Features
Boomin Business In Bahrain: Al Dana Amphitheatre Is Growing By Leaps & Bounds
The reason some of the world’s biggest artists are adding the Kingdom of Bahrain to their itineraries, can be summed up in three words: Al Dana Amphitheatre.
Since opening in 2021, the venue has hosted an impressive list of international acts, including Post Malone, Imagine Dragons, Halsey, as well as, just this year, Ed Sheeran, Calum Scott, and Trevor Noah and Kevin Hart performing an exclusive set alongside each other. All shows have been booked in-house by the team around CEO Damian Bush, led by vice president of talent, Lance Tobin, who says, “we feel this is the best way to control quality, and deliver the artist and fan experience at the highest level.”
It is all part of a business philosophy, that centers around three questions. “First,” says Tobin, “how do we create a once in a lifetime experience for the acts making the trip? Our brand, especially in the [Gulf Cooperation Council] GCC, is going above and beyond to give the artists and their teams a memorable experience. We don’t want to be just another ‘pin on the map’ when planning tours.”
It’s hard to end up being just another tour stop, when you’ve got a venue that had been carved from the rock of the Sahkir desert to form a magnificent amphitheater seating 10,000 guests. “Second,” Tobin continues, “how do we create economies of scale? Bahrain is growing along with the MENA region, and we work as much as possible collectively to line up dates. This provides cost savings in many areas, and is crucial to the development of touring in the region.”
Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, an hour’s flight away, is one example of how this cooperative approach is creating a real touring circuit in the region, making the trip worthwhile for artists and their teams. “Third, how can we case a wide net to accommodate a very diverse demographic? Part of our pride in Bahrain is how many different nationalities and age demographics reside here, and how many tourists visit per year. Our goal is for Al Dana to feel like a community space, but also to be a destination venue in the region. We want this to reflect through the curation of our shows, and also through growing our own IP with partners.”
Al Dana CEO Damian Bush comes with 10 years experience running Singapore’s National Stadium with Oak View Group (Pollstar’s parent company). Lance Tobin brings 9 years of talent buying experience from Live Nation in New York and Boston to the table. Both men want the global industry to connect with Al Dana, “as we know they will be impressed. We are forming international partnerships via recognized music professionals who share our passion, such as former head of BBC Music, James Stirling in London,” Tobin explains, adding, “our vision is an ecosystem of Bahrain that produces local Bahraini, Arabic, and Western headliners. We have a role to play in the artist community to help develop and build our scene.
“The aim is to keep the lineup balanced, to cater to both regional and international audiences. We take a pragmatic view when booking artists in that we are willing to take a risk. And we take pride in developing the relationship with artists and their teams. This means bringing both established headliners and baby bands in while touring. Everyone receives an experience, we do not cut corners. Our goal, just as we see in established touring markets, is to build data, and participate in
each step of the artist’s career. We are there to support them every step with radio, hard and soft ticket plays, and a full marketing effort.”
20 years ago, Bahrain was the first country in the region to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, and, according to Tobin, “we aim to be a first mover in music as well. Al Dana Amphitheatre was one of the first fixed venues in the Gulf, and is the only amphitheater of its size in the region. Investing to bring new talent to the market will be meaningful for fans, who want to experience live. Our demographic is mostly young and under 35, nightlife oriented,
and will go out multiple times a month to see shows. But we can also cater to an older audience – with shows such as André Rieu, and Backstreet Boys being a highlight for many families.”
Hip hop, R&B, Arabic, orchestral, and electronic music have a strong foundation in Bahrain, says Tobin, “however, we are looking to develop genres that are new to the country as well. With a very diverse demographic attending shows, we feel anything is possible. We are always seeking to book more women, for our calendar to reflect how much of our staff and ticket buying demo is female. This is a challenge we are up for and our utmost priority.”
One highlight that just went down at Al Dana Amphitheatre were two sold-out shows by Metro Boomin at the building’s new outdoor club venue, The Desert Garden. The 1,750 capacity space is just one example of a variety of areas where investments are being made to ensure business continues to grow “by leaps and bounds,” as Tobin puts it.
Another is Al Dana’s staff. “Beyond the building itself,” he says, “our staff makes this operation so special, and is the main reason behind our success. Our team works tirelessly to accomplish the vision for the artists, and we are proud to be majority locally staffed. We are in a people business, and its something we feel has been crucial to our success and support throughout Bahrain.”
If, by now, any artists are still wondering if they should make the trip to the region, Tobin’s response is an unequivocal, “yes you should. Here in Bahrain, we offer something special to artists, who have a chance to see fans who have loved them for years for the first time. Bahrain is one of the progressive voices in the Gulf, rooted in a culture of support for the arts. When artists ask us if they need to edit music or the live show for our fans, our cultural guidelines are no different from venues in London or New York. We’ve seen special moments where artists have roaring receptions they aren’t used to in other markets, who get to see them every year. Bahrain we feel is earning the right to be a standard piece of an international tour routing. We will continue to go above and beyond for the artists, and we believe in supporting their success.”