Soundstorm Festival Review: Times are Changing in Riyadh

Among the currencies that hold global power is cultural currency. Over time, countries have realized the importance of being portrayed through soft power.

If you don’t know what this means, soft power often involves initiatives in culture, arts and entertainment, where a country shows the rest of the world that they can be cool too.

That’s what’s happening in Saudi Arabia, with MDLBeast Soundstorm. The multi-genre festival – now in its fifth edition – is massive like few others in West Asia, reportedly bringing in 700,000 attendees across three days last year. For their 2024 edition — taking place from Dec. 12 to 14, 2024 — headlined by the likes of Eminem, Linkin Park, A$ap Rocky, Camila Cabello, Martin Garrix and more, it reportedly drew 430,000 people across three days.

It also created a new Guinness World Record, for the largest continuous outdoor LED screen (temporary) at the Big Beast mainstage which hosted the likes of Eminem, Muse, Linkin Park, Calvin Harris, A$ap Rocky Camila Cabello and more. This isn’t even the first record that Soundstorm has created, previously setting the record for the tallest stage in 2021 (135 feet and 5 inches) and most flame projections (and highest flame projections) in 2022.

Without a doubt, the massive undertaking to build a venue dedicated to hosting a gigantic music festival itself is unheard of in several other countries (like India). But then again, it’s not worth comparing. Live music performances got the nod in 2016 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, when public events were allowed after the establishment of the General Entertainment Authority. Soundstorm started in 2019 and has since been the flagship event for MDLBeast, a multi-pronged music company run with the permission of the Kingdom.

With Saudi Arabia now building up to their 2034 FIFA World Cup, it could be argued that cities like Riyadh are opening up culturally for tourists like never before, similar to what happened a few decades ago with Dubai.

Soundstorm was a great example of seeing this integration in action, triumphs, hiccups and everything in between. Taking place in the locality of Banban outside Riyadh, the festival immediately feels larger than life and also seems to prove, that if you have the resources, anything can built from the ground up and attract a huge audience.

Day One: The Biggest Draws

At 6 pm – an hour before festival programming was scheduled to begin – there were already fireworks going off the glitzy festival grounds. Everything’s bright, bold and big. Using an elevated balcony that’s been built specifically for VIB pass holders, the bridge connects festival-goers to different stages and areas. It’s like walking through a city in the desert.

On the balcony, you can get an elevated view of the stage – although not as close to the Big Beast mainstage as the Box ticket holders (another permanent structure built for Soundstorm) – as well as views of their drone light shows. This year, drones flew, changed color and aligned themselves to create a homage to arcade games like pinball and Snake.

The festival had a false start over at the Down Beast stage, though, with a crowd gathered and chanting for American rapper J.I.D, who later posted to his Instagram Stories that he reportedly wasn’t allowed to get on stage.

As Latto and later on, Tems eventually made their way on there, the Big Beast stage was prepping the Riyadh debut of Linkin Park. Straight from a reunion into their new album From Zero and all the controversy their new vocalist Emily Armstrong attracted, Linkin Park wore their vulnerabilities on their sleeve, at least in their songs, from the “Castle of Glass” intro building into “Somewhere I Belong.” Mike Shinoda didn’t stray too far from the playbook when it came to onstage banter. He did however say, “You’ve made it a spectacular trip for us. It’s so warm and everyone’s been so incredible.”

From new songs like “The Emptiness Machine” to “Burn It Down” and heavier cuts like “Given Up,” “Two Faced” and “One Step Closer,” Linkin Park balanced their discography well with new members clearly becoming more comfortable, as one might have seen in their body language and interactions. Shinoda walked all the way to one end of the stage for “In The End” and asked “How does it start?” while turntablist Joe Hahn got into filmmaker/photographer mode during the set.

With DJ-producer Steve Aoki in attendance (and getting a shoutout from Shinoda), there was a warmth that radiated in their performance, a sign that Linkin Park have settled in well despite the early outcries and are having fun.

As we were ushered out of the media pit upfront, Eminem wasn’t going to give us that kind of access. Out in the VIB section, though, you could see he was drawing the biggest crowd at Soundstorm. Performing as part of three shows in the region – Abu Dhabi and Bahrain were his previous gigs – Eminem had a dedicated merch counter next to a two-level exhibition showcasing his music (complete with his album names written in Arabic).

Famously stepping out of a coffin that’s raised up to the stage with a chainsaw and mask that’s a nod to his latest album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), Eminem was putting on a macabre spectacle with “Lucifer” and “Kill You” early on.

The other famous part about the set was joking about being “Salim Shady” in West Asia with MC Mr. Porter aka Denaun Porter (part of early D12). About 233,000 were in attendance on day one according to festival sources, so it was no surprise to hear Eminem say it was possibly the biggest crowd he’s ever seen.

Between talk of moving to Riyadh (“Can I sleep on your couch, Riyadh?” Em asked at one point) and banter with Mr. Porter and bringing out the fantastic Skylar Grey for songs like “Stan,” “Love The Way You Lie,” “Temporary” and “The Monster,” Eminem just brought the hits in quick succession.

From blazing through “White America” to gigantic songs like “Sing for the Moment” and “Rap God,” Eminem’s set was a journey down memory lane as well as a reminder that he can still be a top-notch performer (now, if he toured more extensively, there’d be fewer complaints).

For the final stretch, there were the hits everyone wanted — “My Name Is,” “Without Me” and “The Real Slim Shady” (a song that still lives in R-rated infamy, now being performed in the otherwise conservative Saudi Arabia – a contrast we didn’t see coming) to “Houdini” and “Not Afraid.” As people shuffled out not expecting much else, he came back out for one last hurrah with “Lose Yourself,” which meant few would have any complaints about this era-spanning setlist.

While EDM star Martin Garrix and Akon were also big draws, it’s safe to say you can’t really catch it all running between stages that are pretty far apart. Other stages like the Dance Tent (more like a massive warehouse) had incredible energy from Gordo, while the UG (underground) stages were packed for the likes of Black Coffee.

Local Arabic acts held their own as well at Soundstorm, from Hassan Abouelrouss’s dance-friendly jams to Kuwait-origin Khaliji act Miami Band playing to a huge crowd at the Down Beast stage.

Day Two: Ragers from A$ap Rocky, Muse and DJ Snake

Lebanese pop star Elissa started off the Big Beast stage, a charming draw with the elegance of a seasoned Arabic pop artist. Over at the Down Beast stage, homegrown hip-hop artist Asayel didn’t get the best opening crowd but she rolled with a swagger. Much later in the night, Marwan Moussa had the same charisma and mystique. They’re among the newer voices representing Saudi Arabia, there’s innovation and freshness that proves that Arabic rap isn’t at all far behind the international standard.

It took a while before A$ap Rocky got on stage, although some of the Soundstorm schedule was running slightly late. Setlists get replaced, and it’s a full half an hour later that Flacko comes on and tells the crowd there were technical difficulties that have plagued the set. From the media pit, however, there’s very little evidence of any issues. It helps that A$ap Rocky – joined by his A$ap Mob members including A$ap Lou – was all energy on stage. Coming on to rage to “Riot (Rowdy Pipe’n)” and “Highjack,” Rocky wasted no time before performing one of his newest hits, “Tailor Swif.” He prefaced it by telling the crowd, “If the Grammys don’t give me the Grammy I need you to boycott that shit.” It’s up for Best Music Video, and he’s hoping he finally clinches the much-elusive Grammy.

There were a few surprises that made Rocky’s set top-notch, including the unreleased song “American Sabotage” (which the rapper had a T-shirt for) and a section where he just wanted to rock out to his favorite songs, from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” He incited moshpits, and joked a bit about how he didn’t want to rouse the crowd into using any explicit language. At one point, he told A$ap Lou, “If you keep cursing, they’re gonna arrest us.”

Speaking to the crowd in a more direct way just like Eminem did the previous day, there was something endearing about how much Rocky was appreciative, although that emotive side was kind of heard in his mind-melting performance of “Love$ick,” “Sundress” and “L$D.”

He returned to hardcore tunes like “Everyday” and “Wild for the Night.” Especially after that Nirvana homage, he’s proof that rappers are born rockstars. Finishing in just under an hour, Rocky left the stage promising to return, with a new album coming up.

Considering Flacko’s set ran a bit late, Muse had their work cut out for them. The British rock band have always wowed with their stage production and Soundstorm was no different. Setting up behind a 3D-like cloth screen of eroding rocks, it dropped to reveal a massive figure of Will the Hacker – a central motif in their concepts so far and something you might remember from their music video for “Will of the People.”

Songs like “Won’t Stand Down,” “Hysteria” and “Psycho” kicked into gear an adrenaline-fueled set, with Matt Bellamy being a total shredder. Songs like “Compliance” paid homage to the Brit prog greats before them, as did their more electronic/alternative cut “Madness.” On the Big Beast stage with its metallic structure set up overhead, the lighting and visuals dazzled best on “Time Is Running Out,” “Will of the People” and later, Bellamy set up a chaotic guitar solo to introduce “Supermassive Black Hole.”

It’s not just about futuristic-looking instruments with Muse, because Bellamy had his LED glasses and a LED-padded jacket that he brough out towards the end of the set, for songs like “Knights of Cydonia” and “Uprising.” For the encore, Muse played “Starlight.”

At this point, it’s evident that rock bands aren’t (yet) the biggest draw at Soundstorm compared to pop and hip-hop artists (unless you’re on a comeback streak like Linkin Park). However, Metallica did headline Soundstorm 2023, which means there’s scope still.

At the Down Beast stage, hitmaker Jason Derulo brought a risqué set, complete with dancers and a live band. From songs like “The Other Side” to a brief cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” hook, Derulo had the crowd in the palm of his hand – and other non-fans curious – when he played songs like “Talk Dirty To Me,” complete with a shower of fireworks raining down.

With “Want to Want Me” and more, Derulo had feel-good pop but plenty of braggadocio. His hypeman signed off by calling Derulo “the hardest working man in showbiz” at the end of the show. Derulo was preceded by a crowd-pleaser set by G-Eazy and followed (much later) by Busta Rhymes, adding more hip-hop flair to Soundstorm.

While there was already a big drop in attendance numbers to the main stages – perhaps more gravitated towards the underground electronic music areas – Calvin Harris was the lone figure occupying the Big Beast stage.

Other electronic artists like Solomun, Boris Brejcha, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin and Meduza were equally big draws, but Harris had the chart-toppers, from “How Deep Is Your Love” to “Feel So Close” and his edit of “Satisfaction.” It was euphoric EDM over at the Big Beast stage, but the Dance tent was where DJ Snake was representing the other end of the mainstream dance spectrum. A fiery set that of course included songs like “Lean On,” DJ Snake made sure it was a gone-wild edit.

Day Three: Cooler with The Roots, Camila Cabello and EDM Giants

On a much colder evening, heavier jackets and more dedicated fans seemed to be visible at Soundstorm. Arabic band Seera kicked off the Down Beast stage with mind-bending rock that’s also poignant. Like something borrowed from Led Zeppelin with modern flourishes, the all-female group could’ve used more fans at their set, because they were the best rock discovery for us at Soundstorm 2024.

The crowd did eventually fill up for what was one of the best, perhaps surprise hit performances at the festival – Philadelphia hip-hop band The Roots. Right from the start, Questlove, Black Thought and the band played like they truly had nothing to prove, with the jazzy, funky good times attracting old-time fans as well as a moving dance battle in the crowd.

An effortlessly seamless set that barely took a break, The Roots never let the energy dissipate and Black Thought was rapping like there’s no tomorrow, from “Rock The Mic” to The Legendary EP to “Web” and more. Black Thought’s relentless flow and the band’s jazz approach made this one endless jam.

The Roots were the unlikeliest but most impactful pick for Soundstorm 2024. The crowd grew and respected the craft even if it wasn’t in sync with the sonic palette of the rest of the festival, where songs like “Here I Come,” “Thought @ Work” and “In Love with the Mic” made sure they made new fans.

Shuttling between Camila Cabello’s headline set at the Big Beast stage and Russ’s packed set at the Down Beast stage, we witnessed how a big stage production can draw a crowd to a certain degree, but Saudi Arabia clearly clamors for hip-hop right now. With Russ coming back to Riyadh multiple times now, the Atlanta hip-hop artist fed off the energy of the crowd. Meanwhile, Cabello was there to project more of her persona whether or not it necessarily translated well.

Of course, Cabello was effortlessly Gen Z in her humor and ad libs, but she sang more to the camera (that projected the visuals on the LEDs behind her) rather than singing directly to the audience, which she could have adapted to, given the crowd.

With skateboarders pulling hangtime, dancers and a playground setup on stage, Cabello came out to “I Luv It” and “Shameless,” occasionally working in a “Shukran Saudi Arabia” to keep it local and even eating out of a sweet box. BMX bikers rode circles around her as she sang one of her biggest hits, “Senorita.” Then came songs like “June Gloom” and “Never Be The Same,” proving some arena strength from Cabello, but it might need a few years before new territories like Saudi Arabia fully warm up.

Meanwhile, Russ came out to “Hello Habibi” and had even more people running towards the stage from other corners as he ran through songs like “Psycho Pt 2” and “Cherry Hill.” He’s not just a rapper, but also a crooner.

Later on, the Down Beast stage played host to Thirty Seconds to Mars. Like many international artists, Jared and Shannon Leto (joined by live member Stevie Aiello) were on the last show of their tour. Many had come in to witness “Jared Leto’s band” due to his actor status, so it helped that his charisma had them following his every instruction to sing, move and get on each other’s shoulder. Songs like “Up in the Air” and “Kings and Queens” presented exactly those opportunities, as was “Walk on Water.”

Leto called fans on stage (who stood on a platform, and were clearly instructed not to try to touch or speak to the frontman) to move to “Rescue Me” and “Seasons.” Their earliest hits soon followed, from “This Is War” to “From Yesterday” and “Attack.” Leto led the crowd almost like a cult leader, dressed in a black jacket, white trench coat complimenting his long hair and beard. Soundstorm regular Steve Aoki – who had played two or three sets by the end of the festival and gamed at the artist village – was soon up on stage for “Stuck,” the phone torches-out moment. 30STM closed with “The Kill (Bury Me)” and “Closer to the Edge,” now having even more people on stage, making it a party for all.

Elsewhere on the closing day, EDM stars like David Guetta B2B Morten were all kinds of crowd-pleasing towards the end, with Ne-Yo’s “Tonight (Give Me Everything).” Soon after, Axwell /\ Ingrosso wasted no time in picking up the energy before everyone exited the stage.

Final Thoughts/TL;DR

There was a lot of action across 10 stages at Soundstorm 2024 – it was just that many people thronging to every stage, to dance, mosh or sing along – so the festival does have decent value for the ticket price.

The consensus, however, is to buy a VIB ticket, especially for women, considering Soundstorm still grapples with issues of sexual harassment. Sure, there were ‘For Her’ zones for women only across all ticket sections, but the amount of crowd here means that it’s still a work in progress for Soundstorm.

Initiating more security and app safety features after prior editions faced flak about safety of attendees, it’s fair to say that due to the scale of Soundstorm, not every issue will be addressed in time.

They will get their share of criticism and festivals all around the world still need to tackle harassment effectively. On ground, it was clear that security staff themselves seemed to find it challenging to resolve matters. Among the proactive measures put forward this year was incorporating facial recognition software in their CCTVs (something every attendee has to consent to when they gain entry), but still, nothing stops rampant harassment. Other basic needs like hailing a cab from within the festival parking area made it difficult for attendees to get home without hassles.

Maybe Soundstorm is trying to gradually teach people about concert culture (and etiquette) but it’s going to take time. It would be over-optimistic on anyone’s part to assume the country would readily adapt to a joyful space like music festivals, where expression is unbounded. It’s entirely new and it’s being presented at maximum level at Soundstorm. To just give everything to folks who have been, we daresay, deprived for long, is bound to be an exercise in seeing how it all goes down.

Soundstorm has a lot going for it to become the go-to festival in the Middle East/West Asia, with star-powered lineups and mind-boggling production. This, and they don’t even sell (or permit) alcohol unlike almost everywhere else in the world. It’s the rise of a unique festival culture in Saudi Arabia and it might just become the best in all regards as long as they keep taking feedback from different corners.