Dubai's concert scene is set for a new dawn with Paul van Dyk bringing his Ibiza club show, Shine, to the Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday.
The concert is the first of its kind in the emirate, with up to 1,500 masked guests allowed to stand in front of their seat or designated area.
This means we can expect a lot of dancing when the veteran German producer, 49, drops trance classics, such as For an Angel and While You Were Gone, from his three-decade career.
Speaking to The National, van Dyk says he is more than ready for the occasion.
"I am a big freak when it comes to music and how to present it to an audience. That's a responsibility I take very seriously," he says.
"To be the first show where people are able to really have a good time again, dance and really develop that sense of togetherness just makes me even more happy and grateful. It also provides a possible outlook for the future.”
From Ibiza to Dubai
The concept itself may also be a harbinger of what is to come from the dance music scene. With many popular European clubs closed owing to the pandemic, bringing their concepts to safe destinations and venues could be the next best thing.
It also offers a chance to break certain misconceptions about such mega venues.
Launched in Ibiza in 2018, van Dyk says Shine represents some of the best qualities the Spanish island's club scene is known for.
“For one thing, Shine is a proper indoor club over there, so bringing it to an indoor arena in Dubai can be done,” he says. “What we will be bringing is really that positive feeling, energy and that excitement that comes from the music.”
Such an approach, he says, makes each performance different.
“We feed off the crowd,” he says. “We have a very clear idea about our music and what kind of vibe we can offer. With everything, obviously, depending on the interaction of the crowd, each show is different.
“Even if we come back to Dubai next year, it will be an experience that won't be repeated.”
Music for the moment
It is that emotional connection powering van Dyk’s music.
Born Matthias Paul in what was formerly East Germany, he was at the forefront of the trance music scene in the mid-1990s before the genre even had a name. After making his mark in Europe with inventive remixes, van Dyk really announced himself with his 1997 second album Seven Ways.
The release helped lay some of the foundations of trance music with its progressive arrangements, hypnotic beats, yearning melodies and ethereal atmosphere.
Van Dyk has been at the top of his game ever since, maintaining a Top 20 spot in DJ Mag’s influential Top 100 DJs list for the past 15 years (presently number 50), while topping the poll in 2005 and 2006.
Despite that experience, nothing has prepared him for the career and industry upheaval caused by the pandemic.
Not only did it allow him to stay at home for an extended amount of time, but it influenced the emotive and elegiac sounds of 2020 album Guiding Light.
“My inspiration is life in general and that had me being constantly at clubs and festivals around the world, and that dynamic was reflected in the music," he says. "But for the last 1.5 years I have been mostly not travelling and more at home. So it made me approach music from a more introverted place.
“This means I don't think about how it's going to sound at the next festival. Instead, when I am creating, it's about how it feels in this moment when I am sitting here alone by myself.”
With the pandemic being a fraught experience for many, the fact that van Dyk is able to hit the decks in Dubai is testament to the power of resilience. In 2016 he suffered a horrific fall on stage at the State of Trance festival in the Dutch city of Utrecht and sustained serious spinal and brain injuries.
He describes the recovery process as a shared effort.
“What is essential is that you have love and support around you and without my family, friends and my team, I really wouldn’t have made it,” he says. “And that goes for the scenario we are facing with the pandemic. We need to be there for each other to guide us through these difficult times.
“No matter how strong we think we are, we can’t manage this on our own. We need to have support from people that love us.”
Paul van Dyk performs at the Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday, August 19. Doors open at 9pm. A pair of tickets start from Dh318.40 and are available at coca-cola-arena.com
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
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
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
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Dunki
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)
Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)
