Baithak ft. Talat Aziz in Dubai

Baithak is a concert series from Showoff Entertainment built around the mehfil, the traditional gathering where poetry and music are shared up close. This edition, in Dubai, features the ghazal singer Talat Aziz on the Baithak stage for an evening of live, soulful music, romance and nostalgia, aimed at people who come to listen.

Each instalment of the series is curated around different artists, and the idea is to bring melody, lyrics and composition together in an intimate setting. Talat Aziz is among India's best-known ghazal singers, and his career spans more than four decades. He is known for his gentle voice and refined phrasing, and for songs such as Ab Kya Ghazal Sunaoon and Zindagi Jab Bhi Teri Bazm Mein. The programme also includes a special tribute segment to Mehdi Hassan, often called the Ghazal King, with Talat Aziz performing some of his best-loved compositions.

One distinctive feature is the seating. Guests can choose traditional Baithak-style seating on the ground or ordinary chairs, whichever is more comfortable. The organisers present the ground-seating option as something new for the region, and it suits the relaxed, close atmosphere of the evening, where you can sing along or simply listen.

The concert takes place at Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, a long-established hotel and conference venue in the Garhoud area, close to Dubai International Airport and Dubai Creek. Garhoud is a largely residential and business district on the Deira side of the city, with good road links to the rest of Dubai, which makes it practical for an evening out.

The event suits anyone who loves Urdu poetry, classic Hindi film music and the ghazal tradition, as well as listeners who prefer a quiet, attentive concert to a loud night out. It is a seated evening centred on the music, with a calm, reflective mood rather than a dance floor. Fans of Talat Aziz, and of Mehdi Hassan's repertoire, will find it a rare chance to hear that catalogue live in Dubai.