![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I57Y2IPXXDVFO7BF3JM4TYCMUI.jpg?smart=true&auth=5ec525a4a5543f5b9448f5b47dd9508919e12afec0ee66c584d5fbe43f6db17e&width=400&height=225)
The festival will return this December, as Soundstorm
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YEG6ZP2FNYMDAURJCMQEHBDVUU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e85059859d3dd3004e97f6b0d9791281f8f54a0feb8c6dd57ff109452614d0d2&width=400&height=225)
Atmosphere at the inaugural MDLBeast festival in December 2019
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BQN6D74JK4NFUUOLVOECXQSCYU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e24a0144e444162520e1aa78cb542ea57ae200bbdd9437ad972633a7f125beaa&width=400&height=225)
Monsta X and Steve Aoki performing at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BTI7JXAPMA5YFAFBMCROMW4BMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3984e12179c70da7f3ad3bf96bb5519a48632e508d650ebacc7cab8dfe26bebe&width=400&height=225)
An attendee at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7ZWMKIHF7MRWAFJGFHLSGUKRWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d9ac3b0547e23855c809ec890067ac7177098b6b17c65c91d1568c85832fe5e8&width=400&height=225)
The festival was held in Riyadh
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JRMQ3O4PNJ46FMPZ3UONJZCSMI.jpg?smart=true&auth=eeffae763eeb2612c26a9825c3b53a6c3b831be1287ac38134f01511255c2356&width=400&height=225)
David Guetta on stage at MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VUOH6OUJCPMDQQVOZ6EV74Y4KQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e0ac8987ced189775d6a3e4fa7c216189a36b16af4893ce2a309878847ff106c&width=400&height=225)
Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BEUIRN2A2J27FNUMCUXV6MRUVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ad357c4252bc856d6ca6bc83b0be20d1cef3d137de61bcdad4b9a29974e0ac5e&width=400&height=225)
Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TQEX674F4HMHRXBBM2IKRAZQKI.jpg?smart=true&auth=7709cd06d40c7cb7a34e1411934f8711bf457b5be3d1fe0cb0d7463df578a65d&width=400&height=225)
Cirque Beast at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CC2ZRQYKDJA6CVNDIMDH27OMMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=e3d6f43f99f238693dcedb2974cfd59d7778b436672d8e75b40b27f04191fbd1&width=400&height=225)
Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SIQF2MMBJFRO6L42Y7RDZQ3H7I.jpg?smart=true&auth=1c21c51ee8964fc19f04e974499747f0cc7e520449666a5d05da425d6d0ae225&width=400&height=225)
David Guetta at MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QQOQZR7IEWDY4UYJR5NGZ57JMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f86f021dacc930080f65f2300c6ea1de768763d6895e719752142ca7c41f5b0&width=400&height=225)
J Balvin at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KKRG62VQ7NI7LYUUSPS2OQTVPQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=548ab26166ad8290299450a2009f7ad566dddfa8b513260ada9c1f08e24a5507&width=400&height=225)
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
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C3GCP4YA65ULJBIT32KXR43BPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=08196248726ba4803403090bf0142a9b79a66016d4da13a53d15661ccbeeadfe&width=400&height=225)
The Duo (Nourah and Sean) perform during MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3GRPRKKMFBTCZFORZTDVFLFZPQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9a83295dfaf81dae4bc2b7bfccd48d9ad49883c0cd23759b0e013388e93456a7&width=400&height=225)
Performers at MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N7MWAJNOWWASACHSCWDA35YKCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e82479b464c625c40ed4082dbef4e429c6d41eecdcf11d957c73d69c6f4c512&width=400&height=225)
The opening night in 2019 saw more than 60,000 attendees
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I57Y2IPXXDVFO7BF3JM4TYCMUI.jpg?smart=true&auth=5ec525a4a5543f5b9448f5b47dd9508919e12afec0ee66c584d5fbe43f6db17e&width=400&height=225)
The festival will return this December, as Soundstorm
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YEG6ZP2FNYMDAURJCMQEHBDVUU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e85059859d3dd3004e97f6b0d9791281f8f54a0feb8c6dd57ff109452614d0d2&width=400&height=225)
Atmosphere at the inaugural MDLBeast festival in December 2019
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BQN6D74JK4NFUUOLVOECXQSCYU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e24a0144e444162520e1aa78cb542ea57ae200bbdd9437ad972633a7f125beaa&width=400&height=225)
Monsta X and Steve Aoki performing at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BTI7JXAPMA5YFAFBMCROMW4BMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3984e12179c70da7f3ad3bf96bb5519a48632e508d650ebacc7cab8dfe26bebe&width=400&height=225)
An attendee at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7ZWMKIHF7MRWAFJGFHLSGUKRWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d9ac3b0547e23855c809ec890067ac7177098b6b17c65c91d1568c85832fe5e8&width=400&height=225)
The festival was held in Riyadh
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JRMQ3O4PNJ46FMPZ3UONJZCSMI.jpg?smart=true&auth=eeffae763eeb2612c26a9825c3b53a6c3b831be1287ac38134f01511255c2356&width=400&height=225)
David Guetta on stage at MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VUOH6OUJCPMDQQVOZ6EV74Y4KQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e0ac8987ced189775d6a3e4fa7c216189a36b16af4893ce2a309878847ff106c&width=400&height=225)
Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BEUIRN2A2J27FNUMCUXV6MRUVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ad357c4252bc856d6ca6bc83b0be20d1cef3d137de61bcdad4b9a29974e0ac5e&width=400&height=225)
Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TQEX674F4HMHRXBBM2IKRAZQKI.jpg?smart=true&auth=7709cd06d40c7cb7a34e1411934f8711bf457b5be3d1fe0cb0d7463df578a65d&width=400&height=225)
Cirque Beast at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CC2ZRQYKDJA6CVNDIMDH27OMMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=e3d6f43f99f238693dcedb2974cfd59d7778b436672d8e75b40b27f04191fbd1&width=400&height=225)
Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SIQF2MMBJFRO6L42Y7RDZQ3H7I.jpg?smart=true&auth=1c21c51ee8964fc19f04e974499747f0cc7e520449666a5d05da425d6d0ae225&width=400&height=225)
David Guetta at MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QQOQZR7IEWDY4UYJR5NGZ57JMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f86f021dacc930080f65f2300c6ea1de768763d6895e719752142ca7c41f5b0&width=400&height=225)
J Balvin at MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KKRG62VQ7NI7LYUUSPS2OQTVPQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=548ab26166ad8290299450a2009f7ad566dddfa8b513260ada9c1f08e24a5507&width=400&height=225)
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
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C3GCP4YA65ULJBIT32KXR43BPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=08196248726ba4803403090bf0142a9b79a66016d4da13a53d15661ccbeeadfe&width=400&height=225)
The Duo (Nourah and Sean) perform during MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3GRPRKKMFBTCZFORZTDVFLFZPQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9a83295dfaf81dae4bc2b7bfccd48d9ad49883c0cd23759b0e013388e93456a7&width=400&height=225)
Performers at MDL Beast
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N7MWAJNOWWASACHSCWDA35YKCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e82479b464c625c40ed4082dbef4e429c6d41eecdcf11d957c73d69c6f4c512&width=400&height=225)
The opening night in 2019 saw more than 60,000 attendees
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I57Y2IPXXDVFO7BF3JM4TYCMUI.jpg?smart=true&auth=5ec525a4a5543f5b9448f5b47dd9508919e12afec0ee66c584d5fbe43f6db17e&width=400&height=225)
The festival will return this December, as Soundstorm
'I don't have to leave Saudi for fun anymore': MDL Beast represents a 'paradigm shift' in the kingdom
'This whole event was designed to have a shock and awe effect,' says the festival's creative director
![Saeed Saeed](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fdfd6c0d0-f148-4163-b51c-fe3b293b0f9d.png?smart=true&auth=fbad4a9efbd3b8c272380498534cedd4e4b64afad5f5593a426d913b1da43080&width=70&height=70)
Saeed Saeed
24 December, 2019
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic