Hip hangouts: Arrested Development Live and more

Arrested Development Live in Dubai

Arrested Development, the original 90s alternative rap group that shuns guns and ripe language, are coming back to town this weekend to play some of their hits for the crowds at Chi. Brush up on the lyrics to Mr Wendal and People Everyday. Their 2008 Dubai gig went down a storm – and the band is renowned for giving a performance their all.

The night’s entertainment doesn’t end with Arrested Development, British indie band, The Beat, will also be playing. The ska band is fronted by Ranking Roger, and although they did part ways in 1983, they’ve since come back with original co-vocalist Dave Wakeling replaced by the lead singer’s son, Murphy ‘Ranking’ Jnr. Expect to hear the band play their most well-known song, Stand Down Margaret – a famous 80s  protest song about Maggie Thatcher. As well as the international live bands who are flying in for the evening, popular local acts like DJ Bliss, Schooly and Flowrider J will be there to warm up the crowds. The atmosphere in the outdoor Chi Garden will get you in the mood to carry on the party long after the gig finishes, and where better to do so than at Chi itself?
Chi@ the Lodge | 9pm, Thursday February 2 | 04 337 9470
Cost Dh150 or Dh250 for VIP

Cavalli Club Connoisseurs

Why go? Food lovers will be blown away by the Italian spread and the live cooking demonstrations at the first of many Cavalli Club Connoisseurs events. The special set menu is available every night this month, and from February 8-10, Chef Rolando Lolli will be there (he was the Ferrari F1 Team’s chef). The amazing menu features Octopus, Ravioli stuffed with raviggiolo and crispy baby spinach, and Veal medallion wrapped with cabbage, pumpkin, amaretti and saba for the main, finish off with Squacquerone cheese mousse.

This is the first of many Cavalli Connoisseurs events, so once you’ve enjoyed the amazing Italian food on offer now, you can head back for the Spanish and Japanese-themed menus coming up in the next  few months.
Cavalli Club | Until February 29 | 04 332 9260
Cost From Dh250 for food only

WWE Raw Tour  hits Abu Dhabi
If you know your John Cena from The Miz, and your babyface from your heel (that’s the good guy and the bad guy BTW!), be sure to get yourself down to Zayed Sports City next weekend because the WWE stars are jetting into the capital for the Raw Tour.
This is the first time the stars of the sport have stopped off in the UAE, so expect to see some of the biggest names in the ring – Chris Jericho, Kofi Kingston, CM Punk, Zack Ryder and Mason Ryan are just some of the names confirmed. There will be a 10-Man Battle Royal – as in, yes, 10 men fighting; special tag team matches and a WWE Championship match over three games. But if all that language is lost on you and grown men jumping around in a ring pretending to hurt each other doesn’t float your boat, you can seek solace in the fact that there are going to be total hotties in the ring: Evan Bourne and Dolph Ziggler have won fans in the office – Google them, it’ll inspire you to head along there, stat!
Zayed Sports City, International Tennis Complex,  Abu Dhabi | 5.30pm, February 9 to 11 | www.zsc.ae
Cost From Dh300

Laughter Factory

The February line-up for the best comedy night in the UAE has been announced, and happily we’ll be laughing the night away along with three of the Comedy Store’s rising stars: Pierre Hollins, Tom Stade (pictured) and John Lynn. Hollins has lived in Qatar, so is sure to know about expat life’s quirks, and he was declared “a must-see” by The Guardian. Stade has headlined from Amsterdam to New York and Jo’Burg to London, and is known for his naive optimism (although he’s obviously taking the mick). While Irish comic Lynn used to be a secondary school teacher – much of his hilarity stems from those days.
Across the UAE | 9pm, February 7-17 | www.thelaughterfactory.com | 04 355 1862
Cost Dh130