On Thursday 20 November 2025, rock legends Deep Purple are scheduled to bring their touring show to Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk, Dubai, for a one night performance with a scheduled start time of 8 PM. The arena’s listings confirm the date and place the concert within its late autumn music calendar, while regional ticketing platforms present it as a headline rock event for the season. Several event calendars also highlight that this show marks the band’s sole Middle East appearance for 2025, which adds urgency for fans across the region. The band’s long career, with more than five decades of touring and recording, gives this single date unusual weight for classic rock followers. Because it is a one night only concert in the Middle East, serious fans will treat Thursday 20 November 2025 as non negotiable (suitable for couples and solo rock fans).
Classic rock icons and their Dubai return
Deep Purple formed in 1968 and helped define hard rock and early heavy metal, with albums like “Machine Head” and songs such as “Smoke on the Water,” “Highway Star” and “Black Night” still anchoring festival setlists worldwide. Over the years, the band have rotated members but maintained a strong core and a reputation for live improvisation, extended solos and rich keyboard textures. In Dubai, promotional material emphasises that the group will perform a career spanning set, blending essential classics with newer material from recent albums, so audiences can expect both nostalgia and fresh surprises. At the same time, the show is being positioned as a full arena production rather than a stripped back club set, which suits their long, dynamic arrangements. Fans should prepare for a loud, high energy classic rock show built around decades of hits rather than a short nostalgia medley (suitable for couples, groups and solo fans).
Setlist style, sound and concert atmosphere
Although no official setlist has been published yet, recent tours suggest a mix of staples such as “Highway Star,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Smoke on the Water” and “Hush,” supported by deeper cuts and extended instrumental sections. The band’s current line up tends to treat each song as a live canvas, so guitar and keyboard solos often stretch beyond studio timings without losing momentum. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Arena’s sound system and tiered seating layout usually support arena rock dynamics, giving both floor and bowl sections a strong audio experience when production teams tune the room properly. Because the show starts at 8 PM on a workday, you can expect the first hour to build gradually toward heavier, louder passages as late arriving guests settle in. For many people, this evening will feel like a classic, stand up and sing along arena concert rather than a sit down recital (suitable for couples, small groups and solo attendees).
Show time, doors and age guidance
Event pages confirm that the concert date is Thursday 20 November 2025, with the start time set for 8:00 PM at Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk. Typically, arena doors open well before show time, so you should expect access from early evening, with security checks and ticket scanning at multiple entrances. Ticketing details state that every guest requires a valid ticket, including children above twelve months, and that any patron under sixteen must attend with an accompanying adult aged at least eighteen. Because of the late finish and loud sound levels, most families will probably treat this as a night out for older teens and adults rather than young children. The age policy effectively makes this a show for adults and older teenagers, not a general family evening (suitable for couples and solo fans; not ideal for small children).
Ticket categories and approximate prices in AED
Current listings show that standard tickets start from around 249 AED for upper tier seats, with higher categories rising into the 300s and 400s depending on location and demand. Some platforms also promote premium or closer to stage seats, with prices that can reach approximately 599 AED or more when you include the best viewing areas and hospitality style options. Because different ticketing partners sometimes list slightly different price bands or fees, you should treat all figures as approximate and check the exact amount before confirming payment. Additionally, prices may increase as cheaper categories sell out or as the concert date gets closer, especially given the band’s status and the fact that this is their only announced Middle East show in 2025. For that reason, fans who want floor or lower bowl seats should book early, as the most attractive sections will likely disappear first (suitable for couples, solo fans and small groups).
Inside Coca-Cola Arena and City Walk surroundings
Coca-Cola Arena sits in City Walk, giving concertgoers an indoor, climate controlled venue surrounded by restaurants, cafes and retail options. The arena’s bowl style seating and flexible floor layout allow promoters to scale capacity for full rock productions, so Deep Purple’s show should feel like a true arena night rather than a resized hall gig. Before doors open, many fans will probably gather in City Walk’s outdoor areas, grabbing early dinners or drinks at nearby venues and then walking across to the arena together. Inside, you can expect strict security, bag checks and cashless or contactless payment at concession stands, which usually sell snacks, soft drinks and limited merchandise stands. Because the neighbourhood offers many pre show options, you can easily turn the concert into a full evening out with food and people watching before and after the performance (suitable for couples and groups, solo friendly).
Getting to Coca-Cola Arena from within Dubai
Within Dubai, the easiest public transport route involves taking the Metro Red Line to Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa station or Business Bay, then continuing by short taxi ride or feeder bus to City Walk. This combination helps avoid some of the heaviest Sheikh Zayed Road congestion and reduces parking stress near the arena. For those who prefer to drive, accessing City Walk via key exits from Sheikh Zayed Road or Al Khail Road is straightforward, yet traffic around Downtown and Business Bay usually peaks between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM on concert nights. Parking garages in and around City Walk can fill quickly when major events take place, especially if other shows or weekend activities share the same evening. Drivers should therefore allow extra time for both traffic and parking, and consider car sharing or ride hailing to ease pressure on the area (suitable for couples, solo drivers and small groups).
Travel plans from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other Emirates
Fans travelling from Abu Dhabi will most likely use the E11 toward Dubai, then follow signs to Downtown and City Walk, with off peak driving times usually around ninety minutes but longer on busy Thursday evenings. Travellers from Sharjah and Ajman often use Al Ittihad Road or Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, where rush hour can quickly extend journey times, so leaving before the main evening peak significantly improves arrival chances. Because the concert is set for a Thursday night, some fans may choose to stay overnight in Dubai, particularly in neighbourhoods like Business Bay, Downtown or Al Wasl, which sit ten to twenty minutes from the arena by taxi. Others may plan a late drive home immediately after the show, but that approach requires careful attention to fatigue and post concert traffic. If you intend to return to another emirate after the show, sharing the drive with friends and planning rest stops will make the trip much more comfortable (suitable for couples and groups).
Food, drinks and pre or post show choices
City Walk contains a broad mix of casual and mid range restaurants, dessert spots and coffee shops, many of which stay open late on event nights, making it easy to plan a pre show dinner or quick snack. Inside Coca-Cola Arena, concession stands usually sell soft drinks, popcorn, chips and simple hot food, although prices tend to run higher than regular street level outlets. Some fans prefer to have a proper meal in City Walk one to two hours before show time and then pick up only drinks or light bites inside the venue. Because arena queues grow sharply around thirty to forty five minutes before the band hits the stage, early birds can move through security more smoothly and still enjoy time inside the bowl before lights go down. Budget wise, you should expect to spend at least 40 to 80 AED per person on food and soft drinks if you eat around the venue rather than at home (suitable for couples, friends and solo visitors).
Weather, clothing, traffic and closing advice
Historical climate data for Dubai in late November indicates warm, dry conditions with daytime highs near 30 to 31 degrees Celsius and evening temperatures easing to around 20 to 23 degrees, and rain remains unlikely on most days of the month. Therefore, light, breathable clothing works best for the trip to City Walk, but you should bring a thin jacket or long sleeve layer because arena air conditioning can feel cool during a two hour rock show. Comfortable closed shoes are wise, since you may stand for long stretches, navigate arena stairs and possibly walk from distant parking garages. Road conditions on Thursday evenings often feature heavy traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road and around Downtown, particularly between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, so metro plus taxi or early car arrival both reduce stress. Ticket prices, start times and age policies can still change slightly as the date approaches, so you should treat all details as approximately accurate until you double check closer to the day. According to advice regularly compiled by the editorial team behind local event guides such as www.few.ae, the single most important step is to secure your ticket and transport plan early so that you reach Coca-Cola Arena relaxed, on time and ready to enjoy every minute of Deep Purple’s only Middle East show of 2025.
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