What the hell is going on in Dubai? These workaholics seem to only party on one day of the week. While Friday night was bustling, Saturday looks to be dying on its arse.
It’s such a shame, as there’s some class acts today. Nitin Sawnhey, often called the most talented man in the world, for some unknown reason takes an early slot and plays to a grand total of about 20 people, leaving a later time for the agonisingly horrendous The Parlotones from South Africa and their bland, bland, bland mellow tripe. Why? Apparently, the Parlotones‘ bass player wasn’t allowed in to Dubai, so I’m guessing he is the brains behind their success to date.
The schedule on this final day is a bit of a mess, mainly because of Echo and the Bunnymen’s last minute cancellation. It means the Super Furry Animals and Liverpool scallies The Wombats have to bare the brunt of the final day of this festival, which they do marvellously by the way.
After an unspectacular offering by Alphabeat, The Wombats rip the place up, finally bringing some energy to the crowd. Either they are die hard fans at the front, or just releasing some internal frustration. Whatever it is, it is great. With the best of their small bunch of songs, like ‘Laura’, ‘Patricia The Stripper’ and ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ and an amazingly mental ‘Moving to New York’, there is jumping, cheering and many a sweaty flick of hair. ‘We thought we’d try and be Dubai Sound City’s sweatiest band…I think we’ve pulled it off,’ says the dripping singer.
Apparently the organisers received mountains of abuse from Dubai’s teens, who couldn’t see their idols because of the tight over 21s only policy. Poor lot – this would have been a dream come true. The late 20-somethings went crazy on their behalf though.
The end of The Wombats leaves the night in one band’s hands. ‘We’re Echo and the Bunnymen from Cardiff,’ said the Super Furry Animal’s Gruff Rhys to rapturous applause before crouching gnome-like at the front of the stage to sing an understated and beautiful ‘Slow Life’. While the band look like some aging rockers on stage after the wrinkleless youth of The Wombats (I think their average age is about 17), their ability to mesmorise and wow their audience with some top tunes from their last nine albums is clear. They are, to put it simply, amazing.
‘Rings Around the World’, while a little ramshackled, is beautful, ending in a mass of electro fuzz. ‘Justapose With You’, ‘Hello Sunshine’ and ‘Demons’ are sweet and the jumping, cheering bodies of just an hour ago are replaced with eyes starring in wonder. While the night and Dubai Sound City comes to an end, a band forced to censor their set list because their songs were deemed too political play ‘Crazy Naked Girls’, whether as a plug for their last album or a subtle couple of fingers up to this strict nation’s rule makers. The hugeness of the song, Bunf’s screeching vocals and blues-ey guitar riff, and layer upon layer of ear-splitting immense racket is perfect. Not only is the band having a great time, but Dubai Sound City is left musically content.
So while this little taste of Liverpool’s music scene has been wracked with problems, while ticket sales were obviously pretty low and beer so expensive, and while the atmosphere was some what none existent in the day time, we must remember that this is the first festival of its kind here. First festivals are always a nightmare, without a ten hour flight and so many risks of prison getting the way. It means that Dubai’s Sound City must be tough to put together and all credit must go to the organisers for making a great job out of something so easy to go wrong.
Here’s hoping that Sound City makes it back to Dubai for 2010 and that a last minute ‘illness’ outbreak doesn’t get in the way.
Words By Gemma Hampson
Photos by Mark McNulty
