BAHRAIN’S favourite hip-hop artist Flipperachi and Kuwaiti RnB artist Daffy are scheduled to perform at a major festival in Abu Dhabi this week.
The entertainment act will be part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Showdown Week which begins today, featuring a seven-day series of events running alongside UFC 242, until Saturday.
Among the attractions will be the first-ever UAE concert by American rock giants, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, on Wednesday at The Arena, a new indoor venue on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island.
Hits
On Thursday, Flipperachi and Daffy will open for Colombian chart-topper and global megastar J Balvin who will also be making his UAE debut at The Arena.
The duo, who recently collaborated on the theme song for the highly-anticipated event, will be joined on stage by a dance crew and will perform some of their biggest hits such as Samboosa and Ee Laa.
“The performance will also include unreleased new music which will be debuted at the Abu Dhabi Showdown Week,” said Outlaw Productions artist manager Sarah Nabil.
“As big fans of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), we had all booked tickets to go see the show in Abu Dhabi on September 7.
“We were then contacted by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to collaborate on the theme song and now we are set for an exciting performance, opening for J Balvin.”
The UFC theme song features a bluesy guitar riff and Khaleeji percussion with the accompanying video showcasing both rappers trading Arabic and English rhymes about preparing for the big fight ahead.
The visuals juxtapose Flipperachi and Daffy training at Dubai’s UFC Gym with day and night images of the Abu Dhabi skyline and ends with both artists meeting each other in the Octagon.
Known as reggaeton’s global ambassador, J Balvin, has collaborated with the likes of Cardi B on I Like It, while Beyonce featured on a remix of his hit track Mi Gente.
The performances will be held at The Arena, Yas Island’s brand-new indoor venue, starting with Flipperachi and Daffy’s opening show at 8pm.
To complement The Arena concert series, multiple venues across Abu Dhabi will also host performances by additional international artists as part of the week’s packed programme of nightlife and entertainment events.
Other artists include British pop and soul singer Jess Glynne, British drum and bass (DnB) legends Rudimental, UK DJ Sigala, Colombian-American DJ and producer Erick Morilloand, British DnB duo Sigma, UK’s grime and rap star Tinie Tempah and DJ Charlsey.
A post-UFC after party on Saturday will premier nightlife brand The White Experience at Mad Yas Island for an epic Abu Dhabi Showdown Week send-off featuring American rapper 2 Chainz.
During the week, fans of the mixed martial arts sport will also have a chance to experience the inner workings of the competition through open workouts, weigh-ins, autograph signings and meet-and-greet sessions with artists.
The main event, a fight between Russia’s Khabib Nurmagomedov and USA’s Dustin Poirier will take place on Saturday for the UFC Lightweight Championship title at The Arena.
Tickets for concerts at The Arena are available at www.ticketmaster.ae and for performances at Mad Yas Island, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr and Yas Beach will be available on the door at each venue.
merlin@gdn.com.bh
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