The team behind the Untold mega festivals in Romania and Dubai are launching a new event this summer called Neversea Kapital.

The three-day affair will be Untold’s first festival in the Romanian capital of Bucharest, taking place at the 55,000-capacity National Arena between 4–6 July.

Charlotte de Witte, named the world’s number one techno DJ, leads a lineup of acts that will perform across three stages throughout each day and night.

Alok, Axwell, Don Diablo, Kaaze, KSHMR, Lost Frequencies, NERVO, Korolova, Salvatore Ganacci, Sickick, Steve Aoki, Claptone and MËSTIZA also appear on the bill.

Neversea Kapital is a spin-off of the Neversea beach festival in Constanta, Romania, which will return in 2026.

“We truly believe Kapital Festival will grow into a new world-renowned mega-festival alongside Untold”

Organisers say they hope the new city edition will grow into a “world-renowned mega-festival” alongside Untold in Cluj-Napoca (RO) and Dubai, which was the region’s biggest-ever music festival.

“Kapital is the project we’ve dreamed about and worked hard to bring to life this summer,” says Bogdan Buta, founder & group CEO of Untold Universe. “The core concept we started from, Neversea Festival, is a special one, and over time, it has become Europe’s biggest and most spectacular beach festival.

He continues: “As a team, we’ve poured passion, effort, energy, and significant resources into bringing it to this point. With the unique elements that the Capital brings to the table, we truly believe Kapital Festival will be a source of pride for Bucharest and will grow into a new world-renowned mega-festival alongside Untold.”

The 10th anniversary of Untold Festival (cap. 100,000) in Cluj-Napoca will take place between 7–10 August, while the second edition of Untold Dubai will be held on 6–9 November.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena has announced an investment in digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to launch new features aimed at elevating the live experience.

The new digital initiatives, which include “AI-powered personalisation, immersive seat selection and seamless purchasing”, will debut ahead of Danish rock band’s Michael Learns to Rock’s concert at the 17,000-cap venue on 27 April.

The first phase of the rollout is led by an AI-powered WhatsApp channel, enabling “real-time engagement, ticketing assistance, frictionless navigation and concierge-style services for attendees”.

“Coca-Cola Arena is fulfilling a long-term vision to reimagine live events from the moment a show is announced”

“With these investments, Coca-Cola Arena is fulfilling a long-term vision to reimagine live events from the moment a show is announced,” says Mark Jan Kar, the venue’s general manager. “By combining advanced AI, immersive technology and consumer-first services, we’re creating a platform for fans to enjoy personalised, unforgettable moments on their own terms within a click of a button.”

Coca-Cola Arena has also launched 3D-interactive seat views within an interactive map on its website, allowing fans to preview sightlines and select optimal seats. In addition, it is introducing flexible payment terms, so fans can split the cost of tickets, hospitality and other add-ons across  instalment options.

The announcement comes ahead of Dubai AI Week 2025, where 8,000 industry experts will join 500 investors and 100 exhibitors from around the world.

Upcoming concerts at Coca-Cola Arena include Kygo, David Gray and Deep Purple.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Green Day capitalised on the UAE’s “untapped” audience for rock music to deliver their first-ever concert in the region.

The American trio, who are booked by CAA, performed at 30,000-capacity open-air venue Expo City Dubai on Monday (27 January), days after performing two stadium dates in South Africa as part of their ongoing Saviors Tour.

Thomas Ovesen, CEO of promoter All Things Live (ATL) Middle East, tells IQ the Dubai show had been a long time in the making.

“I have wanted to promote Green Day in the UAE for many years,” says Ovesen. “We made several offers when potential dates became available, but until now, we hadn’t been able to secure their first-ever Middle East show. This time, with the routing aligned with their two South African shows, we finally made it happen.”

According to Ovesen, the show – which featured heavyweight support from The Offspring – highlighted the demand for rock concerts in the Middle East.

“Very few local media channels cover rock music to any great extent, leaving a large untapped market of rock fans”

“The appetite is strong, especially for hard rock, which is significantly underrepresented compared to other music genres,” he points out. “Very few local media channels cover rock music to any great extent, leaving a large untapped market of rock fans. We see this clearly whenever we bring rock acts to the region, particularly when ticket prices remain affordable.”

Tickets were priced between AED 445 (€117) to AED 3,000 (€786), with the gig also showcasing the potential of the Expo precinct as a concert venue.

“Since the conclusion of Expo 2020, and aside from a multi-day festival staged in a different venue configuration, this was the first large-scale concert at the site,” adds Ovesen. “We developed the 30,000-capacity layout in collaboration with the Expo events team and our key suppliers, and it worked very well.”

Earlier this month, Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi played his largest Middle East show to date in front of 6,500 fans in the lower bowl of Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena. The concert, which was presented by ATL in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Miral, came 12 months after Einaudi sold out three shows and more than 5,000 tickets at Dubai Opera.

ATL has a mix of its own and co-partnered shows coming up across the entire region – including Istanbul, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Acts will include Diana Krall, Ghostly Kisses, Lionel Richie and comedian Trevor Noah, along with new IP projects and another large-scale UAE show planned for Q4.

“The region is increasingly investing in new purpose-built venues”

“The region is increasingly investing in new purpose-built venues and already has some of the best operators and production equipment,” says Ovesen. “On the challenge side, the market is now heavily skewed toward government and city-controlled, underwritten shows, with fewer promoters willing or able to take financial risks. This could lead to show congestion or pricing issues, making it harder for independent promoters to operate.

“Additionally, the traditional promoter-venue-fan model is less prevalent here, meaning artists and their representatives need to consider long-term opportunities and the quality of show promotions. Currently, many shows are secured with high artist fees but lack strong marketing and fan engagement strategies.”

In closing, Ovesen expects the volume of events in the market will continue to grow – hopefully hand-in-hand with a thriving domestic scene.

“Just look at Saudi Arabia, where entertainment demand is far from reaching saturation,” he says. “As entertainment becomes as strategically important as top-tier sporting events for city and country branding, we will likely see more global event IPs making their way to the Middle East.

“I also hope to see more local talent touring within the region and eventually making it onto international festivals and tours. That would be a true testament to the Middle East emerging as a genuine entertainment and touring market.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

K-pop festival Waterbomb will stage an Australian edition for the first time as it relaunches its international expansion.

The touring series plans to stop in Sydney later this year, picking up on the Waterbomb World Tour that faltered in 2024. Dates and performers will be announced in the coming months.

Waterbomb’s expansion comes after organisers failed to deliver its rapid global expansion last year, after it announced editions in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, the UAE, Singapore, the US, the Philippines and Indonesia.

The only new editions to go ahead were Hong Kong, the UAE, and Singapore, while the event continued its tour of multiple South Korean and Japanese cities.

The Los Angeles edition was postponed due to “operational challenges” with less than three weeks to go to the event, while the Indonesian debut in Jakarta was delayed in October. Extreme weather and flooding forced the cancellation of the Taipei and Ho Chi Minh events. No new dates have been announced for these editions.

“We’ll return stronger and better prepared to deliver the Waterbomb experience you’ve been waiting for,” said organisers at the time of US cancellation.

In contrast, another Australian festival will not return his year

Four stops are already confirmed for 2025, with plans to return to China, and South Korea, where the Seoul edition has been held annually since the event launched in 2015. The festival will debut in Manila, Philippines and Bali, Indonesia next month, after pushing both countries’ inaugural editions late last year.

Artists due to perform in Manila include Kangdaniel, Dynamic Duo, Sulreggae, Chanyeol, Bambam, Viviz, and other K-pop, hip-hop and dance stars.

Though lineups vary by city, past performers have included Blackpink, aespa, TWICE’s Nayeon, American rapper Jay Park, and SHINEE’s Taemin, and South Korean singers Hwasa, Chung Ha, Bibi, Simon Dominic, and Jessi.

In contrast, the Australian festival Hello Sunshine will not be held this year. The family-friendly event was set to return to Melbourne for its third year and debut on the Gold Coast this March.

Organisers cited low ticket sales and rising production costs as reasons for the cancellation.

Stone Temple Pilots, Smash Mouth, Wolfmother, Kasey Chambers, Rogue Traders, and Drapht were on tap to headline the event.

The cancellation is the latest to hit the Australian festival sector. Last November, the debut edition of You & Me Festival was cancelled for similar reasons. They join several Oz festivals cancelled in the past year, including Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo, and Return to Rio.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Live Nation Middle East will import US-based Asian cultural event MetaMoon Music Festival to Dubai for its first international edition.

Since launching in 2022, the New York City-based festival has centred on Asian talent and entertainment through showcases and industry panels.

The UAE edition is set for 15 February 2025 at Expo City Dubai’s Al Wasl Plaza (cap. 60,000), with South Korea-based singer-songwriter Henry Lau and singer-rapper Lee Young Ji to headline the event.

“Live Nation Middle East is proud to partner with MetaMoon to bring this unique celebration of Asian pop culture to Dubai,” says James Craven, president of Live Nation Middle East.

“The UAE is a vibrant and diverse region and this event is a perfect reflection of the incredible cultural exchange we aim to foster through music and entertainment. We are thrilled to debut such an exceptional lineup of talent, and we look forward to creating unforgettable memories for fans in the Middle East.”

Other featured artists include singer-songwriter mikah, dancer MT Pop, and American DJ and radio veteran Poon; rapper and comedian MC Jin will host.

“We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region”

MetaMoon founder Grace Chen says the expansion is helping deliver Asian talent to new fanbases worldwide.

“Our partnership with Live Nation Middle East to bring MetaMoon to Dubai signifies our commitment to introducing Asian artists and pop culture to new fans while giving existing fans a chance to see their favorite artists live,” Chen said in a statement.

“We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region and for what will be an entertaining evening for fans.”

Asian-focused events are increasingly going global. KCON, the world’s biggest K-pop fest, expanded to Hong Kong alongside Japan, the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia last year, while touring festival series Waterbomb launched in seven new markets in 2024.

Plans were recently revealed to bring a multi-day, 15,000-capacity Made in Korea festival to London this year.

A September study by Live Nation revealed the Asia Pop genre was skyrocketing across Oceania: “Asia Pop has transcended its niche status and exploded into mainstream fandom, fostering deep connections between fans and artists through social content, dance and fashion to name a few,” said Wenona Lok, Asia Pop promoter and talent buyer at Live Nation Australasia.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

US rapper Macklemore has cancelled his upcoming concert in Dubai over the United Arab Emirates’ alleged role in the deadly conflict in Sudan.

The rapper (real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) said people had for months been asking him to call off the concert at Coca-Cola Arena on 4 October in solidarity with the Sudanese people “and to boycott doing business in the UAE for the role they are playing in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in the region”.

The rapper cited the UAE’s reported support for the Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been battling the Sudanese army.

“I know that this will probably jeopardise my future shows in the area, and I truly hate letting any of my fans down. I was really excited too. But until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF I will not perform there.”

He added: “I have no judgment against other artists performing in the UAE. But I do ask the question to my peers scheduled to play in Dubai: If we used our platforms to mobilise collective liberation, what could we accomplish?”

“If we used our platforms to mobilize collective liberation, what could we accomplish?”

Since the war began in April last year, thousands of people have been killed and 10 million forced to flee their homes. The war has sparked the country’s worst hunger levels on record, external, according to the UN-accredited Integrated food security Phase Classification (IPC).

Macklemore is the latest artist to cancel a performance for reasons related to an ongoing war. Earlier this month, Fontaines D.C. cancelled their upcoming concert at Zorlu PSM in Turkey in solidarity with Palestinian people.

That came after Barclays suspended its sponsorship of Live Nation UK’s remaining 2024 festivals following a raft of artist withdrawals over the bank’s ties to Israel, and South By Southwest (SXSW) discontinued its partnership with the US Army and the defense contractor RTX Corporation after more than 80 artists pulled out of this year’s event in Austin, Texas, in protest of the military’s support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, other artists such as Imagine Dragons have been forced to defend performances in countries involved in conflicts, while a slate of artists and DJs have quietly returned to playing gigs in Russia despite the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Read more about how the live music industry is grappling with artist boycotts here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by BEN (@macklemore)

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena has been named the home venue of newly established sports franchise team, Dubai Basketball.

The ‘milestone agreement’ is said to pave the way for international professional basketball in Dubai.

The Dubai club’s initial foray will be in the 16-team ABA (Adriatic) League, which will set in motion a series of events that will bring European stars to the 15,000-capacity arena, according to the two organisations.

While the Dubai club will be playing their ABA League matches away in Europe, the emirate will host all 15 teams in the league during the nine-month season, which kicks off in September 2024.

“We’re looking at a minimum of 20 home games this season,” said Coca-Cola Arena general manager Jan Kar in the recently published Global Arenas Guide 2024.

“What’s amazing about this is it’s going to be complementary to our live entertainment programming”

“What’s amazing about this is it’s going to be complementary to our live entertainment programming. Most games will take place on a Sunday or midweek, allowing us to deliver concerts Thursday through to Saturday and the occasional Sunday.”

Salem bin Dasmal, president of Dubai Basketball, said in a press release: “Securing the Coca-Cola Arena as our official home venue underscores our dedication to elevating the sport of basketball in Dubai.

“As a beacon of entertainment and sports excellence, the 15,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena aligns with Dubai Basketball’s commitment to delivering world-class experiences to fans across the region. This partnership allows us to create unforgettable experiences for our fans and showcase the best global basketball talent in a world-class facility.”

Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai’s first and largest multipurpose indoor venue, recently marked five “monumental” years since it opened.

The ASM Global-operated arena launched on 6 June 2019 with a sold-out show from Canadian comedian Russell Peters.

Read more about arenas in the UAE in the Global Arenas Guide 2024.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Dubai Opera has heralded a record-breaking 2023/24 season, shattering previous attendance records.

The 2,000-capacity venue in Downtown Dubai drew over 250,000 people in the 12-month period – the highest number since the venue’s opening in 2016.

In the same period, the venue staged over 100 productions and 200 performances, spanning opera, ballet, symphonic, musicals, and concerts.

Seafret, David Garrett, Jethro Tull, Ali Sethi, Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells and Matteo Bocelli were among the musical artists to grace the stage.

“The past season has been a testament to Dubai Opera’s role as a ‘House of Cultures,’ and we are extremely proud to have set a new attendance record,” says Paolo Petrocelli, head of Dubai Opera.

“This achievement demonstrates the growing appreciation and support for the arts in Dubai”

“This achievement demonstrates the growing appreciation and support for the arts in Dubai. We look forward to building on this success and providing even more extraordinary experiences for our patrons.”

Non-musical highlights from the year include the UAE premiere of the Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, MusicAeterna Orchestra, Rome Opera Ballet and Matilda the musical. While The Phantom of the Opera made its triumphant return, with the Phantom role performed by an Arab lead for the first time.

The venue also introduced new initiatives including Film Music Week, a music programme that celebrates the magic of film music.

Dubai Opera, developed by Emaar, is the city’s only purpose-built multi-format theatre, with an auditorium of 2,000 seats and a studio that accommodates up to 250 patrons.

Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena has also hit a milestone this week, celebrating five “monumental” years since it opened.

Read more about the burgeoning live entertainment markets in the Gulf States in this in-depth market report.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai’s first and largest multipurpose indoor venue, is marking five “monumental” years since it opened.

The ASM Global-operated arena launched on 6 June 2019 with a sold-out show from Canadian comedian Russell Peters.

Since then, the 17,000-capacity venue has hosted over 251 live shows and staged 390 international artists including Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Bryan Adams, 50 Cent, Tiesto and Martin Garrix.

It has also hosted several renowned comedians such as Kevin Hart, Michael McIntyre and Trevor Noah, as well as sporting events such as the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament.

“This milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of our fans, partners and stakeholders”

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate five years of operations at Coca-Cola Arena,” says Mark Jan Kar, general manager of Coca-Cola Arena. “This milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of our fans, partners and stakeholders. As a collective, we are driven to innovate, collaborate and create live experiences including welcoming Dubai’s first professional basketball franchise in Q4, proving our commitment to positioning Dubai as the destination for world-class sports and entertainment.”

In IQ’s Global Arena Guide 2023, Kar said that he’s excited about the momentum being generated in what’s becoming a prominent destination for international acts.

“We could probably fill 52 weeks of the year with Arabic and Asian content, but that’s not our strategy,” he explains. “With a large expatriate population as well, we want to present the city of Dubai with all types and genres of entertainment.”

Upcoming events at Coca-Cola Arena include Jason Derulo, Macklemore, Enrique Iglesias and Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Elsewhere in Dubai, outdoor shows are evolving with Untold becoming the Emirate’s first mega fsetival and Green Day announcing their Middle East debut at the 30,000-capacity outdoor Expo City Dubai.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Platinumlist, a leading ticketing and event solutions company in the Middle East, has announced its official launch in Oman.

The Dubai-headquartered firm deals in concerts, sporting events, attractions and more in 18 cities across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Last year, the company expanded into Turkey with two concerts at the Haliç Congress Center in Istanbul by Iraqi singer Majid Al Mohandis and Syrian singer Assala Nasri.

Building on the firm’s success in these markets, Platinumlist is planting its flag in Oman to help organisers stage music festivals, cultural events, corporate conferences and other events.

Cosmin Ivan, CEO of Platinumlist, says “We are excited to bring Platinumlist to Oman. Our goal is to provide top-tier support and innovative solutions to event organisers. We believe our platform will significantly enhance the event experience in Oman, and we look forward to collaborating with local organisers to create memorable events for audiences.”

“We believe our platform will significantly enhance the event experience in Oman”

According to the most recent International Ticketing Report, Platinumlist has historically claimed up to 80% of all entertainment ticket sales in the UAE but as Live Nation gets the region in its sights, the local Ticketmaster branch can only grow.

In the report, Vassiliy Anatoli, managing director of Platinumlist, said the ticketing market in UAE is going through a period of significant growth and diversification. “We experienced a significant surge in the number of events being ticketed.

“Many of the event organisers now prefer more customised ticketing solutions for their events. In this context, Platinumlist stands as a complex but agile solution, containing a diverse range of ticketing products such as tourist attractions and activities, sporting events, venue management ticketing solutions, tourist attraction inventory management ticketing solutions, and business events.

“With our flexible ticketing system, we are experienced at promptly adapting to the developing needs of organisers and facilitating the completion of customised solutions.” He says the company’s active customer base “increased over two-fold in the last two years. Overall, we are very lucky that the company has grown 100% without any investment while maintaining profitability growth of 100%.”

Read more in the International Ticketing Report 2023.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.