Dubai’s Limitless Music Concert kicks off

Is there ever enough exposure for local music acts in the UAE? Most signs lead to no. But there’s one group of people trying to change that, and Morris Enai, regional consultant at Movacane Management, is one of them.

A passionate spokesperson for untapped talent in the country, Enai got together with a friend three years ago and decided to plan an alcohol-free, youth-oriented and bi-yearly concert, which will have its first edition on Saturday night at Ductac theatre.

“Limitless Music Concert is a platform that promotes live performances of locally-based artists. The event is firmly rooted in the love of music,” said Enai.

A few UAE-based bands have gotten a taste of the big league — Lebanese rock band Jay Wud opened for Motley Crue in November, for example — but Enai believes that now is the time to build momentum.

“The culture around the industry has been [that] local cover bands perform at bars and clubs, with a few places offering open mic nights. We are excited that local bands are being offered opening act roles for major international performers and we feel this is the right time to have a stage fully-loaded with home-grown talents,” he said.

Still, it’s not an easy task. One of the biggest challenges Enai and his team — a group of media consultants, brand promoters, music directors and event managers — faced was finding corporate sponsorship (CSR), when the event didn’t boast a roster of global act. Three years on, they’ve decided to self-fund most of the project while seeking partnerships and sponsorships as they go along.

The name of the gig, Limitless, is meant to represent their mantra of ‘no boundaries’.

“We believe music is the only thing that speaks one language. It unites people from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, race and religions,” said Enai.

On Saturday, the musical acts include funk jam band Carl & The Reda Mafia, jazz singer Pimms Brooke, hip-hop group S.O.S (Secrecy Over Supremacy), R’n’B singer Tiny and soul singer Kenda Rae.

“Our selection is strictly based on passion for what you do. We have so many artists in the UAE who have different reasons why they are musicians. The list for this event has to do with artists who have worked so hard to make a name for themselves without being signed to a big regional label,” said Enai.

Fittingly, the event will take place at Ductac, a not-for-profit arts and community centre located in Mall of the Emirates. As for keeping the shindig alcohol-free, Enai expressed a desire to cater to young crowds and show just how much fun can be had without “the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.”

*Tickets for Limitless Music Concert are Dh50 through ductac.com. The event is 14+. Doors open at 6pm.