The active season has arrived. Sports teams are busy planning their events — cycling marathons, running races, triathlons and all sorts of “-thons” are kicking off within weeks. Exhibition halls are flinging their doors open one after another. And the music world is switching back on too.

Admittedly, a few last-minute cancellations of eagerly awaited concerts might have made it seem as though this season would be a little quieter than expected. But no, no, and no. The months ahead are packed with loud, brilliant events and plenty of artists we have been waiting for. There will be pop, there will be classics. And, of course, there will be quite a lot in between.

Quite a lot, in fact, for one calendar to handle. So, to make sure the important ones actually make it into yours, here are the music events worth keeping an eye on this season.

Elrow Dubai

Where? Dubai Media City Amphitheatre

When? October 24

If you are after a music festival that doesn't really play by the usual rules, Elrow might just be your thing. For the uninitiated (guilty — I had to look it up too), Elrow is a Spanish electronic music party that shot to fame through Ibiza. But honestly, its origin or line-up is almost beside the point — it is everything happening around it that steals the show.

Every Elrow party runs on its own gloriously unhinged theme, turning the venue into part rave, part carnival, part immersive theatre. Dubai’s October edition — Nowmads: New World — leans into a psychedelic fantasy world built around travel, nomadic cultures and far-flung corners of the earth. So sure, on paper, it is one night of electronic music. In reality? Expect it to feel like several worlds collapsing into one.

UNTOLD

Where? Dubai Parks and Resorts

When? November 5–8

Four days and nights, six stages and more than 100 local and international artists — yes, UNTOLD is coming back to Dubai. Since landing in the city in 2024, the festival has become something of a local answer to the world's mega music festivals: electronic music sits at its heart, but there is plenty of pop, hip-hop and live music thrown into the mix.

The 2026 line-up is still under wraps, but previous editions have brought J Balvin, Rema, Swae Lee and YUNGBLUD to Dubai, alongside some of the biggest names in electronic music. So, while we don't know exactly who we will be dancing to yet, expectations are pretty high. And one more thing: new year means new location. This one is heading to Dubai Parks and Resorts.

Abu Dhabi F1 After-Race Concerts

Where? Etihad Park, Yas Island

When? December 3–6

You might be wondering what F1 is doing in a music calendar. Well, in Abu Dhabi, the race weekend comes with concerts big enough to deserve their own entry. Previous editions have brought Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem, Post Malone and Katy Perry — and this December is already shaping up nicely.

On 3 December, Zara Larsson and Lewis Capaldi share the stage, followed by Imagine Dragons on 5 December. Two more headliners are still to be announced, so there is room for another surprise or two.

And yes, the concerts come with the F1. A four-day Grand Prix ticket includes general admission to all the After-Race Concerts — which means one ticket, a weekend of racing and a rather impressive soundtrack once the cars leave the track.

Sole DXB

Where? Dubai Design District

When? December 11–13

If we were to name one of the most anticipated music events of the year, chances are a lot of people would point straight to SOLE DXB. These are the three days when your Instagram feed turns into 24/7 coverage of whatever is happening on stage. Everyone is rushing there. Everyone has been waiting for it.

And once you are there, it isn’t hard to see why. SOLE DXB doesn’t really stick to one lane: hip-hop, rap, R&B and soul share the weekend with alternative sounds, DJs and the occasional electronic detour. And the names are just as varied. This year’s line-up is still under wraps, but last year brought everyone from Tyla, Miguel and Lil Yachty to Kaytranada, Loyle Carner and Palestinian-Jordanian artist Zeyne.

Dopa World

Where? Expo City Dubai

When? December 18–20

A brand-new festival is joining Dubai’s calendar this December. Dopa World is making its debut with Arab youth culture at its core — think hip-hop, rap, R&B and the region’s alternative scene.

Of course, launching a completely new festival comes with one small problem: you need to convince everyone to actually show up. Dopa World seems to have found a pretty good solution. Enter Saint Levant. The Palestinian-French-Algerian artist is known for switching between Arabic, English and French while moving through hip-hop, R&B and pop.

And he won’t be carrying the first edition alone. Egyptian rappers Shehab and Ziad Zaza are also on the bill, with more artists still to be announced. So yes, Dopa World may be the new kid on Dubai’s festival calendar — but it clearly has no intention of entering quietly.

Tamer Hosny and Tamer Ashour

Where? Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

When? October 17

If one Tamer isn’t enough, Abu Dhabi is getting two. Egyptian stars Tamer Hosny and Tamer Ashour are taking over Etihad Arena for the same night — but they are bringing rather different energies with them.

Hosny is the full-on pop superstar, commonly nicknamed “The Star of the Generation”, with more than two decades in music and a major career in Egyptian cinema to match. Ashour, meanwhile, is the man for romantic ballads, heartbreak and break-up songs — basically, the artist you want when several thousand people are ready to feel things together.

Put the two together and you get a pretty solid combination: Hosny’s big pop-star energy meets Ashour’s emotional singalongs. One for dancing, one for heartbreak — and plenty of room for both in between.

Nancy Ajram

Where? Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

When? October 24

From Egypt to Lebanon — the regional heavyweights just keep coming. Just a week after Tamer Hosny and Tamer Ashour take over Abu Dhabi, Dubai gets Nancy Ajram, one of the defining faces and voices of Arabic pop for more than two decades.

And if Arabic pop isn’t usually on your playlist — it happens — this might be a very good place to start. Think catchy songs, romantic tracks, upbeat dance-pop and choruses made for an entire arena to sing back. In other words, this is proper pop-star territory, not a niche introduction to the genre.

Benjamin Clementine

Where? Dubai Opera

When? November 1

Not every name on this list needs to be a chart-topper — and Benjamin Clementine is proof of that.

Benjamin Clementine is a British singer, pianist, composer and poet, born in London. In his late teens he packed up for Paris with barely any money, went through a stretch without stable housing, and got by playing piano and singing in the streets, bars and Métro stations. That story eventually led to his 2015 debut album At Least for Now, which won the Mercury Prize and turned him from a street musician into one to watch.

His sound lives somewhere between experimental pop, contemporary classical, jazz and poetry, built around piano and that unmistakable voice of his. Which is exactly why the venue makes sense. Dubai Opera feels like the perfect setting for something this intimate, theatrical and wonderfully difficult to put into a box — the sort of performance that doesn’t come around very often.

Hans Zimmer Live

Where? Etihad Arena, Yas Island

When? November 13

Film fans, rejoice. The man behind the soundtracks to half your favourite films is heading to Etihad Arena. Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight trilogy, Dune, Gladiator, The Lion King — all him. And this isn't just music that sounds good on its own merit — it is music with multiple Academy Awards and Grammys behind it.

But the best part isn’t simply that Hans Zimmer is coming to Abu Dhabi. He could, after all, sit back and let the orchestra do the work. Not this time. Zimmer himself takes the stage, moving between keyboards and synths, guitar, bass and even the occasional banjo, alongside his 19-piece band. In other words, expect less of a traditional film-score concert and more of a full-scale arena show. Cool factor? 10. Expectations? Also 10.

Tarkan

Where? Etihad Arena

When? November 27

Who said pop royalty has to come from the usual Western pop capitals? Turkey would like a word. And its answer is Tarkan — arguably the country’s biggest international pop star.

If the name doesn’t immediately click, the song probably will: Şımarık, his 1997 hit with those instantly recognisable kissing sounds, became a global success and was later covered in English by Holly Valance as Kiss Kiss.

Now, Tarkan is bringing that catalogue to Abu Dhabi. The organisers are promising a mix of classic hits and tracks from his latest album, complete with choreography, visuals and a full-scale live production.

Hiba Tawaji and Ibrahim Maalouf

Where? Dubai Opera

When? November 27

What happens when you put a huge theatrical voice and one of the most recognisable trumpets in contemporary jazz on the same stage? Well, Dubai Opera is about to find out. Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji and Lebanese-French trumpeter and composer Ibrahim Maalouf are coming together for a one-night-only performance of À La Française.

And the pairing makes more sense the closer you look. Tawaji moves between Arabic pop, French chanson, jazz and more theatrical, classical sounds, while Maalouf — a two-time Grammy nominee and César-winning composer — brings his trumpet and a sound shaped by jazz, classical music and Arabic influences.

À La Française is where all of that gets turned into an actual show — a celebration of French musical heritage, reimagined through their own backgrounds and influences.

Andrea Bocelli

Where? Etihad Arena

When? December 2

This is the date to circle in the calendar for classical music lovers: Andrea Bocelli, one of the most famous classical singers in the world, is coming to the UAE with his Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour, celebrating three decades since the album that helped turn the Italian tenor into a global star.

The tour is all about the music that made Bocelli, Bocelli. Expect opera and classical crossover mixed with the romantic Italian songs and ballads that helped his voice reach far beyond traditional opera audiences. And yes, that includes Con te partirò — the song that later became Time to Say Goodbye. So even if you don't regularly spend your evenings listening to Puccini, chances are there will be something you recognise.

And as a rather impressive bonus, Bocelli won’t be doing it alone: the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will be joining him on stage.