Ultimate Guide: Top Concerts and Live Events Coming to the UAE This Season


This story, titled "Top 61 concerts and events coming to the UAE, from Abu Dhabi F1 race-day shows to Trevor Noah" First published on The National and was retrieved from its original source on August 28, 2026.
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From pop and rock to stand-up comedy, ballet, opera and musicals, the UAE’s live events season is in full swing, with the months ahead offering a packed line-up across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. Najwa Karam will bring her greatest hits to Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, while Abu Dhabi Comedy Season has announced its first wave of shows led by Palestinian-American star Mo Amer. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is set to perform his stirring arias in Abu Dhabi in December. Elsewhere, Abu Dhabi Festival and NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre will bring a strong classical programme later in the year, including the American Ballet Theatre, Dhafer Youssef and Sondra Radvanovsky. Dubai audiences can also look forward to four shows by superstar comedian Trevor Noah, as well as concerts by Vir Das, Atif Aslam and Hiba Tawaji with Ibrahim Maalouf.
Here, we round up the concerts and live events still to come this year.
Jimmy Carr brings Laughs Funny to Dubai Opera for two performances in one evening. The British comedian has spent more than two decades building a career around rapid-fire stand-up, television appearances and international tours, with the new show continuing his taste for provocative subject matter and observational humour. Shows start 6.30pm and 9.30pm; tickets from Dh250.
Kuwait’s Miami Band bring their career-retrospective, The Miami Show, to Dubai, featuring a catalogue that has been part of Gulf pop since the early 1990s. The set is expected to include songs such as Bastans, Ya Omri Ana and Ya Helwakom. Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh195.
A symphony of choral voices awaits as Chorus Omnis, Abu Dhabi Concert Chorus and Dubai Vocal Ensemble will perform before combining for a massed finale. Doors open 6pm; show starts 7pm; tickets from Dh85.
Egyptian singer Ramy Gamal and Lebanese artist Wael Jassar team up for a night of romantic Arabic pop and tarab. Gamal is known for songs including Beykalemony, while Jassar’s catalogue includes Zorouf Maandani. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh195.
Egyptian comedian Mina Nader brings his latest Arabic-language stand-up show to Dubai, filled with spontaneous exchanges and stories drawn from everyday life that shape each performance. A veteran of the Arabic comedy scene, Nader’s 15-year career has had him perform across the Middle East, Europe and Canada. Show starts 10pm; tickets from Dh195.
The Arts Centre season opens with two brass ensembles drawing on musical traditions from either side of the Atlantic. Grammy-winning New Orleans group The Dirty Dozen Brass Band combine second-line jazz with funk, bebop, R&B and soul. French-North African ensemble Fanfarai bring Algerian and Moroccan traditions into a line-up of brass, percussion, bass and keyboards, alongside Afro-Cuban music, Latin jazz and funk. Both groups are making their Gulf debuts. Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh78.75.
New Zealand dancers Oli Mathiesen, Lucy Lynch and Sharvon Mortimer condense the physical experience of a three-day rave into an hour-long performance. Set to Detroit techno producer Suburban Knight’s album Nocturbulous Behaviour, the Middle East premiere unfolds through continuous movement without a pause. Shows start 7.30pm; tickets from Dh52.50.
The event celebrates the five-decade career of Indian actor Mammootty, with a tribute bringing together filmmakers, actors, singers and musicians associated with Indian entertainment. Guests include directors Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Hariharan, actor Siddique, pianist Stephen Devassy and playback singers Madhu Balakrishnan, Aravind Venugopal and Jyotsna Radhakrishnan. Doors open 4pm; show starts 6.30pm; tickets from Dh50.
K-Pop Fever is a concert-style production celebrating some of the genre’s most popular songs. Featuring 12 singers and dancers, the performance combines live vocals with large-scale choreography inspired by leading K-pop groups and solo artists. Doors open 2pm; tickets from Dh155.
Moroccan artist Youness Atbane combines dance, theatre, performance and installation in a satire examining the international art world’s approach to Arab identity. Set inside an imagined museum, the work follows four characters attempting to create an exhibition connecting the region’s poetic history with contemporary Arab art. Show starts 9pm; tickets from Dh199.
Lebanese singer Najwa Karam returns to Dubai with a catalogue rooted in Lebanese folk-pop and contemporary Arabic music. Karam, who is known as Shams El-Ghinnieh (the sun of music), has given hits including Yelaan Elboaad, Hayda Haki, Khallini Shoufak and Maloun Abu Eleshq. Show starts 9pm; tickets from Dh150.
Lebanese singer and actress Marilyne Naaman makes her Dubai Opera debut with a concert blending Arabic music and western pop influences. She reached a wider audience through The Voice France and has since released songs including Nachez, 5 Minutes and Lech Ma Bterjaa?. Her recording of Ana Min, the theme song from the television drama Bil Dam, became a regional hit in 2025. Doors open 7.30pm; show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh295.
Traditional melodies are given the strings treatment and recast for full orchestra as the Heritage Symphonic Orchestra performs under Emirati composer and conductor Mohammed Al Qahoom. Doors open 7.30pm; show starts 9pm; tickets from Dh195.
Kuwaiti theatre comes to Dubai Comedy Festival with Mohandis Al Thauq Al Aam, a new Arabic-language production written and directed by Abdulaziz Safar. Starring Khaled Al-Muzaffar, Khaled Al-Ojairi, Mohammad Safar and Iman Faisal, the play follows a couple navigating the chaos of expecting their first child. Showtimes to be announced; tickets from Dh250.
Indian comedian Jamie Lever makes her Dubai Comedy Festival debut with a Hindi-language show built around impersonations, music and family anecdotes. The daughter of comedian Johnny Lever, she has also appeared in films including Housefull 4 and Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon. Show starts 7pm; tickets from Dh145.
Munawar Faruqui returns to Dubai Comedy Festival with a new hour of Hindi-language stand-up. The Indian comedian is known for sharp writing, personal storytelling and material that moves between everyday life and social observations. Show starts 7pm; tickets from Dh125.
Filipino singers TJ Monterde and KZ Tandingan bring their In Between Middle East Tour to Dubai following a four-night sold-out run in the Philippines. The married couple will perform solo material and collaborations, moving between romantic pop, soul, R&B and jazz. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh299.
Musical comedian Morgan Jay brings his Goofy Guy Tour to Abu Dhabi, combining stand-up, live music and improvised audience interaction. Performing with a guitar, he turns dating, relationships and exchanges with the crowd into R&B-influenced songs and comic routines. Doors open 6.30pm; tickets from Dh275.
British comedian Mo Gilligan returns to Dubai Comedy Festival with The Mo You Know World Tour. Known for his high-energy delivery and character work, Gilligan rose from viral online sketches to become one of the UK’s most recognisable comedy performers. Show starts 6.30pm; tickets from Dh250.
Russian comedian Alexander Merkul comes to Dubai Comedy Festival debut with a show combining stand-up and live improvisation. Show starts 9.30pm; tickets from Dh150.
Northern Irish comedian Shane Todd Dubai Comedy Festival show combines storytelling, self-deprecation and everyday observations. Show starts 6.30pm; tickets from Dh195.
Egyptian singers Tamer Hosny and Tamer Ashour share the bill featuring a bumper catalogue of hits. Hosny’s career spans pop, film and production, with songs including Yana Ya Mafish, 180 Darga, Omry Ebtada and Ya Bent El Eh. Ashour brings a set built around romantic ballads and break-up songs, including Zikrayat Kaddaba, Ekhtarna Leh, Thania Wahda and Enta Ekhtart. Doors open 7.30pm; show starts 9pm; tickets from Dh137.
Lebanese comedian John Achkar returns to Dubai Comedy Festival with his latest Arabic-language stand-up show Feena Nehke. The show looks at identity, family and everyday anxieties, with Achkar turning personal and social contradictions into sharp comic material. Show starts 6.30pm; tickets from Dh185.
Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky will perform arias and songs by Bellini, Verdi and Puccini, accompanied by pianist Vincenzo Scalera. The programme, part of Abu Dhabi Festival, also includes music by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Richard Strauss. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh150.
Indian comedian Amit Tandon returns to Dubai with his latest Hindi-language show Aise Kaise. The set looks at marriage, parenting and everyday life, areas that have made him a reliable draw with South Asian comedy audiences. Show starts 3pm; tickets from Dh150.
Emmy Award-winning Indian comedian Vir Das is back as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival, bringing his cultural commentary and acute take on international affairs. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh195.
A new twist on the sound of the beloved group has founding member Andre Reyes lead a symphonic version of the Gipsy Kings repertoire, with hits such as Bamboleo, Djobi Djoba, Volare and Un Amor reworked with full orchestral arrangements. Doors open 7.30pm; show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh395.
Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram returns to Dubai with a catalogue that made her one of the defining Arabic pop stars of the 2000s and beyond. Her songs include Akhasmak Ah, Ah W Noss and Ya Tabtab. Show starts 9pm; tickets from Dh210.
British pop group Blue will celebrate 25 years of hits with a Dubai show built around fan favourites such as All Rise, One Love and Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, alongside newer material from their Reflections album. The four-piece remain one of the UK’s most successful boy bands, with three number one albums and 11 Top 10 singles. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh239.
Known for his rapid-fire delivery, crowd banter and cultural observations, Indian-Canadian comedian Russell Peters built an international following through specials such as Outsourced, Red, White and Brown and Deported. Peters remains one of the highest-grossing comedians globally, with a touring career spanning more than two decades. Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh275.
French-Moroccan choreographer Fouad Boussouf brings together seven male dancers in a work connecting hip-hop movement with the ritual dimensions of North African music. The title takes inspiration from Moroccan group Nass El Ghiwane and draws parallels between their search for identity and the origins of hip-hop. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets from Dh52.50.
Riverdance returns to the UAE with a production marking the Irish dance show’s 30th anniversary. The staging retains Bill Whelan’s Grammy Award-winning score while introducing updated choreography, costumes, lighting, projection and motion graphics. Performance times vary; tickets from Dh215.
British singer, pianist and composer Benjamin Clementine performs a programme combining experimental pop, contemporary classical music, jazz and poetry. His debut album, At Least for Now, won the Mercury Prize, while later recordings include I Tell a Fly and And I Have Been. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh500.
Russian-Azerbaijani singer Jony is a star Russian pop and built a following with songs including Kamin, Kometa and Ty Besposhchadna. Show starts 9pm; tickets from Dh295.
Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer performs as part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Season. Born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents and raised in the US, his comedy draws on displacement, immigration and life between cultures. Those experiences also shaped Mo, the semi-autobiographical Netflix series he created with Ramy Youssef, which won a Peabody Award in 2023. Show time and ticket prices to be announced.
Iranian-American comedian Maz Jobrani returns to Abu Dhabi with material exploring immigrant experiences, cultural misunderstandings and family expectations. He previously performed at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week in 2024 on a shared bill with Bassem Youssef. Show time and ticket prices to be announced.
Dubbed one of the greatest dance companies in the world, the American Ballet Theatre will perform works including Frederick Ashton’s Birthday Offering, Jiri Kylian’s Nuages, Brady Farrar’s Trio Elegiaque and Paquita, staged by Natalia Makarova after Marius Petipa. Show starts 8pm, tickets from Dh125.
Trevor Noah brings a new stand-up show to Dubai across four nights. The Emmy Award-winning South African comedian and former host of The Daily Show has released several Netflix specials, hosts the podcast What Now? with Trevor Noah and is the author of Born a Crime and Into the Uncut Grass. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh295.
Algarabia presents a theatrical production blending flamenco with Arabic poetry, performed by musicians from Spain’s University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra alongside dancers and actors. The work follows the journey of an Arab girl drawn to ancient botanical theory and poetic tradition. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh100.
American comedian Andrew Schulz returns to Abu Dhabi with a stand-alone show at Etihad Arena. Known for stand-up specials, podcasting and crowd work, he will also appear as Dan Hibiki in the new Street Fighter film, due to be released in cinemas on October 16. Show time and ticket prices to be announced.
Hiba Tawaji and Ibrahim Maalouf will unite for a one-night performance at Dubai Opera, with the programme drawing on French musical heritage through a blend of chanson, jazz and contemporary composition. Tawaji’s emotive vocals and Maalouf’s genre-crossing trumpet work make this one of the more distinctive concert pairings on the calendar. Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh355.
Atif Aslam returns to Coca-Cola Arena after five consecutive years of sold-out Dubai concerts. The Pakistani singer’s programme will move between Bollywood songs, pop-rock and devotional music, with hits including Tajdar-e-Haram, Jeena Jeena, Pehli Nazar Mein, Dil Diyan Gallan and Aadat. Doors open 9pm; tickets from Dh350.
Known internationally for the global hit Simarik and a catalogue that has defined Turkish pop for more than two decades, Tarkan is making his Abu Dhabi debut is further proof of Turkish’s pop growing popularity in the region. Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh295.
Marking 125 years since Giuseppe Verdi’s death, this programme is led by soprano Maria Agresta and tenor Giorgio Berrugi, and includes selections from Nabucco, I Vespri Siciliani, Otello and La Traviata, alongside overtures and duets drawn from Verdi’s wider catalogue. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh125.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli brings his 30th Anniversary Romanza World Tour to Abu Dhabi as part of Yasalam Classics. The concert celebrates Romanza, the album that helped establish him internationally and includes songs such as Con te partiro and Vivo per lei. Doors open 6pm; tickets from Dh295.
Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larsson will open the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026 after-race concert series with separate sets at Etihad Park. Capaldi returns to the capital following his Saadiyat Nights performance in January, bringing a catalogue that includes Someone You Loved, Before You Go and Forget Me. Larsson joins the bill with pop staples such as Lush Life, Never Forget You and Symphony, offering a high-tempo contrast to Capaldi’s ballad-driven set. The show launches the four-night programme running alongside the race weekend at Yas Marina Circuit. Showtime yet to be announced; access exclusive to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders.
Imagine Dragons will headline the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after-race concert series on Saturday night. Fronted by Dan Reynolds, the US band are known for songs including Believer, Radioactive, Demons, Thunder and It’s Time. The group last performed in Abu Dhabi in 2023, when they sold out Etihad Arena. Showtime yet to be announced; access exclusive to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders.
The Chainsmokers and The Script will close the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after-race concert series with separate sets on race day. Irish band The Script are known for songs including Breakeven, The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, For the First Time and Hall of Fame. US electronic duo The Chainsmokers bring a catalogue that includes Roses, Don’t Let Me Down, Closer, Paris and Something Just Like This. Showtime yet to be announced; access exclusive to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders.
More than six decades of chanson and Mediterranean music feature in Enrico Macias’s latest Dubai concert. The French-Algerian singer is known for Adieu mon pays, Les filles de mon pays and Enfants de tous pays. The concert is reportedly among his final international appearances. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh295.
Georgian musicians Lisa Batiashvili and Giorgi Gigashvili will perform works by Beethoven, Bartok and Franck, alongside a contemporary piece by composer Josef Bardanashvili. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh150.
Pianist Minsoo Sohn will perform Book One of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, presenting the 24 preludes and fugues that explore every major and minor key. The recital highlights both the intellectual depth and emotional breadth of the landmark work. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh150.
The Broadway production of Chicago comes to Coca-Cola Arena for eight performances over five days. Set during the Jazz Age, the musical follows nightclub performer Roxie Hart and vaudeville star Velma Kelly as they compete for public attention while awaiting trial for murder. The score includes All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango and Razzle Dazzle. Performance times vary; tickets from Dh49.
Dopa World is a three-day festival focused on young Arab music, culture and creative businesses. Saint Levant is the first announced artist, with the Palestinian-Algerian performer known for blending Arabic, English and French across songs including Very Few Friends and Deira. The remaining artists are yet to be announced. Doors open 4pm daily; tickets from Dh245.
Oud maestro Dhafer Youssef will perform with his quintet, bridging sounds from the East and West through jazz, Arab and North African traditions, as well as European classical and electronic elements. He is expected to perform material from his latest album Shiraz, described as his most personal work to date. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh150.
Canadian pianist and composer Tony Ann makes his Dubai debut with a programme blending contemporary piano and classical influences. Known for his viral #playthatword series and the Emotionally Blue, Orange and Red EP trilogy, Ann has also co-written The Chainsmokers tracks Sick Boy and Call You Mine.
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is reimagined on ice by the Imperial Ice Stars, with 24 skaters bringing together figure skating, ballet, aerial movement and theatrical choreography. The production follows the story of Odette, Prince Siegfried and Rothbart, with snowfall, fog, pyrotechnic effects and elaborate costumes adding to the staging. Show times vary by date; auditorium doors open 30 minutes before each performance; tickets from Dh300.
Tamaas Festival returns with three acts moving between traditional forms and club-orientated production. Moroccan-Swiss musician Sami Galbi combines rai and chaabi with electronic music, while Nigerien guitarist Bombino performs Tuareg desert blues and rock. British collective Ibibio Sound Machine close the evening with West African rhythms, post-punk, disco and electronic music. Festival starts 7pm; free pass upon registration.
The UAE National Orchestra accompanies two Harry Potter films across consecutive nights. John Williams’ stirring score for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is performed on February 5, followed by Patrick Doyle’s music for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on February 6. Doors open 6.30pm; shows start 7.30pm; tickets from Dh120.
Egyptian oud player Aly Eissa, Alexandrian violinist Ayman Asfour and Belgian-Norwegian keyboard player Jonas Cambien make their UAE debut as The Handover. The trio bring the ritual and folk music of rural Egypt into contact with free improvisation, psychedelic rock and electronic textures. Show starts 9.30pm; tickets from Dh52.50.
Palestinian composer and pianist Faraj Suleiman returns with a programme dedicated to Lebanese composer, pianist and playwright Ziad Rahbani. Rather than reproducing the original recordings, Suleiman re-orchestrates and re-harmonises the material through contemporary piano, jazz and Arabic composition. Show starts 7.30pm; tickets from Dh78.75.
British-Norwegian pop group A1 and Canadian duo Music Travel Love will share the stage for the first time in Dubai. A1 are known for hits including Everytime, Caught in the Middle and Like a Rose, while Music Travel Love, formed by twin brothers Bob and Clint Moffatt, are known for acoustic covers and originals including Nothing’s Gonna Change my Love for You. Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh295.
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