MDLBeast dance-music festival to return to Saudi Arabia in December

Soundstorm will be held in Riyadh from December 16 to 19, with tickets going on sale from September 2

Atmosphere at the inaugural MDLBeast festival in December 2019

Monsta X and Steve Aoki performing at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast

An attendee at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The festival was held in Riyadh

David Guetta on stage at MDL Beast

Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast

Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast

Cirque Beast at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast

David Guetta at MDL Beast

J Balvin at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast

Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing together the best in music, performing arts and culture. Courtesy MDL Beast

The Duo (Nourah and Sean) perform during MDL Beast

Performers at MDL Beast

The opening night in 2019 saw more than 60,000 attendees

The festival will return this December, as Soundstorm

The Middle East’s biggest dance-music event, the MDLBeast festival, is back after its inaugural 2019 session. Rebranded as Soundstorm (following from the entertainment brand’s eponymous first album), it is scheduled to be held in Riyadh from December 16 to 19.

The 2019 iteration boasted performances by David Guetta, Tiesto, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, J Balvin and Rick Ross, a stellar roster that attracted more than 400,000 attendees.

While the line-up of DJs and artists for 2021 is yet to be revealed, we are told the festival will be “bigger and better in terms of number of artists, and feature global superstar headliners, international dance acts, and local and regional performers”.

Talal Albahiti, chief operating officer and head of talent booking and events at MDLBeast, says: “Our inaugural festival in 2019 was pivotal for the music and entertainment scene in Saudi Arabia, as it put us on the world map and revealed just how rich music culture is in the kingdom and the region. Saudi Arabia is undergoing transformation and with it, the popularity and appetite for music and festival culture is growing exponentially. MDLBeast is supercharging the creative industry, and we’re excited to continue showcasing it to the world.”

First-release tickets for Soundstorm will be available from Thursday, September 2. Attendees can choose between day passes and a pass for all four days. Tickets start from 135 Saudi riyals ($36), which includes transportation aboard a “party bus” shuttle from select locations in Riyadh to the venue, and go up to 2,999 Saudi riyals for VIB ("very important beasts") passes. The 2019 venue was located 45 minutes from the main city, although it is yet to be confirmed where the festival will take place this year.

The four-day pass is available across four tiers: Storm Chaser, Storm Blazer, VIB and VIB-BOX. To register interest, visit https://mdlbeast.com/soundstorm/register.

Ahead of his set in 2019, hailing the kingdom's efforts in opening up to musicians, Guetta said: “I feel like we are writing a new page of history together.” His words could not ring truer today.