Kuwait Times

Saudi 'Paul McCartney' in rare concert

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Saudi Arabia's "Paul McCartney" took to the stage in Jeddah late Monday for a rare concert in a kingdom seeking to boost entertainm­ent despite religious warnings of "depravity." The performanc­e by Mohammed Abdu, a mustachioe­d singer popular throughout the Arab world, was the first major concert in seven years in Jeddah, the kingdom's second city, according to Arab News. About 8,000 enthusiast­ic and mostly young fans-all male-filled an indoor sports venue for Abdu's romantic and patriotic songs, an AFP photograph­er said.

He was backed by an Egyptian orchestra and performed alongside another Saudi artist, Rabeh Sager, and Iraqi-Saudi singer Majid AlMuhandis. Abdu was to sing in Riyadh last September but the show was cancelled without explanatio­n. It would have been the first live concert held in the capital in 24 years, local media said. The Islamic kingdom bans alcohol, public cinemas and theatres, and normally segregates men and women in public.

But as part of wide-ranging economic and social reform efforts started last year, a new entertainm­ent authority has already brought in some foreign shows, seen by limited audiences. Those reforms are led by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 31, who faces resistance from religious conservati­ves. Saudi Arabia's highest-ranking cleric warned in early January of the "depravity" of cinemas and music concerts, saying they would corrupt morals. "We know that singing concerts and cinemas are a depravity," Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh said, quoted by online newspaper Sabq which is close to the authoritie­s. Eman Al-Nafjan, a veteran blogger on Saudi society, culture and women's issues, in 2008 compared Abdu to the legendary British musician and former Beatles member Paul McCartney. "What also made Abdu such a hit is his clean reputation for being a family man," Nafjan wrote. Jeddah, on the Red Sea, is widely considered somewhat more liberal than the capital in the kingdom's center. — AFP

 ??  ?? Saudis attend a concert in Jeddah on January 30, 2017. — AFP photos
Saudis attend a concert in Jeddah on January 30, 2017. — AFP photos
 ??  ?? Saudis attend a concert in Jeddah.
Saudis attend a concert in Jeddah.
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 ??  ?? Saudi singer Rabeh Sager, known as "Abu Sager" sings during a concert in Jeddah.
Saudi singer Rabeh Sager, known as "Abu Sager" sings during a concert in Jeddah.
 ??  ?? Saudi singer Majid Al-Muhandis performs during a concert in Jeddah.
Saudi singer Majid Al-Muhandis performs during a concert in Jeddah.
 ??  ?? Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu performs during a concert in Jeddah.
Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu performs during a concert in Jeddah.

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