Put up Malone and Michael Kiwanuka ship killer units in Saudi Arabia

Rapper Post Malone and singer Michael Kiwanuka shone on the primary day of MDL Beast’s Soundstorm festival in Riyadh on Thursday.

The annual dance music pageant returned for its third occasion with a slimmer, three-day format (down from 4) and a extra dynamic providing.

Whereas dance music stays on the forefront of the pageant, on opening day, the style’s giants Tiesto and DJ Snake shared the invoice with the extra pop-friendly sounds of Malone and Kiwanuka.

For the previous, the present was a part of his wider Gulf tour, which will even absorb Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Park on Saturday and Qatar’s Doha Seaside Membership on Monday.

Followers ought to count on a streamlined efficiency the place the minimal backdrop is compensated by Malone’s cheery persona.

Backed by an array of lights, the US artist took to the primary Massive Beast stage solo and tore into his hefty catalogue of hits.

From the bouncy opener Wow and summer time jam I Like You (A Happier Music) to the extra dramatic Higher Now and Losing Angels, Malone blended genres with ease via nimble raps and full-throated rock ‘n’ roll growls.

Malone introduced these disparate parts along with a southern appeal (he was raised in Texas) that was each candy and honest.

The UK’s Kiwanuka, in the meantime, maybe the primary soul singer to carry out at Soundstorm, caught to his weapons.

That his darkish and emotive set was nicely obtained by the packed viewers on the smaller Down Beast stage is additional proof of the sophistication of the pageant’s audiences and bodes nicely for extra adventurous Soundstorm line-ups sooner or later.

Backed by a six-piece band, he carried out a set targeted on tracks from his Mercury Prize-winning album Kiwanuka, launched in 2019.

You Ain’t the Drawback rides a groove that nods to Kiwanuka’s West African roots, whereas the brooding Hero is a masterclass of sustained pressure.

The most important responses have been reserved for his earlier hits, akin to 2016’s stomping Black Man in a White World and the tender soul lament of Residence Once more from 2012.

Whereas these sonic excursions have been nicely obtained, the packed crowd — which organisers stated was made up of greater than 100,000 folks — have been primarily there to see the large EDM acts of the night.

Dutch artist and trance music pioneer Tiesto placed on a strong set specializing in his present output together with the blazing synth storm of Secrets and techniques (a collaboration with Kshmr) and the pop hit The Motto, that includes the highly effective vocals ofAva Max.

The Underground part of the pageant web site, designed to resemble an industrial sequence of warehouses, was house to 4 levels specializing in techno and tech-house with main lights Carl Cox and Sven Vath pulling within the greatest crowds.

Soundtsorm continues with the arrival of a regional hero.

Palestinian-American DJ Khaled will headline the Massive Beast stage on Saturday and will likely be joined by fellow hip-hop stars Future, Busta Rhymes and Fats Joe.

The artist has been benefiting from his keep in Saudi Arabia and posting photos of his go to to the historic area of Diriyah and eating on the theatre-restaurant Billionaire Riyadh.

Different main acts performing this weekend embrace the latest F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix headliners Swedish House Mafia, Syrian singer Omar Souleyman and Pakistan’s Grammy Award-winning artist Arooj Aftab.

Soundstorm pageant wraps up on Sunday with a headline set from US pop star Bruno Mars.

Tickets from 109 Saudi riyals ($29); extra info is at mdlbeast.com

Up to date: December 02, 2022, 1:05 PM