As the social distancing continues globally, artists are coming together to bring a bit of cheer online by hosting virtual concerts. Over the past month, we have seen a spate of international celebrities, including John Legend, Lady Gaga, Elton John and more hosting gigs to raise funds or simply to bring a smile to the faces of fans undergoing hardship during this global pandemic.
Similarly, the UAE has also participated with a series of initiatives that saw the likes of Hussein Al Jassmi and Prateek Kuhad perform. The latest is the ‘Live from HQ’, which will feature Bollywood artists such as Asees Kaur, Mohammed Irfan and Behram Siganporia appear alongside the UAE’s very own home-grown talent The Boxtones, featuring Gary and Louise, DJ Jeff, Diane O’Sullivan and more.
Live from HQ is an online streaming series created in conjunction with India’s Big Bad Wolf, which will live stream daily sets by nine performances in a playlist running between April 25-30.
Sudhir Syal, CEO, BookMyShow, Middle East, further revealed that artists from all over the world will respect the month of Ramadan and host post sunset virtual gigs for fans who are spending the fasting season at home due to social restrictions.
“It is very inspiring to see and hear our global community coming together at this time. Musicians around the world are getting in on the act and performing online, so a music edition of ‘Live From HQ’ has always been on the cards,” said Syal in a statement. “With the aim to keep spirits high during these unprecedented times….”
This music edition starts at 8.30pm on April 25 with a set by UAE favourites, Gary and Louise from The Boxtones, who recently launched a sign of times single titled, ‘No Ordinary Hero’.
“You’ve just got to love The Boxtones. They’re a fun Scottish Canadian rock-meets-pop musicians…,” added Syal. “From performing alongside big names like Liam Gallagher, Stereophonics, Kaiser Chiefs, Pharrell Williams, Enrique Iglesias and many more, they’re now gearing up for an unforgettable live set straight to your homes.”
The roster of shows, covering multiple music genres of classical, jazz, Bollywood, pop, hip hop and RnB, is listed below:
April 25
8.30pm: The Boxtones live.
April 26
7.30pm: Verou Poli (Queen B), a lead singer and pianist for Advanced Creatures Band, the talented musician recorded her first original album at only seven years old.
8pm: Serbian soprano Ana Kovacevic has performed on stages in Austria, Germany and Serbia. Ana teaches at the prestigious Centre for Musical Arts and performs as a soloist and chamber musician.
April 27
7.30pm: Asees Kaur is an award-winning playback singer and one of the most popular names in Bollywood. Kaur is the voice behind the giant hit from ‘Kesar’, which racked up more than 500 million views on YouTube.
April 28
7.30pm: Resident singer Diane O’ Sullivan.
8pm: Before becoming a super celebrity, Behram Siganporia was a pilot in Florida. Behram found bandmates and formed Best Kept Secret. Cue mega fame.
April 29
7.30pm: An Indian playback singer for Bollywood films, Mohammed Irfan is an award-winning industry name renowned for his romance genre songs.
8pm: Arqam is a young Emirati soul singer trying to make a difference with music and conscious entrepreneurship. With old school music set to neo-soul beats and lyrics rooted in positivity, Arqam’s music embodies the UAE, a blend of traditional values and progressive modernity.
April 30
9.30pm: Trailblazer and trend pioneer, Karan Bhatia (DJ Karan) is one of Dubai’s top DJs and producers. A Best Asian DJ award winner, Karan’s single crossed the 1million views mark on YouTube in 2019.
10.30pm: DJ Jeff, the hip hop and RnB DJ has played Redfest DXB alongside DJ Snake and Macklemore, and shared stages with Shah Rukh Khan, Arijit Singh and Badshah, will perform.
Details on the acts can be seen on the Instagram page, @bookmyshow_uae
