Sports | Sunday 17 March, 2019 3:13 am |

One of the Arabic music world’s most beloved stars, Rabeh Sager, thrilled more than 10,000 of his fansall gathered at the Main stage at the Mother of the Nation Festival last night with a memorable headline performance on the Festival’s Main Stage. The show attracted a large and enthusiastic audience, and took place between the two opening displays of the UAE’s first-ever Fireworks Competition.

Sager, who has been consistently recognised as one of the finest voices of his generation, performed songs from his four-decade career including ‘Ya Nasiem Alail’, ‘Biscat’, ‘Sabrien’, ‘Al Mahabamin Allah’, and ‘Wa Fakarta Aghiezuk’ to a warm reception from the crowd.

“It’s always a pleasure to visit the UAE, where audiences have been a great source of encouragement and inspiration to me over the years,” said Sager. “It’s truly been an honour to headline this wonderful event, which promotes regional values that are especially relevant during the UAE’s national Year of Tolerance. Occasions such as these demonstrate how the universal language of music transcends cultural barriers – it was a wonderful experience to see people of all backgrounds enjoying the show.” 

“We are proud to welcome stars of the calibre of Rabeh Sager to the Mother of the Nation Festival, and delighted to see such an impressive turn out for this evening’s concert,” said Ameera Al Mazrouie, Festivals Development Head at Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). “This year’s exceptional line-up reflects our ambition to offer a unique experience for residents and visitors alike, in line with our goal of establishing Abu Dhabi as an entertainment destination of distinction.”

The Festival’s Fireworks Competition got off to an exciting start last night with two 15-minute displays from the Canadian team BOOM BOOM POW, delighting the audience before and after Sager’s concert. Visitors also enjoyed Fahad Al Arif’s performance after Sager’s show at the main stage, while the Happiness Stage featured rousing performances from the Khaleeji Band and Loud Arabia. Over on the GASTROBEATS Stage, the crowds were kept entertained by Rony Sarkis and MONTEATH. Tonight, visitors can also look forward to the second round of the Fireworks Competition, where Royal Fireworks from the Netherlands will have the opportunity to dazzle the judges with two 15-minute displays. 

The music and entertainment are set to continue at the Mother of the Nation Festival tomorrow Sunday with performances from Jawaher as well as the Special Olympics Kayaking Awards ceremony taking place on the Main Stage, and the Fantasy Stories – The Fairytale of Alice and Firestorm on the Happiness Stage. Meanwhile, GASTROBEATS will welcome Aleksandra Krstic and We Speak in Colours. The Festival is set to welcome popular International DJ Nicky Romero to Abu Dhabi for the first time on Friday, March 22rd at 10pm at the Main Stage.