Music
Beatles: The band that shook a generation
Beatles: The band that shook a generation (Kelly Clarke) / 9 February 2014 Today marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ first live performance in the US — a show which caught the attention of 73 million viewers. Here, Kelly Clarke talks to local residents about how the band has influenced them. Today marks the 50th anniversary of a TV performance which saw one Liverpudlian band skyrocket to worldwide fame. Described by several residents in the UAE as the “voice of a generation” and “influential”, The Beatles have passed through decades of punk, pop, reggae and house, but still dominate the music industry today — despite only two surviving members. The impact they have had on generations of music lovers has been phenomenal, and although 30-year-old Dubai dweller Nicholo Jallores from the Philippines wasn’t even born when the band gave their debut performance in New York, he says he’s always been a fan. “They represented the 60s and 70s cultural zeitgeist so strongly that they ending up defining it. From what little I have consumed (of their music), I feel fully and infinitely energised, both as a writer and a musician.” The show that shook the music world It was a cold February evening in 1964. The location was New York and the venue, The Ed Sullivan Show. As four floppy-haired Liverpool lads took to the stage, many wouldn’t have guessed they were about to make history. With guitars in tow, and high-pitched screams echoing through the studio, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — collectively known as The Beatles — weren’t the only act on the show that evening. But many who witnessed the band’s debut American performance say they may as well have been. During the live show, which broke TV viewing records, many say The Beatles’ performance that night changed music, fashion, history — and basically an entire generation. How The Beatles conquered America Six weeks before The Beatles arrived in New York, practically no one in the US had heard of them. By the time they touched down, hysteria gripped America, and a record 73 million watched their debut on The Ed Sullivan Show October 31, 1963 American TV variety show host Ed Sullivan experiences Beatlemania at London’s Heathrow Airport, as screaming fans welcome the group home from Sweden November 11-12 Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein persuades Ed Sullivan to book the group for two live appearances, plus pre-recorded telecast, on his prime-time Sunday evening variety show December US media begin to report Beatlemania craze sweeping Britain. Radio stations start playing UK copies of I Want To Hold Your Hand Capitol Records – US counterpart of EMI’s Parlophone label – mounts $40,000* The Beatles are Coming campaign, including double-page ads in Billboard and Cash Box music magazines (*equivalent to $233,500 today) December 26 Capitol Records releases I Want To Hold Your Hand . Single sells 250,000 copies in first three days January 7, 1964 Filmed performances of She Loves You shown on The Jack Paar Show , which is the first complete Beatles song shown on American TV January 17 I Want to Hold Your Hand becomes number-one on Cash Box Top Singles . Song holds top spot for eight weeks February 7 Beatles arrive at New York’s JFK Airport to chaotic scenes as they are greeted by 3,000 screaming fans. TV press conference reveals musicians as witty, charming and playful February 9 Beatles perform live on Ed Sullivan Show, reaching record audience of four-in-10 Americans February 22 After second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show (left to right) Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon return to London March 13 Sales of Meet The Beatles! – group’s debut Capitol Records’ album – hit 3,600,000 copies. Album holds number one spot on Billboard 200 album chart for 11 weeks April 4 Musical first – Beatles hold top five slots on Billboard Hot 100 chart with Can’t Buy Me Love, Twist and Shout, She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand, and Please Please Me Local resident Mike Quinn agrees. “The Beatles was the first band to influence a whole generation, not just their music, but also the fashion of the day,” he tells Khaleej Times , adding that they have paved the way for other bands like Oasis and Coldplay, who have taken inspiration from their music. Now 50 years on, posters of the band still adorn the bedroom walls of music-lovers across the globe, laying true testament to the staying power of the rock foursome. The show that changed it all Although The Beatles had already garnered huge popularity in their home country, with three years of UK tours under their belt, the performance on The Ed Sullivan Show steam-rolled what was soon to become the British invasion into the United States pop market. And their Beatlemania fan base amassed several more million followers overnight. As the band touched down at JFK airport on February 7, 1964, die-hard fans turned out to get a glimpse of the ‘Fab Four’, despite many around wondering what all the fuss was about. But two days later, on February 9, the fuss was revealed when America laid witness to the history-making performance. The band’s arrival was even likened to the visit of royalty, with one airport official quoted as saying: “We’ve never seen anything like this before, ever. Never. Not even for kings and queens.” Three of the band’s favourite numbers made the set list during that February 9th showcase, including All My Loving, Till There Was You and I Want to Hold Your Hand , and the sneak peek into the band’s real musical flavour proved a hit with those in the audience, as well as the 73 million viewers gathered around their TV sets on the night. But Dubai-based Events Manager Julia Finn, says of all the records they made, there’s really only one she likes. “ All You Need Is Love was a number one hit single the year I was born, but it’s one of the only songs I like from them.” The legacy lives on Throughout their career, The Beatles were noted as one of the greatest and most influential acts of the rock era, but after ten years together, they disbanded in 1970 and all four members embarked on solo careers. Lennon and McCartney thrived on solo success, but on December 8, 1980, news broke that Lennon had been shot dead, with fans around the world left dumbfounded by his early demise. George Harrison was the second member of the band to die, and on November 29, 2001, at the age of 58, he lost his battle with lung cancer. But Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr are still the names forever etched into the world’s collective consciousness, and according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), The Beatles are the best-selling band in the US, with 177 million certified units. Celebrating 50 years Now, on the 50th anniversary of the band’s show-stopping American debut, the two surviving members of the band, McCartney and Starr, are returning to New York’s Ed Sullivan Theatre to take a look back on that one performance which paved the way for other budding music artists around the world. Just weeks following their recent reunion at this year’s Grammy Awards, McCartney and Starr will sit down with David Letterman for an interview that will air today, as part of “The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles” on CBS, celebrating the legacy of the group 50 years on. (With inputs from agencies) kelly@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
6,000 jobs, scholarships available for Emiratis
6,000 jobs, scholarships available for Emiratis Olivia Olarte-Ulherr / 4 February 2014 The Tawdheef exhibition was officially opened by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, on Monday. The Tawdheef recruitment show opened on Monday with over 6,000 work and scholarship opportunities in various industries for Emirati job-seekers. The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) said it is seeking to hire “local teachers to work in 27 education-related posts”. They include KG education, Science and Maths, Islamic Studies, Arabic, English Language, Social Studies, History, Civics, Geography, Economics, Psychology, Math, Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, IT, PE, Art Education, Music Education, Social Worker, Lab Technician, Psychologist and Special Education. In an effort to attract Emiratis into the education sector, the Adec has previously restructured the salary scales of public school employees across the emirate. The council also created new positions for the UAE nationals to encourage them to consider a career in the field. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) is also looking to recruit Emiratis to fill in various positions within its organisation, as well as offer a range of exclusive scholarships such as the Higher Diploma of Nuclear Technology (HDNT). The HDNT programme prepares students for a specialist and hands-on career in the nuclear energy industry. In addition, ENEC offers scholarships in Bachelors and Masters Degrees in the fields of chemical, nuclear, mechanical and electrical engineering. “We are committed to finding the most talented minds and train them to the highest standards of safety to develop and operate the UAE’s nuclear sector. We are looking for talents for both administrative and engineering fields,” said Mohammed Al Hammadi, ENEC’s CEO. By 2020, ENEC expects to have more than 2,000 employees, with a target of maintaining minimum 60 per cent Emiratisation. Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) has over 300 openings for UAE nationals which they hope to help fill at Tawdheef while Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank has 125 positions available. The National Bank of Fujairah (NBF), meanwhile is seeking to recruit 26 Emiratis throughout the year. NBF’s Emiratisation ratio currently stands at 41 per cent, above the industry average. “We believe in constantly investing in our human capital … focusing on training and development, staff recognition and employee welfare,” said Abdulla Aleter, NBF’s head of HR. twofour54, the commercial arm of the Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi, is also aiming to raise its nationals by 50 per cent by the end of 2014. Around 43 per cent of twofour54 employees at present are Emiratis. “Through twofour54’s participation in the exhibition, we aim to introduce young Emiratis to the career opportunities available in the media industry and inform them about the various projects and support programmes we offer,” Mariam Al Mheiri, COO of twofour54, stated. The Tawdheef exhibition was officially opened by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, on Monday. Tawdheef, currently being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), features thousands of job opportunities across more than 100 government and private sector organisations. Over 15,000 Emirati job seekers are expected to visit the three-day show. “Tawdheef is a great chance for companies to meet with potential candidates. Organisations can conduct on-the-spot interviews to find out if a candidate is the right fit for the company,” Hayete Jemai, exhibition director for Tawdheef, remarked. olivia@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
DSF: Living up to the theme of ‘Shop at your best’
DSF: Living up to the theme of ‘Shop at your best’ Lily B. Libo-on / 28 January 2014 A haven for shoppers, DSF has become synonymous with its theme ‘Shop at your best’. Eighteen golden years have passed since the inception of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the magic key that has opened the doors of Dubai to millions of tourists from across the globe. Dubai is now among the world’s best tourist and shopping destinations. And, as DSF echoes its theme, “Shop at your best”, tourists are truly shopping at their best and returning to their homeland with myriads of shopping experiences. Shoppers at Deira City Centre during the Dubai Shopping Festival on Friday. — KT photo by Juidin Bernarrd A Swiss couple, Achill and Angela Bandi, find Dubai an excellent place to holiday and to shop. “In Zurich, it is too expensive to get winter apparel, even booths, but we find the best there is here at DSF. We never expected this. We came for a short holiday. Now, we are going home with something we can never forget. See, what we found! Not just the best holiday ever, but also branded personal items at giveaway prices, not to mention the chance to win and to feel great if luck turns on our side!,” Achill says. “France is synonymous with fashion, yet here in Dubai at this time, we never dreamt of finding such fantastic and la mode wears that you cannot resist,” says Anais Bellard from Paris. DSF has simply turned Dubai into a haven for domestic and international shopping. Statistics released by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), speaks volumes of DSF’s impact on Dubai’s tourism industry. Since it was launched in 1996, DSF has attracted approximately 51 million participants — residents and visitors — who have spent just under Dh130 billion for shopping, hospitality or on entertainment. As the 19th edition is drawing to a close, the DSF’s new initiative, ‘Shop and Win” has already reached sales of Dh400 million. This offers one lucky shopper the chance to win a cash prize of Dh500,000 in participating community centres. The Gold Raffle has generated for Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group outlets a marked average growth of 35 to 40 per cent as compared to their corresponding days of sales in the 18th edition. More so, all the 70 malls and 6,000 retail outlets have registered increases in footfall and sales. Indeed, DSF has lived up to its festive theme, “Shop at your Best”. Carnival Parade at Al Seef Road. — KT photo by Grace Guino How the DSF translates the upsurge of tourists into a bullish economic activity is first seen in the unbeatable bargains, including discounts of up to 75 per cent on all world-class brands across all malls. Dubai has the largest collection of top regional and international brands, which is by itself a major come-on among incoming tourists. “On top of it all, DSF enriches the shopping experience with city-wide music, culture and sports events, something that is unparalleled in the region,” says Laila Mohammed Suhail, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), DSF organiser. “For this year’s DSF, we have put together a fantastic line-up of over 150 events and activities that go hand in hand with the daily shopping done by visitors from around the world.” From the retail sector and travel to aviation and hotel industries, DSF is also causing an upswing in ancillary and support services such as the food and beverage sector (restaurants), financial services (money exchange houses), transportation sector (rent-a-car companies) and other sectors that benefit from the increased number of visitors during DSF. With international tourists bringing in foreign currency into the UAE, the economy gets an unprecedented boost. Ossama Al Rahma, General Manager, Al Fardan Exchange, says that during the first two weeks of the DSF, the number of operations in terms of money transactions, has gone up by 10 to 15 per cent over that of last year’s. “Additionally, the extended shopping hours at the mall also leads to an increase in footfall at the exchange centres located at the shopping malls, leading to an overall positive impact on the currency exchange industry.” As tourists arrive at Dubai’s aiports, the plus factors of DSF begin to work. Salah Tahlak, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Communications, Dubai Duty Free, says as many visitors travel through the Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International during DSF, they shop first at Dubai Duty Free before heading into the city. “Dubai Duty Free operates in a competitive retail environment, offering the best products at the best prices and, in addition, provides an excellent level of customer service. The retail sector’s great deals during DSF have definitely generated a positive response from tourists all over.” With DSF still holding the key to open more doors for tourists, Dubai is definitely on its way to reach its goal of 20 million visitors by the year 2020 as outlined in the Vision for Tourism 2020 strategy. Proof of this is the average four million tourists coming every DSF to Dubai. The figures are expected to rise by five to ten per cent during this edition, says Suhail. New DSF markets As part of efforts to increase the number of tourists to Dubai during DSF 2014, DFRE has reached out to a wider audience and new markets across the world including Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, China, Hong Kong and South Africa through the overseas offices of DTCM. “DFRE has also launched a global marketing campaign with the extensive use of geo-marketing technology and social media to get more visitors to Dubai during the current edition of DSF,” said Suhail. To ensure a continuous influx of tourists, Suhail says each DSF edition is meticulously organised to support the growth of the tourism and retail sectors, key pillars of Dubai’s economy. Signature events have now become synonymous with the DSF such as the daily fireworks, carnivals and the line-up of shopping attractions that include the wide variety of discounts, promotions as well as the DSF Mega Raffles. “For the 19th edition of DSF, we have developed different themes to add value to the overall shopping experience. Whether tourists come to Dubai for shopping or for enjoying their vacation in general, these themes ensure that Dubai becomes their most memorable holiday destination in the world. From luxury shopping, art and culture, urban discovery, adventure and thrill and lifestyle to relaxation and rejuvenation, dining, technology and electronics, to family entertainment and events – these themes form the basis of DSF’s tagline ‘Shop At Your Best’, strongly held by its five pillars – At Your Most Welcomed, At Your Most Glamorous, At Your Most Immersed, At Your Most Delectable and At Your Most Joyful,” Suhail explains. Excellent collaboration At the heart of the spectacular success of DSF is the excellent collaboration between the government and private sectors. Among these countless collaborations is the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group, which has given away over 734kg of gold since the launch of DSF in 1996. But, this 19th edition, the group has put up a gold reward for shoppers of the Expo 2020 gold coins or gold jewellery worth Dh500 with prizes worth Dh6 million. It has given shoppers — residents and tourists alike — a chance to win a kilo of gold and a diamond solitaire ring every day for 32 days of DSF. Sunny Chittilappilly, chairman of the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group, puts the DSF partnership this way: “The mega jewellery promotion campaign will strengthen our 19-year-old partnership with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment. Since the launch of both Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group in 1996, both have been complimenting the growth of each other while offering the best value to shoppers during the DSF.” lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
