The final night of Yasalam 2010 was celebrated on Sunday night as funk legend and soul superstar Prince took to the stage at Yas Arena, leading the ecstatic crowd of over 45,000 in chants of ‘Oh Abu Dhabi’ along with some of his classic hits for over two hours.
Die-hard Prince fans travelled from around the globe to see him perform as part of the official after-race concerts organised by Flash Entertainment. The Seven-time Grammy Award winner was joined for an impromptu sing-a-long by Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger as he invited members of the audience on-stage to sing and dance along to hits from a career spanning three decades.
For many, the party continued after Prince’s show, as they descended on Flash’s Skybar for a closing party that included performances by Pitbull, Alesha Dixon, Gary Pine and Vato Gonzales.
‘An Intimate Evening with Corinne Bailey Rae’ provided a more relaxed, up-close and personal feel at Longitude Bar, Yas Hotel. Rae’s unmistakeable sounds drifted through the open air venue and got the audience singing along as she performed her crowd favourites “Girl Put your Records On” and “Like A Star” as well as material from her latest album The Sea.
“The atmosphere was electric in Yas Arena, and the anticipation palpable throughout the crowd. We all knew Prince would give a unique performance, but last night’s after-race concert was something special for Abu Dhabi. Famed for his exuberant stage presence and astonishing vocal range, Prince is the perfect artist to celebrate the exciting end to the Formula 1 season,” said John Lickrish, managing director of Flash.
“The after parties on Yas Island have been a great success as they kept the Island alive after the race. The legendary SKYBAR from Beirut has been a great addition to the entertainment in Abu Dhabi, and it’s also been fantastic to entertain guests with another genre of music at the Intimate Evening’s at Longitude Bar.”
Last night’s events ended a fantastic month of entertainment for the city of Abu Dhabi. From racing inspired art in The Art of Racing to motorsport flavoured entertainment and family fun in the F1 Fan ZoneT to the free Beats on the Beach concerts on Abu Dhabi Corniche and the Yas Arena concerts, Yasalam 2010 has been a celebration like no other.
With concerts and entertainment planned every weekend for the next five weeks as part of Yas Island Show Weekends, the action in Abu Dhabi shows no signs of slowing down.
For a complete wrap-up of Yasalam, including exclusive behind-the-scene photos of the Yas Arena stage, check out the upcoming December issue of Sound & Stage.
