Since their debut performance in the Emirates, Stereophonics have built a quiet but enduring bond with Dubai’s live-music scene. Far from being one-off festival acts, they’ve returned multiple times, each visit cementing their reputation as rock mainstays in the Gulf. Here’s the full story behind their UAE appearances, how the crowds received them, and why fans are buzzing ahead of 2025’s Coca-Cola Arena show.
November 2012: Sandance at Atlantis
Before Party in the Park or Coca-Cola Arena, Stereophonics made one of their earliest Dubai appearances at Sandance on 9 November 2012. Held on the beachfront of Atlantis, The Palm, the event blended rock, electronic and indie under open skies, with the Welsh band topping a diverse line-up that included Labrinth, Benny Benassi, Newton Faulkner, and Leftfield.
It was a strong tight set, albeit a little too short, from a band still in their stride. Kelly Jones, then 38, led the group through a crowd-pleasing run of fan favourites including A Thousand Trees, Just Looking, Pick a Part That’s New, and Have a Nice Day. The night gave Dubai fans an exclusive: the first-ever live performance of their single In A Moment. Introducing the track, Jones said it was “about finding some hope in life”.
In a 2015 interview to promote their next UAE date, bassist Richard Jones was asked by The National what he remembers of the Sundance gig: “The only thing I can remember from it was that it was extremely hot and we were melting onstage”. Fair enough.
November 2015: Party In The Park
On 13 November 2015, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre glowed under floodlights as Stereophonics headlined Vans Party in the Park, then the city’s largest multi-stage music festival. The amphitheatre brought together families, indie followers, and rock-heads for an evening of loud guitars and bigger atmospheres. In the Gulf News‘ gig review, Jones’ voice was described as “gravelly” and “as deliciously rough as ever”. Apparently, he led the crowd “in what could be an anthem for Dubai-ites, Maybe Tomorrow, and its refrain, I’ll find my way home”.
Alongside Maybe Tomorrow their setlist included their classic hits: Dakota and Have a Nice Day. Critics took note; Gulf News wrote the amphitheatre “was front and centre, rocking out”.
The festival boasted 10,000 attendees, according to What’s On Dubai, an impressive turnout that reflected the crowd-pleasing draw of the band plus support from Razorlight and South Africa’s The Parlotones.
Setlist – 13 November 2015 – Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
- I Wanna Get Lost With You
- C’est la vie
- Superman
- Have a Nice Day
- A Thousand Trees
- Indian Summer
- Just Looking
- Sing Little Sister
- Maybe Tomorrow
- Song for the Summer
- Mr. Writer
- White Lies
- Sunny
- Mr and Mrs Smith
- The Bartender and the Thief
Encore: - Local Boy in the Photograph
- More Life in a Tramp’s Vest
- Dakota
May 2018: Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
Three years later, on 11 May 2018, the band returned, this time for a standalone concert, again at Media City Amphitheatre, but without the festival frills.
While Stereophonics were the undisputed headliners, the night also served as a major showcase for the UAE’s growing independent music scene, with a packed support bill of local artists warming up the crowd. Among them was Abbo, a seasoned acoustic folk-rock singer-songwriter; the jazz-folk collective Jaye & Foe; Dubai-based Irish entertainer, Paddy Man, Aman Sheriff, a then-19-year-old singer-songwriter plus local trio Vandalye.
Later that night, Plan B followed with a headlining set of his own, fresh from the release of his album Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose.
No mention of the gig itself, but the staff at Dubai Airports got a special mention on the band’s Instagram:
Big thanks to @dubaiairports and all the staff at Al Majlis VIP Lounge for taking such great care of us today.
View this post on Instagram
Looking ahead to October 2025
The UAE dates have consistently drawn an audience of expat rock fans and long-time Stereophonics followers. The announcement of Stereophonics at Coca-Cola Arena on 29 October 2025 marks their biggest UAE gig yet. Arena shows are different animals: larger crowds, polished production, but the same nostalgic thrill. It’s a statement: Dubai is an important stopover on their tour route.
