A festival that is streets ahead

A growing crowd gathers around Daniel Waples as he continues to play the steel pan influenced instrument. After watching heart-stopping acrobatics on top of a Chinese Pole, rubber band tricks from a world record holder, and a show combining heavy metal and magic, the relaxing music is the perfect way to unwind.

Visitors to the Dubai Marina


Mall Street Festival were treated to an array of world-renowned 
street entertainers. The 10-day extravaganza began on March 22.

“It’s great fun and it’s the reason why we came down here today,” said David Monks, a British resident of Dubai who was picked from the crowd to take part in The Rubberband Boy Show. “It’s great to have this sort of entertainment in the city.”

The Rubberband Boy has been a street performer for 15 years. He uses rubber bands to interact with the crowd, he covers his face in bands, and he even performs a Houdini escape act with a giant rubber band.

“The festival is great,” said the performer from New Zealand. “The acts here are by far the cream of the crop when it comes to street theatre, so it’s an 
honour to be invited to join them.”

Heavy metal and magic aren’t two genres that often appear together. But the Heavy Metal Magician has set out to change that. Dressed like a rock star from the 1980s and performing with Black Sabbath songs playing in the background, the Heavy Metal Magician serves up some great illusion. Not only that, he also recreates a stadium rock act using members of the crowd.

Sion Guy, a tourist from the UK, was recruited by the Heavy Metal Magician to join the band. “It was a good laugh,” said Sion. “We’ve spent a few hours down here at the festival and it’s been a good day out.”

Displaying incredible gymnastic skills, Reuben Dot Dot wowed the crowd using a Chinese Pole. Climbing to the top of the pole in the blink of an eye, sliding down to earth head first, and performing a one-handed handstand at the top of the pole, Rueben Dot Dot had his audience enthralled.

“I love it here,” said the Australian artist. “This is my third time in Dubai and I really enjoy performing here. It’s a different thing and it’s really wonderful to see how the public react because it hones your skills being able to work with different cultures.

“I just saw some pictures of me doing a show with the skyline and it looked absolutely awesome. I think I stood out here for an hour at the beginning before I started, just going ‘wow’.

The Dubai Marina Mall Street Festival will be on until Saturday, March 31.

The performances start on the mall promenade from 4pm on weekdays and 2pm on weekends. Entry is free. For more information visit www.dubaistreetfestival.com.

chris@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE