Mixtape Rewind headliner Peter Andre comes off as a natural entertainer in Dubai show

“Mixtape Rewind is not cool,” said DJ Cheddar, the warm-up act, preparing the audience for Friday evening’s Mixtape Rewind concert at Dubai’s Emirates Golf Club that featured three of the leading lights of 1990s pop.

The Irish girl band B*Witched began with a breakbeat, which drew murmurs of confusion from the audience. Reassuringly, though, a cod Irish fiddle solo joined in and the group opened with C'est la Vie, which, given the depth of the band's oeuvre, was bold.

Mid-set, they brought on new material – uninspired electropop that borrowed from – or, perhaps, gratuitously pilfered – Kelly Clarkson circa Since U Been Gone. These tracks were not warmly received. B*Witched closed with Weatherman.

Next up was 5ive. Or, more accurately, thr3e, given that two members have moved on to other things. 5ive have a surprisingly memorable back catalogue. While Slam Dunk Da Funk appropriated the slap bassline of many a more complex song, their cover of We Will Rock You added nothing to the original, but Got the Feelin' did at least boast a few numerical puns.

Their closer Everybody Get Up was well received. I had forgotten about the pre-Eminem white-boy rapping, which was endearingly inoffensive.

Boy bands have changed since the 90s, skewing younger in a bid to more closely match their target demographic. For better or worse, 5ive provided the aural wallpapering for many childhoods. Like childhood, most grow out of it.

The night's headliner Peter Andre was a natural entertainer. I am not ashamed to admit to watching several episodes of his reality television show Peter Andre: My Life, in which the Aussie feigns spontaneous emotional reactions to updates about the love life of his former wife, Katie Price. Though his falsetto was weak, his choreography and energy were adequate compensation. And Andre can dance.

He quickly dispensed with much of his back catalogue in a medley, during which he helpfully signposted the songs’ titles and UK chart ratings.

He then returned to his calling: Michael Jackson covers. Much of his stage time was spent imitating MJ’s dance moves.

In the middle of his set, he ushered a nervous couple and a large group of friends onto the stage, before introducing us to Louis, who proposed to his girlfriend. The crowd cheered. Andre toasted the couple with Mysterious Girl. I was moved.

abouyamourn@thenational.ae