JEDDAH: Music blasted through the famous historical houses in Al-Balad, as the new Jeddah MDLBEAST music festival Balad Beast kicked off with a bang on Friday night.
The two-day event, hosted for the first time at its new location in Jeddah’s old town, attracted a sizeable crowd of people eager to sing, dance and party.
The festival began at 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9, and ran until 2 a.m., following the same schedule the next day. The line-up for the first day saw artists DJ Mezo, NileBoi, Amro, Dorar, and Laziah getting things off to a cracking start on the main stages with their distinctive tunes, ranging from hip-hop to indie and electronic.
Set on the stunning grounds of the historical area, music lovers and festival fans were able to enjoy performances from 35 artists over the course of the weekend, including Dish Dash, Carleta, Tale of Us, Haitham Hefni, NTitled, Kali-B, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Central Cee, Rick Ross, Bird Person, Christian AB, Lee Burdidgem Brawther, Vinyl Mode, Gooner, Varo, A.Z.M, Animarz, Carlo, Phil Weeks, Aziz Maraka, Dania Horani, Tam Tam, Klinsh and Kayan.
The event ran smoothly, with plenty of security and staff available to point attendees in the right direction, answer questions and lend a helping hand when needed.
DJ Mohammed Nassar, aka Vinyl Mode, told Arab News that the crowd was “amazing” and the “performance very special.”
He said: “I went with the flow and manifested all my energy to give the best performance.”
The DJ presented new music dedicated to Balad Beast that he produced with local legend Moayad Al-Nefaie.
DJ BKR, for his part, considers himself lucky to play in his hometown, Jeddah.
“This festival brought our culture into the limelight...I played a set that represented the sounds of Jeddah, and my main aim was to give a positive vibe through my music,” he said.
Young Saudi female DJ Kayan, who played melodic house and techno music, said: “I am so glad to be a part of this festival, and there was so much beauty…to the stage and to the overall experience that not only the audience but the artists themselves (could) experience it.
“The raw, traditional, and authentic beauty of Jeddah was reintroduced in a modern (way),” she added.
International artist Carlita was another performer who was thrilled to perform in Jeddah’s historical town.
“Everything was so beautiful that music was the best way to complement and enhance the festival. The crowd was super energetic, which encouraged me to perform my best. I really look forward to coming back if something similar happens in the future,” she said.
Mariah and Lana, young Lebanese women who had VIP passes to the event, said it was highly organized.
“Everything was well-maintained, (from) food and beverage to shops and accessories stalls. Most importantly, all the stages kept us entertained the entire time. We hope to see more such festivals in Jeddah,” they said.
The event also showcased a variety of vendors, keeping crowds captivated with handmade art, roasted coffee and specialty foods.
