Now here's a #CANADIAN in the UAE: Flash Entertainment's John Lickrish

John Lickrish, ceo and founder of Flash Entertainment.

It's been pretty cool watching the evolution of the entertainment scene here in the UAE since 2008, which is the year that the Abu Dhabi government-owned Flash Entertainment was founded by John Lickrish. The-now 47-year-old has brought everyone from Madonna to the Rolling Stones to Dave Matthews Band to Coldplay - in a magical, rain-drenched show at Emirates Palace - to a capital once starved for live gigs.

Coldplay in Abu Dhabi on New Year's Eve: If only it were possible to be on two continents at once

I made a decision to stay in Canada a little longer this holiday, soaking up the love from family and some friends (hopefully giving a little back) – but it meant I had to give up my ticket for Coldplay's New Year's Eve show. (Instead I babysat my amazing niece while my brother and his wife slipped out for a little early dins. It was a pretty good trade)

Judging from these pics and Saeed Saeed's review in The National, it was a great show. Not sure I missed being in all that traffic though.