Elissa to perform in Bahrain at H.O.G. Rally

Tickets for an Elissa concert that is being hosted as part of the Tenth Middle East H.O.G Rally in Bahrain are quickly disappearing, and organisers are urging fans to buy theirs as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Elissa, who will be performing at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) on Friday, November 13, is the star attraction of the four-day Rally that is bringing Harley Davidson enthusiasts from around the world and is expected to be the largest ever gathering of motorcycles in Bahrain.

“We were, to be honest, slightly overwhelmed by the initial response,” said Bahrain H.O.G. Deputy Director and Rally Organising Committee Deputy Head, Hani Al A’ali. “We knew Elissa has a massive fan base in the GCC, but we had not expected such an instant, and very powerful, response,” he said.

Al A’ali attributed part of the overwhelming response to the ticket’s competitive pricing, and said the concert’s success will contribute, in a big way, to making the Bahrain Rally one of the best yet.

“We wanted to ensure that the family-friendly Tenth Middle East H.O.G. Rally appeals to the widest possible range of people and, although the event is designed specifically for motorcycle enthusiasts, we wanted to be able to involve the general public as much as possible,” said Al A’ali. “This was one of the main reasons we decided to invite such a prominent act for the Rally concert,” he said.

“Lebanese Elissa is a multiple award winning singer who is widely considered as one of the best selling female artists in the Middle East,” said Al A’ali. “Famous for her passionate style of music and unique vocal capabilities, Elissa is often referred to as the “Queen Of Romance” and the “Queen Of Feelings”. She was the first Lebanese musician to win the World Music Award in 2005 and 2006 for best selling albums in Middle East,” he said.

“Traditionally, tickets for an Elissa concert can be very almost prohibitively expensive – but, because we wanted to really involve the public, we kept our pricing as reasonable as possible,” said Al A’ali. “As result, ticket sales have been brisk and the concert seems set to prove a sell-out success,” he said.

Tickets for the concert, priced at BD25, BD15 and BD10, are available at Harley Davidson dealerships across the GCC as well as at Vigrin and Al A’ali Mall in Bahrain, while registration for the Tenth Middle East H.O.G Rally will remain open until Wednesday, November 11 through the Rally website.

The family-friendly Rally, which will include motorcycle rides and sightseeing trips around Bahrain for participants and their families, will be based out of a dedicated Rally Site at Al A’ali Mall. The Rally Site will have a carnival-like atmosphere with seating arrangements, food and beverages, music, street performers and entertainment for younger children. The Rally, which is being sponsored by the Harley-Davidson Middle East Dealers as well as Al Aali Shopping Complex, Classic Arabia and Banyan Tree Resort and Spa, will also include a Bike Show, which will showcase some of the region’s most impressive examples of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as what promises to be an exceptionally impressive motorcycle parade. Although registered rally participants will have exclusive access to the Rally Site, members of the public will be able to watch the shows and enjoy the family-friendly carnival atmosphere.

The public will also be able to watch the Thunder Parade on Friday (ed note: 13/11/09) afternoon when all participants will line up their Harley-Davidson motorcycles at about 6:30pm near the Al A’Ali Mall before riding out, in a parade-like formation, to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).

“To help keep the Rally as safe as possible and to ensure that everyone has a great weekend, we were forced to limit the total number of participants,” said Al A’ali. “We are operating our registration system on a strict first come, first served basis and, with the full system available on-line at official Rally web site, we expect to have most available slots filled in well before Day 1,” he said.