Carl & The Reda Mafia Star in Expo2020 Opening Weekend Celebrations

Dubai-based band Carl & The Reda Mafia have an extra special reason to be excited about the imminent opening of Expo2020. The local band is performing during Expo’s opening weekend celebrations. Carl & The Reda Mafia’s 45-minute set is part of the Late Night @ Expo series. The four-piece band step onto the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre stage at 8.30pm on Saturday 2 October.

“Being invited to perform in itself is such an honour,” said lead singer-songwriter Carl La’frenai’s. “But to find out we’re performing during the opening weekend really is the icing on the cake. We’re so honoured to be one of the first local bands to perform at Expo2020.”

Set-wise, Carl & The Reda Mafia will play some funk jams from their first album, What The?! and “a few unreleased heavier songs”. “We’ll also perform a couple of songs from our new acoustic album before ending with a bang,” said Carl.

Trip

The acoustic album is called Trip and it will be released in October. It’s a 10-track affair stripped back to just guitar and vocals. Carl and his bandmate Tarek Reda recorded Trip during lockdown.

The lads recently released the single New Strings from the soon-come album. It’s a song about change, according to Carl. “New strings on an old guitar, as the song goes, is about how sometimes we’ve got to change on a personal level many times throughout life to adapt. Just like how we change the strings of a guitar and all of a sudden it sounds brand new, we can often make changes to ourselves, our surroundings and much more to bring about something new in our life.” Check out the video for the track below.

Hit The Road

Following the album’s release, Carl & The Reda Mafia will focus on recording a five-track live EP. And they want to hit the road in 2022. “We hope to tour again next year and get back to playing festivals,” said Carl.

Delayed a year by the Covid-19 pandemic, Expo2020 officially opens to the public on Friday 1 October. The grand opening ceremony kicks off tonight – 30 September – at 7.30pm. The cast includes British popstar Ellie Goulding. You can watch the opening ceremony from the comfort of your own home here.

Photo: The Fridge Concert Series

Also read: Carl & The Reda Mafia Drop Beautiful First Track from New Acoustic Album