Javier Peña and Steve Murphy, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents famed for their part in bringing down notorious cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar, recently spoke to two full houses in Dubai with promoter Thomas Ovesen, CEO of 117Live.

Peña and Murphy, played by Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook, respectively, in the hit Netflix series Narcos, brought their touring Capturing Pablo show to the UAE earlier this month.

“Selling out two nights in the lovely 800-seater Dubai College auditorium, the Capturing Pablo 117Live Speaker Series presentation was a great escape from Bieber, Guns N’ Roses and Ed Sheeran shows,” comments Ovesen, “and proof that also in this city fans want new and exciting entertainment formats, even if it means spending a few hours in detention with two former DEA agents.

“Selling out two nights … is proof that in this city fans want new and exciting entertainment formats”

“We will be looking at new and exciting Speaker Series presentations, and indeed hope to bring our favourite DEA agents back for more regional shows while the interest in the demise of Pablo Escobar is still on-trend.”

Ovesen joined the newly formed 117Live, part of entertainment conglomerate the Al Ahil Holding Group (AAHG), from Done Events in December 2015. The company operates the 30,000-cap. Autism Rocks Arena, the emirate’s largest indoor venue.

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Ex-One Direction singer Zayn Malik will play his first concert as a solo artist on 7 October at 117 Live’s new Dubai concert venue, the Autism Rocks Arena.

Veteran promoter Thomas Ovesen, who joined new venture 117 Live from Done Events in December, tells Gulf News he is confident of selling every ticket in the previously unnamed 20,000-capacity greenfield arena. “Were excited that […] we’re the only show in the region with Zayn,” he adds.

The temporary greenfield site will be replaced by a permanent amphitheatre at the Dubai Outlet Mall in spring 2017. The new venue will feature boxes, suites and viewing terraces and is part of a plan by 117 Live owner Al Ahli Holding Group (AAHG) to create a “new regional live entertainment hub”. AAGH, a Dubai-headquartered international conglomerate which employs 9,000 people, also owns the Dubai Outlet Mall.

Malik (pictured), known mononymously as Zayn, hit headlines last week after being racially abused by American rapper Azealia Banks for allegedly plagiarising one of her music videos.

Malik’s former band, One Direction, had the second-highest-grossing tour of 2015.