Thousands of Iranians have travelled to Dubai to hear a legendary pop diva give her "homecoming" concert after a silence of more than 20 years.
BBC Online News reports that pop diva Googoosh has given her first concert on the doorstep of her homeland since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The singer appeared before a massive audience in the Gulf state - about 150 kilometres (100 miles) from Iran on the Arabian side of the Gulf waters.
"I feel I'm singing for my people and I'm singing in my country. It's the closest to home," she said ahead of the performance.
The concert fell on the Iranian new year celebration of Norouz, as well as marking the diva's own 50th birthday.
Googoosh is currently on a punishing European tour and flew in overnight for two Gulf performances in separate 24,000- and 8,000-seater venues. Organisers said about 70% of the Dubai audience flew in from Iran.
Thu Mar 22 2001 (5:55:23 PM)
