Mariam Nihal
Saudi Gazette
DUBAI — Laser lights erupted the damp skies as smoke machines and turbo charged effects set the stage for an exclusive night on the shores of Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah on Friday night. It felt like the entire week was working towards a crescendo by Friday night. The Sandance stage for comeback was set with Saudi EDM Producer and DJ Omar Basaad, British DJ and rapper Fatboy Slim, indie-pop band Scouting for Girls, Hip-hop group Arrested Development, English electro-pop duo Pet Sop Boys, South African dance act Goldfish and British duo Hollaphonic performed at Dubai's favorite dance festival.
Sandance bridged the gap between those listed in the world record books as the most successful musical prodigies in history, with the future of tomorrow.
Music sensibilities stirred between different ages and tastes as Fatboy Slim, 50 years old, rocked out to a rave scene and Omar Basaad, in his early twenties doled out progressive hits catering to real EDM.
The event marked the return of Sandance after it’s rocky affair at New Years Eve. Thousands of people were stranded and failed to reach the venue due to the city’s protocol and infrastructure limitations on the night of December 31. Upset fans took to social media and expressed great disappointment. Ticket-holders of the Sandance NYE 2013 event were given a 50 per cent discount at the fest.
To go the extra mile, organizers brought in a variety unknown and unseen in the region. Indie bands from Coachella, Saudi EDM Producer and a selection of live bands including Hollaphonic paired with instrumental extravaganza by Goldfish catered to each and everyone in the audience.
Fatboy Slim doled out his hit new single ‘Eat Sleep Rave Repeat’ to an electric crowd, aside from his all time favorite hits. He closed the set with radio favorites including David Guetta’s ‘Shot Me Down’ and others before Omar Basaad came on to play the closing set.
The dazzling crowd swooned to beats by Arrested Development and Scouting for Girls.
American Grammy award winners Arrested Development, is an alternative hip-hop group with an Afrocentric alternative to real gangsta rap in the 1990’s. Their live performance suited the theatrical visual influences posed by other bands.
The Pet Shop Boys took their electric production to Coachella and brought their visual effects to Dubai. Defined by their ultimate success that sold more than 50 million album sales over a three-decade career, the duo catered to true fans in the crowd with hits like Opportunities from 1985. After releasing their Greatest Hits compilation last year, Scouting for Girls will go on a joint tour in the United Kingdom with the 1990s boy-bands Backstreet Boys and 5ive.
Omar Basaad played the closing set with a progressive, funky melodic house, slowing down the BPM considerably to play melodic tracks but coming back stronger. He played without worrying that many in the audience were burning out, standing for ten hours, given his set timing. He delivered an anthemic hour spanning ID tracks, remixes and his own solo productions including his new single title ‘2 Love’.
