Yes, we (UAE residents) are kind of spoiled. This quarter alone we’ve had David Guetta, Noel Gallagher, Richard Ashcroft, Three Doors Down, Train, Avicii and a whole lot more. Sandance didn’t disappoint at all by closing this season with Keane, Florence & the Machine (SPECTACULAR!!!) and Groove Armada.
I wish I took more photos but it was one of the most memorable Sandance‘s ever. One, I was by myself, two, the crowd singing to Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know gave me chills, three, Florence looked and sounded amazing and fourth, the Machine was equally amazing. Wish I have more energy than I had so I could have stayed for Groove Armada but I was really tired. There were lots of people so it can be really draining.
After going to almost every single Sandance there were (missed one because I was out of the country) I thought I’ll give out some tips
1. Relax. Someone is smoking next to you? Unless they’re not blowing the smoke right to your face, brush it off and let that person slowly kill her/himself. You can always ask them to blow the smoke somewhere else or something.
2. Ask and converse, but remember, too much of anything is TOO BAD. Ask politely. Converse and meet people.
3. Dance and music first, booze second. Control your drinking and drink lots of water. If you can’t control your bladder since the loo is kind of at the far end side unless you’re VIP, then don’t drink too much alcohol so you don’t have to drink too much water either. I don’t understand people who gets Friday brunch drunk and go to Sandance afterwards to drink some more. You guys really that cheap? Also, everyone knows you had too much alcohol, you need not prove it to us.
4. Be polite. Also, dress appropriately. Say excuse me and try to walk past people without hitting them. And I hate this so much, there are a lot of people who will deliberately shove you in order to pass through, that’s just disrespectful, rude and annoying. And if you hit me when I’m not in a good i-dont-care-mood, well you’ll get a piece of what you’re looking for. Also, I’m not a pillow, don’t lean on me.
5. Apologize. Yeah I get it, it can be crowded but if you step on my foot or you hit my face with an elbow, a “sorry” will suffice but acting like nothing happened is not cool.
6. Take advantage of early bird tickets, they’re cheap.
7. Sandance is not a place to hook up with people neither is it a place to get cozy with someone. Although sometimes guilty of this specially after finishing that second bottle of vodka, come on guys, we’re better than this.
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8. Arrive and leave early or last. If you live in the Marina, take the FREE buses because not everyone lives in Marina, Downtown or Greens. Some are even travelling to Abu Dhabi or the other end of the emirate so it will be nice it if it’s only us in the queue for a taxi. I come to events early because I want to pick a good spot for me. And if you’re late, realize that there’s no way I will trade spaces with you.
9. Be patient. Queue like a civilized human being. Control your alcohol (oh I said that already).
10. HAVE FUN!!!
Nightmares on Wax, Idris Elba and Jonathan Ulysses were there too! The Killers are coming for next season, so I guess, see you next time at the sand?
