Kiss has rung in New Year's Eve in Dubai in roaring fashion.
In one of the most spectacular rock shows to take place in the UAE, a select number of fans at Atlantis, The Palm joined a global audience online to see the legendary rockers deliver an eye-popping gig.
While the term "explosive" is hackneyed when it comes to rock shows, Kiss is the real deal.
Columns of fire and startling fireworks lit up the night sky to signal the arrival of the four-piece group.
Only they did not arrive from the side of the stage.
Startled audience members had to look up to see the group descend on to chrome hydraulic stages that spewed flames while the thunderous roar of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll played on truck-sized speakers.
Dressed in their famous uniforms that include Kabuki-like black and white make-up and silver-studded leather jackets and pants, the group wasted no time, getting stuck into the killer opening combo of Detroit Rock City and Shout it Out Loud from their classic 1976 album Destroyer.
The nine months away from the stage did not leave the band rusty by any means.
Paul Stanley's highly underrated vocals were in fine wailing form in Shout it Out Loud, while the tongue-curling Gene Simmons was all swagger as he waved his bass around like an axe and delivering guttural vocals in the groove-laden Deuce.
While the pandemic may have robbed the band of a packed arena, they did a great job of acknowledging the intimate crowd at the grounds while knowing countless fans online were playing air guitars around the world.
Fun, delirious and defiant, Kiss gave us the glorious 2020 send-off we truly needed.
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- 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
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
