Call of the Blue

The latest international boy band Blue is scheduled to perform in Dubai on September 26.

The quartet's concert will be held at the Dubai Airport Expo – East Hall. A one-hour concert by the foursome has been organised by Campus Journal to raise funds for a scholarship fund, for deserving students from the UAE.

Rima Karam, marketing manager for the free students' newspaper, said: "Campus Journal is distributed free to students in the UAE. We organise a number of events.

"We felt that by organising a scholarship, we will be able to help students who need the financial help in the country. We are working on the criteria, but the applications will most probably open in the first quarter of next year."

The Blue concert is expected to bring in around 10,000 people. "The entire amount raised in that event will be used for the scholarship programme," she said. "We expect to raise around Dh500,000."

Campus Journal was launched in October 2001. She said: "It communicates in the same language as the target audience."

Blue's stopover in Dubai is part of their Middle East leg of the All Rise tour, which promotes their debut album of the same name. The album is expected to go platinum according to information supplied by EMI Middle East.

Comprising of British performers namely Duncan James, Anthony Costa, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe, Blue released their first single in May last year, titled All Rise.

It entered the UK music chart at number four and stayed in the top 10 for five weeks. The next two singles Too Close and If You Come Back went on to become bigger hits, with both entering the charts at number one.

This was followed by the release of the album All Rise, which is extremely popular among the younger listeners. Tickets for the Dubai concert are priced at Dh50. "This will enable students to attend the event," Rima said.

"Doors will open at 6.00pm, followed with a performance by Dania Al Khatib, the well-known Lebanese singer. Blue will follow that. At 10.15pm, when the concert will end, there will be a special DJ party at the venue.

"Prior to Dania, we will also have local student bands performing," she added.