Live
MDLBEAST
Balad Beast
year
2023
capabilities
Project Development
Guest Journey
Event Production
Vendor Management
Technical Direction
Show Control
In 2014, Al-Balad earned its place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, reviving an important piece of Saudi culture for future generations. To celebrate its restoration as the historic center of Jeddah, we helped Saudi entertainment company MDLBEAST create a phenomenal festival of music and art– thus, Balad Beast was born. Combining sounds from across the world and stunning projections mapped onto historic architecture, Balad Beast is helping to forge new traditions in a place where culture and commerce have thrived for over 1,400 years.
For two years, we mapped and navigated the narrow pathways of this historic city to pull off the unthinkable, addressing the incredibly complicated infrastructure and logistical challenges to create a breathtaking brandscape that became a canvas for digital artists converging at the Balad Beast Music Festival. Balad Beast is a two-day festival with five performance venues located inside a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Bab Square became the gateway to hip-hop. Deep house filled Roshan Square, while Omda Square became a blissful EDM block party amid stunning architectural relics. Indie artists performed in Mirkaz Square, while Souq Square offered up house, techno and the latest Saudi streetwear. This multisensory experience turned nooks and crannies into projection-mapped works of art that honored Al-Balad’s storied past.
Not only did this next-level festival illuminate Saudi’s rich cultural past and present, it delivered brilliantly for MDLBEAST. Balad Beast scooped 14 awards, generated 146 media headlines with a reach of 285M, and fueled a social media frenzy that generated over 13M clicks.
Credits
produced by
productionglue, now tait
© Keith Haring Foundation. Courtesy Luna Luna, LLC
Luna Luna
Forgotten Fantasy
Elton John