebek Wahashteni.
The best part of the evening was perhaps the crowd lapping up the live show with full throated renditions for the majority of the set.
And this is the magic of an Al Jassmi concert in the UAE. In front of a local audience, his material is elevated from well-crafted pop songs to music that both inspires and comforts.
Assala Nasri brings it home after a shaky start
And sometimes, even the biggest stars need some comfort of their own.
Preceding Al Jassmi on Thursday was Nasri, in what was the Syrian singer’s first live concert in months. Taking the stage in an all-white dress by Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran, Nasri admitted at the onset.
“It’s going to take me some time,” she said.
“I am normally nervous when I am on stage, but I didn’t see you for a long time so you will have to bear with me. It will get better.”
You can’t fault her honesty.
The opening couple of tracks, including the sting-laden Khaleeji pop of Baeid Anak, sounded rather clunky with Nasri trying to find the right vocal range.
But it wasn't long before her husky voice found its groove, with Levant ballads Samehtak and Shamekh going down a treat.
Together, both performances added up to an endearing night of musical entertainment in the UAE capital.
The expectation of such a gig, both in terms of a new venue and a city deprived of live performances for so long, wouldn’t have been easy. But Al Jassmi and Nasri pulled it off with a mixture of professionalism and humility.
What’s on next at the Etihad Arena?
The second of Etihad Arena's Eid Al Adha concerts takes place on Friday with Egyptian pop star Tamer Hosny taking the stage, joined by Lebanon's Myriam Fares.
Doors will open at 4.30pm with the show starting at 6.30pm.
Guests are required to show a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours to gain access to the show, and all attendees above 16 also need to be fully vaccinated, with the last dose have been taken no less than 28 days ago. Concertgoers must also present their Al Hosn app with E or Star status to enter the venue.
Tickets are sold in pairs, and for groups of three and four guests, starting from Dh195. These are available at etihadarena.ae
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The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
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Price: From Dh650,000
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
8.50pm: Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
9.25pm: Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections
6.30pm: Final Song
7.05pm: Pocket Dynamo
7.40pm: Dubai Icon
8.15pm: Dubai Legacy
8.50pm: Drafted
9.25pm: Lucius Tiberius
360Vuz PROFILE
Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Results
4pm: Maiden (Dirt) Dh165,000 1,600m
Winner: Moshaher, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
4.35pm: Handicap (D) Dh165,000 2,200m
Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Maiden (Turf) Dh165,000 1,600m
Winner: Rua Augusta, Harry Bentley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
5.45pm: Handicap (D) Dh190,000 1,200m
Winner: Private’s Cove, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav.
6.20pm: Handicap (T) Dh190,000 1,600m
Winner: Azmaam, Jim Crowley, Musabah Al Muhairi.
6.55pm: Handicap (D) Dh190,000 1,400m
Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.30pm: Handicap (T) Dh190,000 2,000m
Winner: Rio Tigre, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
