Gangnam Style will meet Dubai style on March 28 when South Korean rapper Psy-- the first person to get a billion views on YouTube -- performs in the UAE as part of My Music X, a new three-day music festival launched in Dubai on Monday.
Psy will be joined by UAE regular Sean Paul at the concert on Atlantis the Palm, before the DJs take over the next night, with ATB and Sander Kleinenberg at a night celebrating electronic dance music.
The festival also includes workshops, Q&A sessions, a fashion event and networking, over three days from its base at the My Music X Village at Dubai International Marine Club, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, from March 27-29. The My Music X opening party will take place on Lebanon Island.
Festival founder Darrell Bell said the event aims to bring together performance and education in a place where music professionals -- or those aspiring to be -- can meet and get creative. “We will be creating a uniquely vibrant and exciting hub of activity at the specially created My Music X Village in Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) in addition to hosting showstopping headline acts,” he said at a press conference, aptly held at one of Dubai’s newest nightclubs, the VIP Room at the Marriot Marquis hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road.
“At the MMX Village – the heart of our event - music fans will enjoy live music events from both well-known and up and coming performers who will be given a platform for the first time. My Music X has been created to ensure it will become a permanent platform for people across the MENA region to share their passion for the one thing that binds countries together – music,” added Bell.
“And music professionals will find themselves in the perfect environment to network for business, to share technical know-how and to find out about the very latest music innovations from some of the top brands in the industry.”
Music producer Teddy Riley will be giving career advice, while local DJs DJ Schooly, DJ Bliss, Layne Redman and Kris Fade will also be involved. Bell said amateur and professional DJs, performers and live bands would have performance space at the event. 2013 Battle of the Year Middle Eastern Qualifier and the UK Bboy Championships Middle Eastern Qualifier will also be held at the festival.
The My Music X Fashion Event will see the return to Dubai of celebrity stylists Rob Zangradi and Mariel Haenn, who styled Jennifer Lopez’s costumes on her recent visit to Dubai.
The music won’t stay just on the Palm and DIMC. Clubs in Dubai, including Alegra, Cash, VIP Room, Movida, Republique, Armani, Mahiki, Amika, Gold, IRIS, Trilogy, White X Lounge, XL, Nasimi, Cavalli and Cirque Du Soir will be hosting themed club nights.
Tickets for the Psy concert are priced Dh250, Dh550 and Dh750; for the dance music night, Dh250-450; and for the Music X Village, Dh150 (one-day general admission) Dh250 (two-day general admission), Dh300 (one-day MMX Pro Pass) and Dh500 (two-dayMMX Pro Pass), and will be on sale in two weeks at all major ticketing outlets, said organisers.
