Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The music scene in Bahrain has definitely changed since my arrival 12 years ago. When I arrived in Bahrain in 2006 concerts from world-famous artists were non-existent. The F1 held its first race in 2004 and it was to be a few years later until the Sakhir circuit hosted a live concert.
Then in 2010, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance Celtic movers hit the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre. Tickets were BD1, and the family watched the full ensemble cast fill the width of the stage with their legs kicking and tapping in perfect sync. There were moments where your jaw was in your lap watching their feet move almost too fast to comprehend.
Then in 2011,The Spring of Culture hosted Diana Krall and since then we have been so fortunate to have seen world-famous artists like Bocelli, Seal, both Julio and Enrique Iglesias, pictured right at the BIC last year, Avicii, Pitbull, Tom Jones, Eric Clapton, Gloria Gyanor and Joss Stone perform here on our tiny island.
When I took my children in 2015 to watch One Direction in Dubai it took hours of preparation and painstaking queues. The act came on to the stage an hour late and then half way through some over-zealous fans toppled a safety barrier and fainted in the crush, causing the concert to come to a temporary halt. Thankfully, no-one was seriously injured.
Luckily for us in Bahrain we have had the opportunity to see famous artists perform in easily accessible venues, many of which have stunning surroundings, such as the Arad Fort and Bahrain Bay.
This year current pop stars Rita Ora and former BSB pupil James Arthur will put a spring in our step and 10-time Grammy winner Santana will be at the grand prix bash. Although ticket prices may have increased they’re all too good to miss.
