Travelogue

Essential Guide

 

Theatre and Art

The Theatre scene in Dubai is rather limited, with fans relying chiefly on touring companies and the occasional amateur dramatics.  There are plans to build Dubai's first community theatre for amateur and professional groups, but the location for this venue has yet to be decided.

The Comedy scene is unfortunately also limited, however, there are regular visits from comical theatre production groups.  These are aimed mostly at British expats, and they tend to be promoted only a short time before they actually take place.

Concerts and festivals are hosted throughout the year, with visits from international artists, bands and musicians.  More events are held in the winter and during the Dubai Shopping Festival and international sporting events.  There is no regular calendar of events for music lovers, but you can check the daily press, radio and magazines.  Tickets are usually on sale at the venues and at music outlets such as Virgin Megastore. you can also buy tickets online at www.ibuytickets.com or the TimeOut ticketline.

Classical Concerts are occasionally hosted at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, where visiting orchestras, musicians and singers from all over the world perform.  Other venus are mainly at special events such as gala dinners or trade exhibitions.

Pop Concerts - Western bands and singers perform regularly in Dubai and some of the big names have included Elton John, Jamiroquai, Deep Purple, UB40, Tom Jones, Sting, James Brown, Abba and Leo Sayer amongst others.  Concerts are usually held at venues such as the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Irish Village, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC). Smaller venues such as Cyclone and Premiere nightclubs have also hosted pop concerts in the past.  Arabic and Asian concerts and musical programmes are usually held at Al Nasr Leisureland and DIMC.  These feature some of the biggest names from the Middle East, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Fashion Shows are held regularly in Dubai, especially during the Dubai Shopping Festival.  These are mainly held in hotels and shopping malls.  However very little is arranged on a long term basis.  Keep an eye out in hotels, local press and radio.

Dance Events. There is an excellent club scene in Dubai, offering some great nights out.  Special events, like the 'In The Mix' and Ministry of Sound, bring in international DJs and non-stop dancing. Again, dance events are often announced at very short notice so keep an eye on the local media.