The UAE is in the midst of an invasion – by Lebanese indie musicians. This weekend alone, four hip Beirut artists will take to the stage in Dubai.
On Thursday, August 27, electro-rockers Who Killed Bruce Lee will perform at McGettigan’s JLT, joined on the bill by ambient guitar maestro Gurumiran.
Then on Friday, August 28, Zeid and the Wings – a project from Zeid Hamdan, of Soapkills fame – and experimentalist collective Loopstache will play together at nearby And Lounge.
Each of these acts is a genuinely interesting, engaging, distinctive musical force well worthy of any serious music lover’s time and attention.
In other words, all four acts rock. Suddenly, in a place where one gets sick of being told how few original, underground gigs are being hosted, our musical cups are overflowing with audio goodies.
It’s like paradise ... on the buses. Paradise because we have so much music to enjoy. And buses because they’ve all come along together after a long wait.
Fortunately, this weekend is just the start of a mounting, sustained wave.
Friday’s gig is the work of trendy new gig series The Other Side, which can take most of the credit for this new-found wealth of interesting sounds. The fortnightly concept launched only four weeks ago with a packed-out gig from one of the region’s very biggest bands, blues-rock sensations The Wanton Bishops, who stopped by midway through their European tour.
Two weeks ago it hosted kooky indie-folk duo Safar, also from Beirut. Both events attracted crowds of more than 400.
“We’ve been really blessed by the reaction,” says Dania Ismail, co-founder of The Other Side. “We get so many messages from people saying: ‘Thank you for bringing live music here.’”
Moving beyond Lebanon’s borders, on September 11 the night will host Jordanian electronica outfit Z The People and Egyptian underground creative Bosaina. The September 25 bill will be headlined by Jordanian singer-songwriter Hana Malhas & The Overthinkers.
“There are lots of really interesting sounds coming out of the region right now,” says Ismail, a Syrian national who was born and raised in the UAE. “But for them to be in Dubai is something different. People don’t know what to expect – it’s an intimate and intense experience.”
Here’s to more forward-thinking promoters taking a chance.
Must-see indie acts
As we gear up for the best weekend of regional indie in living UAE memory, here’s what you need to know about the acts:
Who Killed Bruce Lee
This painfully cool quartet blend an indie guitar aesthetic with dancefloor sensibilities, creating smart electro-rock which moves both the mind and body. Formed in 2010, the band made waves with 2012’s self-titled EP. Now work is underway on a crowd-founded long-player helmed by Nick Cave/Depeche Mode producer Victor Van Vugt. Straight from Dubai they kick off a European tour.
Gurumiran
The recently launched solo project of Miran Gurunian, the guitarist/producer/sound-conjurer behind excellent grunge-jazz outfit Pindoll. His engaging, atmospheric new solo record Aberrance takes leads from the electronic sounds of Berlin, and features a guest vocal from Bojan Preradovic, frontman of UAE metal sensations Empty Yard Experiment.
• Live for Vibe Series at McGettigan's JLT & The Baggot, Bonnington Hotel Tower, Dubai, Thursday, August 27 from 8pm. Dh100.
Zeid and the Wings
Zeid Hamdan is a legend of the Lebanese alternative music scene, best known as one-half of Soapkills, the late-1990s Arabic trip-hop duo which set the template as one of the region’s first underground acts to break internationally. Since 2010 he has led Arab-language group Zeid and the Wings, a hauntingly lo-fi, dub-influenced electro-pop quintet.
Loopstache
Indie electro duo Loopstache are best known for their kooky Soundcloud covers of everyone from Avicii to The Beatles. Live the duo uses beats and loops (get it) alongside live synths, guitars, brass and vocals to build deep, party starting grooves. Expect tongues held firmly in cheeks.
• Friday, August 28 from 9pm at And Lounge, The Address Marina Mall, Dubai. Dh75 advance from platinumlist.ae, Dh100 on the door.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Wonka
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
