Soundstorm MDLBeast in Saudi Arabia

From a Western perspective, a festival is nothing special at all. Especially in the summer months, outdoor festivals are scheduled almost every weekend. In Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, public gatherings, with both male and female artists performing for mixed audiences, were unthinkable for a long time. With the organization of Soundstorm MDLBeast in December 2019, that changed.

Change

Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made his Vision 2030 plans public, much has already changed in the once conservative and closed kingdom. The country is transforming into a modern society more in line with contemporary norms and values. Old and controversial traditions are gradually giving way to renewal.

The first edition of the Soundstorm MDLBeast festival was more than a festival. In December 2019, history was made. For young Saudis, it was a first chance to get in touch with their own newfound freedoms and opportunities. But also with free-spirited contemporaries and other cultures. If you look back at the videos you will see that many Saudi festival visitors were moved to tears. The realization dawned. Finally what they had been waiting for for so long was happening: after a long era of isolation, Saudi Arabia was connecting with the rest of the world.

More impressive year by year

It is for the seventh year in a row that Soundstorm is being organized, and each year it gets more impressive. Over three days, more than 200 artists perform across several stages. In addition, MDLBeast also organizes XP Music, a three-day conference centered on the music industry, in the days leading up to the festival.

MDLBeast strives to provide visitors with an insane experience. A perfect example of this is the mainstage called Big Beast. It is a colossal stage with which they won the Guinness Book World Record. The lineup also knows no bounds. The budget for artists alone reportedly exceeds $40 million. Names such as Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown, Black Eyed Peas and Armin van Buuren have performed in the past.

The crowd is a motley collection of people, ranging from hipsters to men in traditional white thobes with a familiar red-and-white checkered keffiyeh on their heads. Everything and everyone is represented here.

As for partying, it is really different from what we are used to from Dutch festivals. People seem completely unconcerned with what others think of them and have come here with one clear goal: to go as hard as possible. And all that without even a drop of booze, because alcohol is forbidden in Saudi Arabia and is not served at this festival.

With 70% of Saudi Arabia's population under the age of 40, this festival contributes greatly to the emancipation and modernization of the country. It is the calling card of a more progressive Saudi Arabia, with Soundstorm MDLBeast making its name on the international festival calendar. With the insane stages, impressive lineup, enthusiastic audience and the awareness that history is being made here, makes this festival an extraordinary experience.

Soundstorm MDLBeast 2025

Soundstorm MDLBeast is an annual music festival in Riyadh. December, the month in which the festival is held, is a perfect travel month. It is therefore quite possible to combine your tour through Saudi Arabia with a festival visit. In 2025, the festival will take place from December 11 to 13. Soundstorm is organized a 40-minute drive from downtown Riyadh and a 20-minute drive from King Khalid International Airport.