ABU DHABI // It is shaping up to be one of the largest, most accessible concerts the nation has ever seen: Alicia Keys opening for George Michael in front of up to 30,000 fans at Zayed Sports City stadium to celebrate National Day.
The singer from the US was added to the Dec 1 bill yesterday - marking the first time she and her fellow Grammy winner from the UK will perform on the same stage.
On Saturday, organisers will make 10,000 low-priced tickets available at Dh190 (US$52) each. The two artists should prove a major draw. Michael, who has sold more than 100 million records, has said it will be his farewell show.
Keys, who has sold more than 30m records, will appear in Abu Dhabi as part of a two-month tour of Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
It is the first concert to be staged at the stadium, better known for hosting football and hockey tournaments.
Due to the stadium's size, concert organisers Flash will be working closely with police.
The event will begin with a local act that has yet to be announced, before moving into Keys' performance. Michael, due on stage after 11pm, will sing past midnight in a show to be punctuated by celebratory fireworks.
Key's 2001 debut album, Songs In A Minor, contained the hit Fallin', which sold more than 10m copies worldwide when released as a single, and garnered five Grammy Awards, including best new artist and best R&B album.
Her follow up, 2004's The Diary of Alicia Keys, won four Grammy Awards. While the show will be her first performance here, Keys, 27, is no stranger to the region. The singer has spoken of making a "personal pilgrimage" to Egypt's Valley of the Kings for musical inspiration.
She was ordered to postpone two tour dates in the UK on the first leg of this year's tour after contracting laryngitis, but went on to sell out some of its biggest venues including the Manchester Arena.
Keys teamed up with the White Stripes' Jack White to record the first James Bond film theme song by a duet, Another Way To Die, for the latest instalment in the series, Quantum Of Solace, starring Daniel Craig.
The evening is said to be fans' last chance to see Michael in concert. The singer, who has faced a series of embarrassing incidents and several arrests, has pegged the Abu Dhabi show as the final live concert of his 25-year music career, and the finale of his 25 Live tour.
Michael and Keys follow Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Jon Bon Jovi and Christina Aguilera in playing in the capital.
Aguilera's show last week was the biggest-budget music production so far in the UAE.
Tickets to see Keys and Michael go on sale Saturday at www.boxofficeme.com
They will be available next Tuesday from Virgin Megastores, Hallmark, Spinneys, Cellucom.
For more information, visit www.georgeandalicia.ae, which will be live on Saturday.
mswan@thenational.ae
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
