Eminem, Muse and Thirty Seconds to Mars to headline Saudi Arabia’s Soundstorm festival

DJs Richie Hawtin and Marco Carola also on bill for Riyadh showcase in December

Superstar DJ Tiesto performed at Soundstorm last year, one of the Middle East's largest music festivals. Courtesy: MDL Beast

Rock bands Muse and Thirty Seconds to Mars will join Eminem in headlining this year’s Soundstorm music festival in Riyadh.

The artists will all make their debut performance in Saudi Arabia as part of the event, which is set to take place from December 12 to 14. Also joining the bill are DJs Richie Hawtin and Marco Carola with further performers and dates to be revealed soon.

Tickets start at 209 Saudi riyals ($55) for a three-day pass. On-site complimentary parking is available for all ticket holders.

What you need to know about the artists?

After visiting Riyadh last year for the boxing match between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou, Eminem will return on the back of his newly released 12th album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), which is expected to top the charts in the US and UK this week.

The stop in the Saudi Arabian capital is part of a wider Gulf tour that includes playing an Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix after race-concert at Etihad Park on December 7 and Bahrain's Al Dana Amphitheatre on December 10.

Muse are expected to bring their extravagant production and 25-year catalogue of songs including hits Supermassive Black Hole, United States of Eurasia and Unnatural Selection.

With Jared Leto's growing Hollywood pedigree, tours with his band Thirty Seconds to Mars are becoming rare. The group will make their first appearance in the kingdom after a Dubai concert at the Coca-Cola Arena on December 12.

The impact of Soundstorm

Held in the district of Banban, on the outskirts of Riyadh, Soundstorm is one of the largest music festivals in the region.

From its inaugural event in 2019, the festival has evolved from strictly dance music to welcoming more diverse sounds. As a result, each subsequent Soundstorm has heralded a new watershed for Saudi Arabia's emerging live music sector.

More than 700,000 reportedly attended last year’s event, which had Metallica play the first major heavy metal concert in the country.

They were joined by other big names, including a rare gig by Hollywood star Will Smith, Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin, RnB star Her and rapper Pusha T.

Their global star power was matched by a strong line-up of regional artists including Egypt’s Amr Diab and Lebanon’s Elissa performing EDM versions of the biggest hits.

“Saudi Arabia’s music scene has been thriving for the past two decades behind closed doors,” MDL Beast deputy chief Talal Albahiti previously told The National.

“With every edition of Soundstorm, we further blow these doors wide open. It’s incredibly special to see music lovers enjoy this new reality, in a safe space with the highest standards of music entertainment.”

More information about tickets and pricing is available at mdlbeast.com