Simply Abu Dhabi VIII

P erhaps the most lavish of all the opulent events that take place during Abu Dhabi’s fabulous Formula One weekend is the amazing Chequered Flag Ball. The sumptuous black tie event is held in the impressive ballroom of the beautiful St Regis hotel on Saadiyat Island. It attracts a large number of VIPs from the worlds of sport and entertainment, with a red carpet laid out as a fitting welcome for the stars. We come every year to the opulent ball, attracted not only by the sophisticated guests, but also by the sumptuous food and the sheer quality and variety of entertainment on offer. You’re guaranteed to have a brilliant time! Among the VIPs in attendance this year was the world class British solo artist Leona Lewis – who looked beautiful in a white lace Antonio Berardi gown. The UK’s Olympic heptathlon legend Jessica Ennis was also in attendance, wearing a pink Alexander McQueen dress. She told reporters she planned to see Eminem perform and that she was excited about discovering what Abu Dhabi has to offer: “I can’t wait. I have never been to Abu Dhabi before,” said the phenomenally talented and much-loved athlete. Other VIPs included Bollywood star Chitrangada Singh, Mohammed Abdou, the Arabian Gulf’s most popular singer, and the respected British Formula One veterans Martin Brundle and Jonny Herbert. This year, soul legend Jocelyn Brown was one of the stars providing entertainment after the superb four-course meal. Brown’s stirring and passionate voice simply has to be heard to be believed. It will shake you to your core and fill you with emotion. She was on top form, taking us through a sensational array of some of her greatest hits, including Loves Gonna Get You, You Are The One, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, and the all-time great, Somebody Else’s Guy. The singer’s career has spanned four decades of international success, both as a solo artist and as the voice of numerous dance classics. Her incredible voice and compelling stage presence lured almost every guest onto the dance floor at one time or another – we certainly couldn’t resist! A musician to her very core, Brown is not content with simply performing, but is also involved intimately with the production of her music. It was a real honour to be able to see such a star sing live, especially in such a relatively intimate setting. We also had the great pleasure of seeing Eddie Jordan, the former owner of the Jordan Formula One team, playing the drums with his band Eddie and the Robbers. Jordan clearly hugely enjoys his music, and the other band members are fantastic too. As well as performing at the British Grand Prix, Eddie and the Robbers have previously headlined on the Pet Sounds Stage at the UK’s T in the Park and performed for thousands of music fans at the Isle of Wight Festival. Eddie has also jammed together with such legends as Nick Mason from Pink Floyd, Mike Rutherford from Genesis, and Roger Daltry from The Who. What a multi-talented man! Despite attending the dazzling Chequered Flag Ball each year, the excitement never wears thin and this was one of the best yet. All credit to Urban Events for their vision and continuing passion in organising it. With such a phenomenal and varied display of talent on show, the mood among the guests was electric. There was a real atmosphere of goodwill, and this became evident as we made our way around the room, chatting to a huge number of interesting and charming people. When the evening came to an end at 3am on Saturday, it was a huge disappointment – but of course, we have next year’s event to look forward to... Leona Lewis – Chequered Flag Ball at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi