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Los Angeles Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
This otherworldly concert series ignites all the senses — and it just landed in L.A.
1 French collective Cercle is known for producing musical performances in awe-inspiring locales around the globe: French DJ and producer Sébastien Léger played in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Ben Böhmer spun a DJ set from a hot air balloon as it flew over Cappadocia in Turkey and Mochakk performed at the bustling Plaza de España in Sevilla, Spain, and electronic duo Bob Moses playing in front of the Griffith Observatory. Now the company has taken on its most ambitious project yet — and it's bringing L.A. audiences along for the ride. Cercle Odyssey, landing at the Los Angeles Convention Center today, is billed as the world's first 360-degree nomadic concert series. Imagine the visual explosion of the Sphere in Las Vegas with the intimacy of a Boiler Room set, all inside a cube-shaped structure. The L.A. shows — featuring performances by Paul Kalkbrenner, Empire of the Sun, Moby, the Blaze and Black Coffee — incorporate immersive 8K projections, spatial soundscapes, an electric light show and other multisensory components. Each event is capped at 5,000 guests and no phones are allowed (more on that below). Want to check it out? Here are five things to know. Cercle Odyssey is being marketed as the world's first 360-degree nomadic concert series. 2 While one could easily mistake the otherworldly visuals featured in the show for AI, all of it was actually shot with a 360 drone camera in various locations around the world. Cercle founder and creative director Derek Barbolla teamed up with Neels Castillon, a film director who bridges storytelling and the human connection to nature, to direct and shoot an art film loosely inspired by Homer's 'Odyssey.' For the film, Castillon traveled to hard-to-reach sites including the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, the Namib Desert in Namibia and Salar de Uyun (the world's largest salt flat) in Bolivia, and formed a narrative surrounding four characters who embark on a journey that takes them through four elements: ice, the ocean, the forest and the desert. The story was designed to be nonlinear, so it can be chopped and edited, and each performance can be different. Some headliners like Moby were particularly hands-on in curating visuals for their shows, while others collaborated with Cercle to curate their visual set. Cercle Odyssey includes light effects. 3 To create an enveloping experience, Cercle Odyssey taps into your senses, including smell via a machine that sprays handcrafted fragrances to match the scenery and music. But one element that remains a priority for Barbolla is the sound, of course. For Cercle Odyssey, he tapped in with L-Acoustics to use their cutting-edge L-ISA immersive sound technology, which features more than 15 speakers above and around the stage and subwoofer arrays, all of which help make the sound powerful and crisp. The technology not only elevates the music you're hearing, but it also makes the natural sounds such as birds chirping and ocean waves — which Castillon recorded during his travels — sound real. 4 Upon arrival, guests are instructed to put their phones into a secure pouch. The reason? So concertgoers can stay in the moment and truly immerse themselves in the experience, which can't be done with a small screen in your hand, Barbolla says. But if you're still concerned about not having a physical memory from the show to rewatch later or post on social media, Cercle sends video footage from each of the shows to attendees afterward. In fact, some of the footage they share is shot on iPhones to create the authentic experience of being in the audience. However, if you need to access your phone for an emergency, you can go to one of two areas on each side of the venue. 'The possibilities are infinite,' says Derek Barbolla. 'We [maybe] explored 1% of what we could do in this room.' 5 Shortly after he launched Cercle in France in 2016, Barbolla planned to start a chapter in L.A. as well. To do this, he reached out to a few of his friends who were studying in Santa Barbara, brought them the necessary film equipment and taught them how to produce live stream shows for the company. But in the end, his idea was 'too ambitious' at the time, he says, and Barbolla abandoned the idea. He went on to host a handful of shows in L.A. including Bob Moses' set at the Griffith Observatory during the pandemic, but he's always wanted to host more events in the city, he says. So bringing Cercle Odyssey to L.A. was an obvious choice. 'It's kind of a dream because the music industry in L.A. is one of the biggest cultural landmarks, but also the cinema industry,' he says, 'so it was meant to be.' Mura Musa performing at Cercle Odyssey on April 26 in Mexico City. 6 While Cercle's in-person shows over the years have required fans to get on an airplane and travel to historical and remote destinations such as the Sisteron Citadel in France, Barbolla wanted Cercle Odyssey to be more accessible to fans. 'We wanted to bring nature to the city,' he says. It was also a goal for Barbolla to make the massive production as sustainable as possible, so he he used projected screens instead of lead screens. That way his team only has to travel with the custom-made canvas they use for the projections, which 'is very small' and can be folded up. For everything else, the Cercle team rents the sound, light and camera equipment and hires local crews to work in each city, making the project more economical and ecological. For now, the Cercle Odyssey tour, which kicked off in Mexico City last month, will wrap in Paris on June 1, but Barbolla says he wants to expand it and bring it to more cities in the near future. It's also a dream of his to give the art installation he created to other creators and artists, so they can add their interpretation to it as well. 'The possibilities are infinite,' he says. 'We [maybe] explored 1% of what we could do in this room.'
What's On
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Agents Of Time, AMÉMÉ & more are performing in Dubai this weekend
Big weekend loading… If you're in the mood to dance this weekend, this is the one. Zamna's landing in Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience this Friday, May 9, with a massive lineup that speaks for itself – Agents Of Time , AMÉMÉ , Ben Böhmer , and Joezi. Zamna Zamna, the core crew behind Tulum's famous jungle parties. Expect raw, organic, tribal beats that bring the spirit of the Mexican jungle to Dubai Harbour – think deep rhythms, earthy beats, and that underground energy that keeps things moving till late. The Italian duo known for their deep, melodic techno and live sets that always keep things unpredictable. They've played everything from Afterlife shows to fabric London. They're also the founders of their own label, Obscura , and are known for pushing their sound into darker, moodier territory. AMÉMÉ Bringing Afro-house grooves with tribal percussion and a lot of soul. Born in Benin and now based in Brooklyn, he's a regular at Ibiza's hottest parties. He runs the One Tribe label and movement, focused on global sounds and unity through music. Ben Böhmer If you've ever needed a soundtrack for a sunrise set, this is your guy. German, melodic, and cinematic – his tracks flow like a journey. He's played iconic spots like Cercle (over Cappadocia!) and his debut album Breathing topped charts worldwide. Joezi French-Moroccan deep house with North African influences. His track Amanye was a global underground hit. He's known for weaving in tribal vocals and smooth, rolling basslines that feel both fresh and timeless. Also read Damian Lazarus is playing a set at Be Beach Dubai next weekend KYGO is bringing his world tour to Dubai this May Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience, Dubai Marina, 6pm, Friday, May 9, tickets starting at Dhs295 @ushuaiadubai Images: Instagram > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Time Out Dubai
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Ushuaïa Dubai Closing Party 2025: Your Need To Know
For a night packed full of performances by world-renowned DJs set against Dubai's show-stopping skyline, the Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience is the open-air nightlife venue you need to experience at least once. Now, along with Global Village, Dubai Safari Park, and other top city attractions, Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience has announced its closing for summer, and its final event is just around the corner. For an unforgettable closing party you'll still be thinking about in October, Zamna, the globally renowned electronic music brand, is taking over the venue on Friday May 9. Starting in Tulum, Mexico, the jungle festival has now travelled and taken over stages across the world, with Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience next on the list. The season finale will feature many other electronic artists including Amémé, Agents Of Time, Ben Böhmer, Joezi, and Zamna Soundsystem. We told you it would be good. Luckily, you can still score tickets for Ushuaïa Dubai's last hurrah of the season at the venue's dedicated website. The tickets are currently on sale for Dhs250, discounted from Dhs324. Getting to Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience How Dubai Harbour looked for previous shows (Credit: Supplied) Getting to the show is fairly straightforward but you should be aware that parking spaces will be limited and it's probably not worth the risk. If you do end up driving however, you'll just need to follow the signs for Dubai Harbour from Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard. Organisers recommend using public transport with the tram being your best bet for the shortest walk. Stop at Mina Seyahi Tram Station for a short-ish walk to the site. The site is near Be Beach DXB in the Dubai Marina if you fancy making the trek. It will have dedicated ridesharing drop-off and collection points so if you're using a ride-hailing app then your driver should know where to go. From Dhs250. Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience, Dubai Marina. From 6pm. More in Dubai 6 best spots in Business Bay to have a really good time after work Time for some delicious fun Don't miss out: Global Village is closing for summer *really* soon Time is running out Mary J Blige is coming to Dubai this summer It's her first time in the UAE for over a decade
CairoScene
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Tulum's Zamna Festival Announces Ushuaia Dubai Harbour Lineup May 9th
The lineup features Agents of Time, Ben Böhmer, AMÉMÉ, Joezi, and Zamna Soundsystem. May 04, 2025 Tulum's iconic Zamna Festival has recently announced the full lineup for its Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour takeover on May 9th. Since its launch in Mexico's Riviera Maya in 2017, Zamna has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon with its immersive experiences, high-energy lineups, and atmospheric stage design. The mini-festival has hosted pop-up events in over a dozen cities worldwide, from Ibiza and Miami to New York, São Paulo, and Malta. It also made its Egypt debut earlier last April at the Great Pyramids of Giza. The festival is now taking over Ushuaïa Dubai with a powerhouse lineup of electronic acts, featuring Italian techno wizards Agents of Time, Germany's own Ben Böhmer, West Africa-born DJ and producer AMÉMÉ, Afrohouse maestro DJ Joezi, and Zamna Soundsystem. Tickets are now available via Platinumlist's official website, starting from AED 250.
