There are various music events in Abu Dhabi to soothe our souls. As students, despite readily attending on-campus events that engage our curiosity — in terms of talented peers and enticing, culturally-foreign music — we are also drawn to easily recognizable names that swim around in the media and are blasted out of the radio. That sense of grandeur and familiarity can easily push us towards idolatry, whereby there is a bigger focus on the performer than the music’s message and artistic value. There is no strong intention behind setting these two kinds of entertainment side by side, nor a need to praise or choose one over the other. However, it is important to bear in mind our behaviors and responses towards these two distinct types, namely small-scale versus larger-scale, unknown versus popular and relatively experimental versus relatively commercial. Although looking up and taking inspiration from a popular performer may be empowering, being consumed by this takes away from the enjoyment and appreciation of the art from.

Big names, big venues and much media coverage lure in the masses, pleasing them with the promise to take part in a phenomenon. Therein, the pursuit of esteem — being consumed with what the event stands for and being able to say that one has been there — can easily overshadow the joy and meaning to be drawn out of the event itself. In the case of F1, however, which took place on Yas Island’s Yas Marina Circuit, it is still easy to conclude that the high turnout rate can be ascribed to the public’s genuine interest in competitive sports, fast cars and tendencies to humblebrag.

Races aside, the other form of entertainment offered that weekend appeared in the form of large-scale concerts, with equally alluring names attached to them: Pitbull, The Chemical Brothers, Lionel Richie and Rihanna. The satisfaction gained from attending such an event arguably extends beyond bathing in all that one considers grandiose, namely, experiencing an unparalleled degree of energy, singalong and idolatry. Surely, at every one of these concerts, there remained still a notable number of individuals who were simply enjoying all that there was without looking up too much to those who were stampeding on stage.

Particularly on the Rihanna closing night, which counted the highest attendance rate of NYU Abu Dhabi students, the question arises as to how exactly this kind of weekend entertainment differs from events offered on campus or even the highly advertised off-campus ones. At this point, it should be noted that indeed none of the F1 After Race Concerts were explicitly advertised on Student Portal, in SIG emails or official community newsletters.

It is without question that as a symbol of female empowerment, the messages and encouragement that Rihanna sends out are clear. What is also clear is that as compared to many other performers and performances, she experiences more scrutiny with regard to what she is wearing, how she is moving and how she is executing new ideas. Popular words such as slay and on point persist in descriptions of what she does.

Without a doubt, the entertainment events that are organized on campus are valuable in terms of reflecting the university’s values with regards to internationalism and multinationalism, thinking outside of the box and developing a sensitivity for nuance. It is easy to think back to the engaging Badke performance earlier this semester, consisting of a predominantly Lebanese group, who explored notions of belonging through dance. Another highlight for students was the meditative luster of Swiss ensemble Nik Bärtsch’s Mobile, which invited listeners to focus on the capabilities of sound, especially in terms of the coming together and layering of various instruments.

Again, there is no strong intention behind setting these two kinds of entertainment side by side, nor a need to praise or choose one over the other. Big arena versus the university’s Black Box theater. Excruciating fame versus smaller-scale notability. What should be noted, however, is how we respond to and view these different forms of entertainment. Both cleanse and invigorate the soul. Both allow for a strong connection with its content. Despite human readiness to idolize, relishing a live performance fully due to craft remains at the intended core of any spectacle.