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The highly anticipated Amr Diab, Sean Paul and T.I. concerts scheduled to take place at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena this weekend have been postponed indefinitely.
Egyptian superstar Diab was scheduled to perform on October 20, with Sean Paul and T.I. expected to take to the stage the following night.
The venue made the announcement across its social media platforms, posting, “The Amr Diab and Sean Paul and T.I. concerts scheduled for this weekend at Coca-Cola Arena will be postponed. Over the coming days we will work closely with the authorities, promoters, and artist management to secure new dates.”
The statement further read that tickets purchased for the original dates will remain valid and further information on the ticket transfer policy and refund options would be shared imminently.
The reason for the postponement has not been shared by Coca-Cola Arena, but Lebanon’s DJ Rodge, who was to perform at Friday’s concert, shared the venue’s post, adding that he had also cancelled several of his other gigs across the region in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“This Friday’s concert in Dubai has been postponed, and as you know by now, I have cancelled [sic] all my others scheduled shows (Riyadh, Egypt and Beirut). The music takes a pause, as we remember the lives lost and pray for a better future,” he posted, adding: “Stay safe this weekend, wish for peace, and a swift recovery to the injured...”
Since the start of the conflict on October 7, close to 4,000 Palestinians have been killed, with nearly 12,500 wounded in Gaza, according to Reuters, citing the country’s health ministry. Israel has reported the death of 1,400 people, adding that many others have been taken as hostages.
In light of the ongoing conflict, earlier this week, Dubai-based Dubomedy, which promotes local comedy talent and runs an arts school, also announced it was cancelling its show on Friday in a call for solidarity.
A statement posted on Instagram read: “Hello All, we will be responding to the call for a global day of solidarity on October 20th. And cancelling the show. All the performers from that show will be moved to Thursday, October 19. We will gather for levity and to be together with our community.”
The statement further read: “We apologize for the inconvenience. But we stand firm in our beliefs and will contribute to this cause, however small the contribution is. We stand with Palestine in peace and in love.”
Next week, Grammy-winning superstar Macklemore is scheduled to take to the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena on October 28, followed by UK indie-pop band sensation, Bastille, on November 1 at the same venue. Those concerts remain on the roster as planned, and it is unclear at this time whether any date change is forthcoming.
Earlier, American rock icons Kiss announced they were cancelling their concert at the Coca-Cola Arena, scheduled for October 13. All Things Live Middle East, the presenter behind the concert, cited “unforeseen circumstances” behind the cancellation, adding that all tickets would be refunded automatically to the same card used for the transaction. The band had been due to perform as part of their ‘End of the Road’ tour.
Tarahum for Gaza
Over the past week, several Dubai-based Palestinian-owned F&B brands such as Mama’esh and Maiz have been offering assistance through monetary donations and support to those caught in the midst of the conflict.
Dubai Cares is also hosting a ‘Tarahum for Gaza’, a UAE community relief campaign to aid people affected by war in Gaza, where hundreds of volunteers expected come together to pack relief packages for Palestinians impacted in the Gaza Strip. The event will take place on Saturday 21 October, at Qalaat Alremaal Events Hall, opposite Dubai Outlet Mall.
Food delivery app Talabat has also pledged to donate 2 million UAE dirhams to the UN World Food Programme (UN WFP) to support its humanitarian relief for those affected in Gaza. The company is further collaborating with the Emirates Red Crescent to enable customers to donate on the app towards the Tarahum for Gaza efforts.
(Reporting by Bindu Rai, editing by Seban Scaria)
