The show will go on for Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.Many high-profile concerts were cancelled last year because of the pandemic, but the venue’s new general manager, Mark Jan Kar, reveals that some of the nixed gigs are back on the cards – one of which is heavy metal titans Iron Maiden.
“That show was rescheduled and then we had to change it again because of their new world tour,” he tells The National. “So, yes, we are very close to securing them for a new date in 2022.”
Another big act set to return sometime next year is former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson, who also had his solo debut Middle East concert cancelled because of the pandemic.
Jan Kar says the shows form part of a – hopefully – busy 2022 for the global concert industry. “When it comes to the big picture, I feel confident in saying that we will start to see big names returning in the second half of 2022 as part of world tours,” he says.
“At the moment, we are seeking out opportunities in 2021 and the first part of 2022 for acts to perform in the arena, but not as part of a world tour.”
A reflection of Dubai
On that score, the Arena is doing an impressive job.
Ever since announcing its return with a stand-up comedy show by the UK’s Paul Chowdhry last November, the City Walk venue has steadily built a diverse programme including a Christmas Day Egyptian pop concert featuring Mohamed Hamaki, an EDM show with Norwegian-British DJ Alan Walker in January and two performances by Pakistani musician Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in July.
The future looks even more eclectic with shows by Egyptian singer-songwriter Hamza Namira, US comic Wayne Brady and Russian rockers Mumiy Troll in September, followed by 16 back-to-back classical music concerts as part of the InClassica series.
What differentiates the Arena from other international venues, Jan Kar says, is how it plays an active role in promoting Dubai.
“We work together with promoters in that we look at the Dubai calendar and the different activities and festive periods, from the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises to Eid weekends, and find ways to drive benefit to the city,” he says.
He points to the Mumiy Troll concert next Saturday, September 4, as an example of that synergy.
“The Russian demographic is important when it comes to Dubai’s tourism market and we worked with promoters to find the right act that ticks the boxes,” he says.
“The interesting thing about that show is that all the marketing and promotion is done in Russia across many cities, with the message that one of your biggest rock bands is playing in Dubai.”
Supporting act to Expo 2020 Dubai
For Expo 2020 Dubai, running from Friday, October 1 to Thursday, March 31, 2022, Jan Kar says the venue is also in the mix.
“I believe there is a responsibility across the entertainment industry here to support Dubai’s vision for the Expo,” he says. “So there have been open conversations and an understanding of the Expo’s event calendar to ensure that we are not competing and that we appreciate the completely different experience that Expo is offering.
“What we are doing with the Expo, or the angle that we are taking, is working with certain country pavilions, such as the Russian pavilion for example, or event promoters who see an opportunity to leverage a country’s pavilion or the people from that particular country in this city.”
And with the Arena being multipurpose, in that its size can be manipulated to accommodate audiences as intimate as 1,500 people to a capacity of 17,000, no show is too big or small to consider.
It is a message bringing a measure of relief to US comic Brady, who is set to perform next Friday.
“We are educating talent and talent managers on what we mean by being multipurpose,” Jan Kar says.
“Brady is a great example in that he said: ‘hey, I am normally confident but I don’t think I am going to sell 17,000 tickets’. But for his show, we actually designed it for 2,000 people through our stage set-up, acoustic system and other features to make it work for the artist and their management.”
A slick operation
While those features are major inducements, what acts really look for in these times is a guarantee of safety for themselves and their crew, as well as the audience.
As the Coca-Cola Arena is one of the relatively small number of major international venues operating, Jan Kar says the industry has been following its progress with interest.
“We have been operating under capacity restrictions for a while now, so health and safety has become second nature to us,” he says. “We had to increase our staff, invest in additional equipment and we grew to become quite a slick operation when it comes to those procedures.”
That satisfaction, however, is tinged with sorrow for a once-thriving industry decimated by the pandemic.
“While we are all knowledge sharing, it is also, at the same breath, very difficult to be positive and talk about positive things,” Jan Kar says. “Other markets are completely depressed and our colleagues in Asia and Australia are wondering if they have a job next week.
“So, it is a case for all of us to find that balance and ultimately move forward.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
'Will%20of%20the%20People'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMuse%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWarner%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20Sandman
%3Cp%3ECreators%3A%20Neil%20Gaiman%2C%20David%20Goyer%2C%20Allan%20Heinberg%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Tom%20Sturridge%2C%20Boyd%20Holbrook%2C%20Jenna%20Coleman%20and%20Gwendoline%20Christie%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
