Ramadaniyyat: The Handover 2027 in Abu Dhabi

Ramadaniyyat: The Handover 2027 in Abu Dhabi brings an Egyptian-led trio to The Black Box Theater at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island for a late-evening concert that turns the folk and ritual music of rural Egypt into something hypnotic and new. Oud player and composer Aly Eissa, Alexandrian violinist Ayman Asfour and Belgian/Norwegian keyboardist Jonas Cambien play one continuous 70-minute set.

Doors open at 9pm and the music starts at 9:30pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027. Ramadaniyyat, the name of the evening, points to the holy month: Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February, and the late start leaves plenty of time for iftar beforehand.

Who are The Handover?

The trio describe themselves as a group bridging deep Arabic folk roots and the ritual music of rural Egypt with modern improvisation. Their sound draws on Arabic classical music, the maqamat and rhythms of the Nile Delta, krautrock, psychedelia and psychedelic shaabi, and the repetition at its heart echoes the trance-like quality of Sufi and moulid traditions.

• Aly Eissa is an Egyptian composer and oud player, and writes the foundations of the group’s pieces.
• Ayman Asfour is a violinist from Alexandria.
• Jonas Cambien is a Belgian/Norwegian keyboardist who plays vintage organ and synthesiser.

Notably, there is no percussion or drum kit. The pulse comes from the instruments themselves and from the dance rhythms of the Egyptian countryside.

Two albums on Sublime Frequencies

The Handover’s self-titled debut was recorded in Alexandria and released as a limited edition in 2024 on the cult label Sublime Frequencies, known for championing music from across the Arab world, Africa and Asia. It is made up of two long pieces, each filling a side of vinyl, and features a vintage Farfisa organ alongside oud and violin. Songlines magazine gave it five stars, calling it a “superb and singular set” and praising its textures, repetitions and climaxes, and noting that the band uses silence almost as a fourth member.

After two years on the road, including Jazzfest Berlin, Rewire and a WOMEX showcase, the trio released a second album, New Old Medicine, in June 2026, again on Sublime Frequencies. Recorded at Morphine Raum in Berlin by the Lebanese producer Rabih Beaini, it is a single continuous composition that moves from a pensive opening melody to a swaying dance, a calm passage and finally an ascent the liner notes call “cosmic rapture”. The Arabic title is a colloquial phrase for something self-sufficient that comes from within itself. Eissa wrote its foundations, and the three developed the rest together through conversation and improvisation, playing face to face in a half-circle.

If you want a taste before the night, the debut is on the Sublime Frequencies Bandcamp page, where its opening side, The Handover Part One, gives a good sense of how slowly and deliberately the trio build a piece.

What the concert is like

Expect one unbroken piece of music rather than a set of separate songs. There is no interval. The performance has a long, patient build-up, rotating solos on oud, synthesiser and violin, and a climax driven by rural Egyptian dance rhythms. The listing describes it as drawing on the raw intensity of 1960s avant-garde jazz as much as Nile Delta tradition, and as a journey that does not come back down once it takes off.

The Black Box Theater is a close-up setting for music that rewards careful listening. Because the set runs as one continuous piece, being seated before 9:30pm matters more than usual.

Who it suits

This is a concert for adventurous listeners: fans of Arabic music curious about experimental sounds, jazz and krautrock lovers who want to hear Egyptian traditions, and anyone who enjoyed the more exploratory nights at The Arts Center. The 70-minute running time and late start make it a manageable midweek night out during Ramadan. The listing gives no age policy. If you mainly know the oud from classical Arabic concerts, this is a very different way to hear it, stretched over synths and violin.

Getting into NYU Abu Dhabi

The Arts Center is on a working university campus, so you need two things on arrival: your event ticket and the campus access QR code emailed by NYUAD Campus Safety. Enter through the East or West Parking or the Welcome Center.

By car, take Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street (E10) past Al Mina, then Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street (E12) and continue on to Laffan Street; GPS is recommended. By bus, route 170 stops at Saadiyat New York University 3, a short walk away. Taxis and ride-hailing apps also serve the campus. For wheelchair and access bookings, email the box office at nyuad.boxoffice@nyu.edu.

Discover more in our art and culture listings and concerts guide, or plan the rest of your month with things to do in Abu Dhabi and what is on in February.