Limp Bizkit to make long-awaited Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi

Limp Bizkit will be rolling into Abu Dhabi this August. The nu-metal titans are set to make their regional debut at Etihad Arena on August 12 as part of their expanding Loserville Tour – an ironic moniker that captures the band's enduring appeal despite no longer being part of the current pop conversation. That self-awareness – hilariously embraced by frontman Fred Durst with his prematurely white beard and knowingly retro stage persona – hasn't dulled the band's explosive live energy. Limp Bizkit still deliver anthems such as Rollin', My Way and Nookie with the same rebellious spirit that beguiled a generation about 30 years ago. Indeed, one of their biggest hits – Break Stuff – turns 25 next month and remains a defining sound of the once-dominant nu-metal genre, led by the riff machine that is guitarist Wes Borland, the deft scratches of turntablist DJ Lethal, and Durst's love-it-or-hate-it yelping raps. Their latest album, 2021's Still Sucks, proves the fire is still there – staying true to their rap-rock roots, especially in swaggering singles such as Dad Vibes. Limp Bizkit's arrival should also soothe the souls of their most enduring regional fans, with the group having cancelled their planned headlining appearance at the inaugural Dubai Desert Rock Festival in 2004. Their long-awaited debut comes only days after Metallica announced their return to Abu Dhabi – performing as part of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after-race concerts – and ahead of Guns N' Roses' show at Etihad Arena in May, showing that UAE rock fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming months. Pre-sale tickets will be available from the Live Nation website at midday on Thursday, with general sale beginning at the same time on Friday

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

What's On

6 days ago

• What's On

Wael Kfoury is performing live at Dubai Opera this weekend

A love song you can't stop humming, a voice you've grown up with and a night you'll want to be at. Wael Kfoury is performing live at Dubai Opera on Saturday, June 22, and it's set to be a special one. Wael Kfoury 101 Wael is a big deal, if you didn't already know. Since the '90s, he's been at the heart of the Arabic music scene, with a long list of chart-topping tracks and millions of devoted fans across the region. With a career spanning over three decades, Wael has built a reputation as one of the Arab world's most enduring musical legends. From passionate ballads to feel-good hits, his songs are woven into the soundtracks of many lives. Dubbed the 'King of Romance,' he's known for pairing deep lyrics with that deep voice – warm, steady, and full of feeling. His live shows? Always packed. Always electric. The music From early hits like El Bint El Awiye and Omri Kellou to more recent favourites like Law Hobna Ghalta and Qalbe Meshtaq , Wael's sound blends contemporary Arabic pop with unmistakable classical roots. He's a balladeer at heart – and when he hits those long notes live, it's goosebumps. The event Whether you've been there from the days of the cassette tape or jumped on board more recently, Wael's music hits deep. Presented by Moments Events, the Lebanese star returns to Dubai for a one-night-only concert inside the city's most iconic venue. Expect a mix of nostalgia, power ballads, and pure charisma. The venue Dubai Opera doesn't really do average nights out. Set in the heart of Downtown, it's the city's go-to for world-class concerts, theatre, and shows. The venue itself is a design marvel, and whether you've been before or it's your first visit, a night here always feels like a special occasion – it's the perfect place for a concert like this. The details Location: Dubai Opera, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, Downtown Dubai Time: Sunday, June 22, doors open 8pm Tickets: Starting at Dhs350, available via More big names If you're planning your concert calendar, the UAE is stacked: Jennifer Lopez at Etihad Arena on July 29, Lil Baby on October 18, Elissa at Dubai Opera on November 3, Enrique Iglesias in November, and Katy Perry closing the year in December. Images: Getty Images > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in

The National

13-06-2025

• The National

Why Mamma Mia! still resonates globally 26 years after its West End stage debut

With over 25 years of success trailing its reputation across the globe, Mamma Mia! hits the stage at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena for the first time, with heart and splendour to spare. On opening night, fans of the musical arrived in island-inspired outfits centred on the Greece-set show, and danced in the aisles when the well-known Abba songs kicked into gear. Richard Standing, who plays Sam Carmichael – one of protagonist Sophie Sheridan's three dads – says the show is still relevant 26 years after it debuted in London's West End because its themes resonate with everyone. 'The fact that it's about old people who need to find love, young people finding all forms of love, and sorting out complications of what a family can be – these things are universal, they speak to everyone,' Standing tells The National. Over the past two decades, Standing has seen an evolution in Mamma Mia! 's audience. When it started, he saw mostly young women bringing along their often-reluctant partners, both of whom would always end up dancing together. But after the film adaptation, starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried released in 2008, the target audience grew far more diverse, attracting men and women young and old. 'That film did the show a lot of favours. It brought six-year-olds, 16, 36, 66 and 96-year-olds. I've seen four or five generations of people,' says Standing. What makes it more special is the cast's connection with the audience during the performance. 'You can't beat live theatre. You can't beat that feeling. It's indescribable,' says Ellie Kingdon, who plays Sophie Sheridan. 'I hope it's going to be received well here. We've never been to Abu Dhabi before, but the vibe we have already is amazing,' she adds. For an international performance, which has staged 50 productions in several languages and over 400 cities, Mamma Mia! 's cast have been at the forefront of absorbing cultural nuances in their audience's behaviour during the show. Standing, who has performed in over 40 countries, including twice in Dubai and once in Amman, says the varying reactions keep things fun. 'The best bit about an international tour is the people. In the end, everybody loves the story, because who doesn't love a story about love? Love is the answer. 'The things that we share are so much greater than the things that are different,' he adds. 'Thank You for the Music' One of the most integral parts of Mamma Mia! is its soundtrack, encompassing more than 20 Abba songs throughout. Stuart Reid, who plays Harry Bright – another one of Sophie's fathers – says Abba's music is a cornerstone of pop culture, constantly renewing itself in different ways, creating 'universal appeal' for the show. 'We go to many countries where English isn't the mother tongue, but the show gets the same response because it's about the story and the music,' he says. By the end of the show, when the cast sing Waterloo, Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen during the encore, everybody in the audience is up on their feet and dancing, soaking in the final moments of a memorable performance, says Bob Harms, who plays Bill Austin. 'We just want people to enjoy, and I have no doubt everywhere we go, people do,' he says. So, which of the three is the father? Mamma Mia! 's flair and charm would not be nearly what it is now without the mystery of who Sophie's real father is. While fans of the show love to speculate, the answer has not been revealed – yet. However, for Kingdon, the most special scenes in the show are the intimate moments with each of her fathers. 'There are some really interesting moments where you see the shift in Sophie's story, and I think they're my favourite parts to play.' Each of the three male leads has their own take, too. 'I used to mind this when I was younger, but the whole point of the musical is that a family can be anything. In the end, it doesn't really matter because all three of them decide to share that responsibility,' says Stanning, who marries Sophie's mother, Donna, in the story. However, he adds with a mischievous gleam in his eye: 'But yes, of course, it is me.' Reid believes the show is not about who the father is, but rather about the three men who want to be in Sophie's life, each believing they are her true father. 'We're all in this journey together,' he says. Mamma Mia! movie.

The National

12-06-2025

• The National

Review: Mamma Mia! brings sequins, nostalgia and power of community to Abu Dhabi

There's a visible shift that spreads across an audience during Mamma Mia! – one that goes from shy engagement to full-bodied joy, as if muscle memory has kicked in and everyone suddenly remembers the words to Dancing Queen. That collective response, so reliably evoked by this long-running musical, raises a deeper question: what purpose should a stage show serve once it has crossed the threshold from hit to institution? Since its West End premiere in 1999, the Abba -fuelled jukebox musical Mamma Mia! has gone from being a breakout success to a shared cultural memory. It is a show so familiar to some in the audience, that they often collectively hum the songs before the curtain even rises. The version currently playing at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, part of an international touring production, is a case study in what it means to stage something so popular and loved. The challenge does not lie in execution. By now, Mamma Mia! has been honed to a fine commercial polish: the touring cast hit their marks, the lighting cues are crisp and the music is performed with faithful gusto. It is, in every sense, a successful production. The more interesting question is whether that success should still be measured in technical proficiency or whether – once a musical enters the cultural canon – the more pressing task is to find something new within it. While bobbing my head along to the familiar tunes, I couldn't help but think: should a show such as Mamma Mia! change? Or perhaps more accurately: for whom must it change? That may not be Mamma Mia! 's burden to bear. Classics endure for a reason, but as the musical celebrates more than two decades of sold-out runs and repeat performances, it invites some reflection: how do we keep something alive without embalming it? This Abu Dhabi run delivers what audiences expect: escapism, warmth, glitter and the familiar groove of Abba songs. The plot, in which a young bride named Sophie invites three of her mother Donna's former lovers to her wedding to discover who her father is, remains secondary to the soundtrack. While the dialogue is breezy and the stakes are gentle, the emotional architecture still has the potential to surprise. In this version, that potential is most visible in Steph Parry's Donna, whose rendition of The Winner Takes It All resists melodrama and leans into a more controlled devastation. It's a performance that momentarily lifts the show out of its party-dress expectations and into something more raw and grounded – a vulnerability I've always found hard to locate in Meryl Streep's otherwise formidable interpretation in the film adaptation. Also deserving of mention is Ellie Kingdon's Sophie, played with a disarming sincerity and vocal clarity that gives the character both weight and warmth. Donna's longtime friends and former bandmates, Tanya and Rosie (brought to life with magnificent flair by Sarah Earnshaw and Nicky Swift) inject the production with verve, comic precision and impeccable timing. Their presence offers a necessary counterbalance to the show's emotional currents, and their scenes together offer pure enjoyment. These are performances likely shaped by experience rather than invention, but maybe that's the point. In a play so well-known, elevation doesn't always mean transformation. For me, having seen Mamma Mia! multiple times, including when it came to Dubai in 2021, the broader production felt like it was playing too close to the template at points. There was a smoothness to the staging that, while admirable, felt cautious. Even some of the more spirited numbers, such as Voulez-Vous or Does Your Mother Know, were energetic but stopped short of fully surrendering to the moment. However, for audiences seeing it for the first time, as many in Abu Dhabi could be, the show remains a revelation. The story's optimism, the undeniable power of hearing Abba sung live – these things still have the capacity to feel fresh, especially when encountered without the weight of prior viewings. In that sense, the production is doing precisely what it needs to: making the old feel new again for someone else. I attended the opening night, and the venue was near capacity. A decade ago, such productions arrived sporadically in the UAE, often met with curiosity rather than fervent demand. But in recent years, the frequency and reception of large-scale international musicals suggest a cultural shift is underway. It seems the capital is not just importing musicals, but also nurturing an audience for them. The show's final encore, a sequinned celebration of Dancing Queen and Waterloo was a beautiful shared moment between the cast, the crowd and even this critic. It was at this point – hands raised, lyrics mouthed back in unison – that Mamma Mia! reminded me why it endures. The production's staying power lies in its ability to gather strangers and turn them, at least temporarily, into a community. Is it a sign of theatre culture taking root in the UAE? I'm excited even just by the idea of it.