The concert of Ethiopian singer Teddy Afro showed me how vibrant the UAE music scene is

With temperatures rising, you might think the live music scene in the UAE has temporarily fallen silent.

While the calendar of major concerts is smaller than usual, the diverse selection proves that the local concert scene is not only vibrant and active, but also represents the UAE’s diverse communities.

To see and feel this, visit the lesser-known concerts and venues. Not only are they the lifeblood of the country’s live event sector, but they also achieve what promoters and musicians strive to do on stage: create valuable moments of community connection.

While social media and billboards are promoting Spanish pop star Enrique Iglesias’ upcoming concert at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena in September, a smaller and relatively unknown performance took place there last weekend that was as impactful as any blockbuster show.

Singer Teddy Afro may only be known to discerning world music fans, but to Ethiopians, he is their Taylor Swift. When the concert was announced, the news spread through the Ethiopian community’s social media channels and WhatsApp groups. Restaurants and hair salons proudly displayed concert posters on their windows, and even church groups from Abu Dhabi and Dubai hired minivans to bring fans to the arena.

The end result was one of the most joyful concerts the UAE has ever witnessed. The arena was resized to resemble a cozy 5,000-seat hall, echoing with the sounds of fans finally seeing their proud culture represented on stage.

Ale, an Ethiopian taxi driver from Dubai, told me that the concert meant more to him than the music. “Like everyone here, you miss your homeland,” he said at the Arena. “It makes you proud to see someone from my country doing great things in the UAE. There are Ethiopians here that I met for the first time, so I’m glad I can come here and dance and make some friends too.”

Such community-enriching experiences are readily available in the UAE in varying degrees of scale and intensity, offering not only respite from the rigors of everyday life but also temporary balm for the trauma of being far from home.

Such was the case with the Sudanese community in the UAE, whose cultural gatherings found greater resonance after their homeland was plunged into armed conflict last year. The sweet melodies of Sudanese pop music heard at the Sudan in the Heart of the UAE festival at Dubai World Trade Centre in May offered catharsis to a community teetering on the brink of tension. I saw women break down in tears as a classic folk song by the late Mohammed Wardi was performed, and families dancing to the upbeat rhythms of the evening’s headliner, Nancy Ajaj.

A similar impact will surely be felt on Saturday when the UAE’s vibrant Levant communities come together to celebrate the Palestinian folk music tradition at the Theatre of Digital Arts in Dubai.

Lebanese singer Rita Mikhael will offer a contemporary reminder of Palestine’s history and heritage through songs inspired by Palestine’s greatest composers and poets. Sometimes these lesser-known shows are a gateway to discovering new genres. Once again, the Theatre of Digital Arts is an ideal place to start these journeys, with its ongoing concert program ranging from Cuban mambo and French chansons to New Orleans jazz and mystical Sufi chants.

And if you’re not familiar with the Philippines’ rich rock history, check out the Eraser Heads when they make a rare appearance here at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in December. The latest electronic sounds from Africa, however, are best heard in the UAE’s major clubs.

All this shows that the local music scene is not only vibrant, but also embodies the cosmopolitan and tolerant qualities that characterize the UAE.

Updated: July 5, 2024, 6:02 p.m.