The lack of ‘hard drinks’ at Fiesta de los Muertos in Dubai didn’t seem to make a difference to the crowd that packed the Autism Rocks Arena on October 27. Fun was still to be had on the unusually cool and pleasant evening, fuelled by soft drinks and lots of youthful energy (so many teenagers).
The first act that this journalist caught was The Mariachis, a sort of novelty Mexican band that does covers of English songs. The UK-based artists are a treat to watch and are definitely more than a filler between bigger acts. They pepped up the crowd and catered to older audiences with vintage hits such as Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance), Livin’ on a Prayer and even Wonderwall. The four-piece group really felt the love as audiences sang along and cheered whenever they began playing a familiar tune.
Up next, and on time, was the Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen who brought her infectious brand of pop music to the UAE stage for the first time. She kicked off her set with 2015 hit Run Away With Me, a true concert song that got the crowd dancing, even if they had no clue who she was. She ran through a number of songs from her album Emotion, including the fast-paced track Making the Most of the Night and the cutesy Boy Problems. Jepsen showcased her stellar vocals while also engaging with the audience and enthusiastically running up and down on the stage. She ended her set with the song she’s best known for — Call Me Maybe, which virtually everyone in the crowd knew the lyrics to, even if they wouldn’t actually admit it. Jepsen’s brilliant band gave her set an alternative rock edge that elevated the singer’s pop sound and made it extra special to listen to on the live stage.
One artist who did not need much company on stage was grime artist Stormzy, who came on after Jepsen. Dressed in crisp white and accompanied by a DJ, he looked confident and ready to show Dubai his skills. The UK rapper blasted the audience with his hard-hitting beats and fast-paced rapping. The crowd seemed prepared, rapping and dancing along to the unique style of hip-hop that originated in London. Stormzy engaged with the audience often, joking with them and at one point seeming surprised that they knew some of this lesser-known tracks. His energetic set got people of all ages on their feet, and was probably the best act of the night.
Before the headliners came on, the crowd was treated to a light and sound show accompanied by some spooky visuals, and unexpectedly, some fireworks. The Mariachis also performed their final set for that night. This was probably to buy more time for the huge Gorillaz team to set up on stage. Before we could get too bored waiting for the band, the stage lights went off and the artists streamed onto the stage. There were a whopping 12 people (including five back-up singers) and made the delay acceptable. Headed by singer Damon Albarn, the band dove into their set, which was executed brilliantly. The band’s years of performing could be seen and felt with the musical precision and artistry they showed.
While the mix of artists at Fiesta de los Muertos — pop rock, grime, hip hop and Mexican cover band — could be seen as unusual, it turned out to be a highly enjoyable night with something for everyone.
