Not so Dire on the Yas ‘Straits’

Having toured the world entertaining thousands of adoring fans Alan Clarke, Jamie Squire and Terence Reis, the three principal members of The Straits are used to life in the fast-lane.

The rock and roll trio, however, received an adrenaline rush of a different kind when in Abu Dhabi this month. The group were lucky enough to sample a few impromptu laps around Yas Marina Circuit, home of the annual Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - in the radical speedsters.

“Wow, I’ve seen Yas Marina Circuit all lit-up during the F1 on television, but nothing prepares you for a real-life dash around the track. It was real sensory overload and a complete rush,” said Clark, who originally joined Dire Straits in 1980 as their first keyboard player and played a significant part in the group’s transformation into one of the world’s biggest bands.

The Straits were in Abu Dhabi to play a free-to-attend, 90-minute concert at the city’s Volvo Ocean Race Destination Village - the scene of a fortnight-long entertainment programme to mark Abu Dhabi’s historic maiden hosting of the round-the-world ‘Everest of Sailing.

For more information on the Abu Dhabi stopover, visit volvooceanraceabudhabi.com.