AEG Live has confirmed the first show via its new Middle Eastern office with former Mirage Promotions’ GM Thomas Ovesen – a Bon Jovi concert in association with the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala.

Ovesen left Mirage in January this year, shortly before Live Nation purchased a 65% share in the promotion company. His much rumoured move to AEG Live was announced last month, seeing the two largest global promoters both move into the Middle East almost simultaneously.

When Bon Jovi perform at the 15,000- capacity Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi on 20 May, AEG Live will face-off against Live Nation in yet another market on the touring map. At the end of 2007, both companies landed venue management contracts in Asia; Live Nation in Hong Kong, and AEG (through
its partnership with Ogden IFC) in Beijing.

The new AEG Live office in Dubai has employed Tricia Warwick, former VP of global sales for Jumeirah, as general manager, which Ovesen says, “sends out a clear message that we want to develop strong ties with the corporate players in the Middle East.

“The young local populations combined with large communities of high income residents and tourists form a great basis for our industry although the real take off is probably two-three years down the line,” he says.

Ovesen places a similar timescale on the opening of large, purpose-built music venues, the lack of which UAE has long suffered from, and states that AEG Live would “hope to facility manage the best”.