JEDDAH, March 31 (CIC) – More than 6,000 people attended the first-ever concert in Saudi Arabia by popular Egyptian singer Tamer Hosny, held on Friday night in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. Social media was flooded with pictures and videos from inside the sold-out concert at the King Abdullah Economic City theatre, where the Egyptian superstar performed a number of his most famous songs, including Arrab Habibi, Welcome to the Life and 180 Darga, to a chorus of cheers from the mixed crowd.
The event was hosted by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) of Saudi Arabia. As the country loosens restrictions on social life, such shows are becoming increasingly common. A number of musical concerts have been held since late last year in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Dhahran, featuring international, regional and local stars. The list includes legendary Greek composer Yanni, country music sensation Toby Keith, French-Algerian Rai music star Cheb Khaled and Grammy-winning US hip hop artist Nelly, among many others.
“A big thank you to the General Entertainment Authority and the great Saudi people. I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time,” Tamer Hosny said in a social media video message to his fans. “God knows I love you very, very much and I am so proud to be among you.”
Thanks to the Vision 2030 strategy for the future, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country is becoming more open, the economy is diversifying, and Saudi Arabia is eyeing to become a global destination for tourism and business. GEA — which was set up to organise, develop and lead the entertainment sector — has lined up many events in the coming weeks, including concerts and comedy shows.
Photos courtesy of General Entertainment Authority
