Having been a loyal companion to Qatar’s nightlife long before the throng of clubs sprung up all across the city and beyond, the Qube nightclub at Radisson Blu Hotel Doha still holds its own as it brings in its 10th anniversary today.
From the time when it opened its doors to Doha’s fun-loving community on October 23, 2006, Qube has been at the helm of introducing some fresh verve to the live music scene. From The Clash of the Bands that saw amateur rock and pop bands of Qatar battle it out, to Qube Idol, an American Idol spin-off which was held every Friday and saw a lot of young talents shine on the local platform, Qube has done its bit to keep the entertainment scene lively. And of course, it has brought down artistes such as The Celtic Tenors, Sonique, Tim Westwood, Aswad, Boney M, and The Parlotones, among others.
On the occasion of Qube’s 10th year in Doha, Community spoke with Senarath Gunasekera, Food and Beverage Manager, Radisson Blu Doha, to know more.
How do you look back at Qube’s growth and evolution over the years?
Over the past 10 years, Qube has earned its name as being one of the best entertainment venues in Doha. Though other night entertainment venues have emerged in the Doha nightlife scene, Qube’s uniqueness in offering a combination of incredible music, an inviting atmosphere, and friendly regulars, have made it a success.
Qube has given Doha’s live entertainment scene an interesting dimension with series like The Clash of the Bands, Qube Idol, and The Qube Factor. How do you think such features impacted the music scene here?
I feel that these unique events created an opportunity for the community in Doha to showcase their hidden talents and gave a chance to the amateurs to become professionals in Doha’s music scene.
Has Qube’s focus on what kind of music it supports or the artistes it brings changed over the years? And how?
Qube has been providing a variety of R&B, techno and trance music along with DJs spinning some great club tunes. And we will continue to enhance the same whilst looking into bringing in some great artistes who will be loved by the Doha crowd.
Could you share a couple of your fondest memories related to Qube, perhaps related to some concert/artiste or fans?
Kym Mazelle’s performance in July 2010 would have to be one of the best memories. Mazelle is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, and has been a major figure in popular music for over three decades. Over the past years we have provided a variety of music from Celtic Tenors, Parlotones, Kym Mazelle, Tim Westwood, Jelai Andres, Sonique, and Apache Indian, to name just a few. Each of these shows were unique and the fans kept coming back for more.
What do you make of Doha’s live entertainment scene, and how do you see Qube playing a key role in it in the coming months and years?
We continue to offer a progressive style of entertainment; our latest addition of having two live bands on a stage along with DJ music will go a long way in the buzzing Doha entertainment scene. This concept has already become very popular among our guests. We have had an amazing line-up of artistes throughout this year and we are looking forward to welcoming the Philippines’ Prince of Rock ‘Bamboo’ for one of the biggest nights in Qube on October 29. And we will be welcoming the new year in style with DJ Melody coming down from the UK and will continue bringing in top artistes all through 2017 as well. As for Qube celebrating its 10th anniversary today, our key focus remains customer appreciation, and celebrating those who have given us the opportunity to be in operation for the last 10 years.
Senarath Gunasekera, Food and Beverage Manager, Radisson Blu Doha.
