MUSE Platinum

2023

Balad Beast

Entrant Company

productionglue (A TAIT Company)

Category

Event - Cultural Event

Client's Name

MDLBEAST

Country / Region

United States

Nestled on the eastern shore of the Red Sea stands Al-Balad. Known as the Old Town, this 1-mile area of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is imbued with a rich and vibrant history. This royal seaport has been in use since 657 A.D., a place where culture and commerce has thrived for nearly 1,400 years. But Al-Balad has seen better days. Its stunning coral, limestone, and wood façades fell into disrepair, and for decades it stood in decline. To preserve this architectural gem, a bold plan was set in motion that would empower communities and revive an important piece of Saudi culture for future generations. In 2014, Al-Balad earned its spot on the UNESCO World Heritage Preservation List. MDLBEAST, an entertainment and music company anchored in the Kingdom, was looking to forge new traditions, and wanted to create a need-to-see-it-to-believe-it music and art festival in Al-Balad where the past and present would converge in perfect harmony. Transforming this Old Town into a place for the unimaginable. Meet Balad Beast. Where creativity plays out on walls, on and off stages, in crevasses, and courtyards. Where traditions are preserved, and new ones forged. Meandering narrow pathways, where scintillating scents from the spice souks permeate the air as a dizzying array of textile patterns sway in the breeze. 2 days. 5 stages, 81 artists performing inside a UNESCO World Heritage site. This multisensory experience turned nooks and crannies into projection mapped works of art, honoring Al-Balad’s storied past. Where indie artists entertained, and international acts brought culture and commerce together – again.

Not only did this next-level festival make history it delivered brilliantly for MDLBEAST generating 146 headlines including Esquire Middle East, GQ, The National, Harper’s BAZAAR Arabia and Arab News, reaching 285M and fueling a social media frenzy that generated 277M impressions and 13.1M clicks. This brilliant activation had creativity playing out in crevasses and courtyards, helping to persevere Al-Balad’s rich traditions while forging new ones. Making what’s old new again.

Credits

Stage Design/Senior Events Manager/MDLBEAST
Quentin Greyling
Visualizations
Anton Nureev
Set Enhancement Designer: Omda Stage Design
Ahmad Angawi
Head of Creative/Screen Content Creation/Artists In Motion
Richard Lindsay
Senior Producer/Screen Content Creation/Artists In Motion
David Hoare
Senior Producer/Screen Content Creation/Artists In Motion
Peter Nielson
Supplemental Screen Content/Edge of Arabia
Yusef Alahmad
Chief Creative Officer/MDLBEAST
Ahmad (Baloo) Alammary
Executive Director/MDLBEAST
Michael (Curly) Jobson
Global Brand, Strategy & Culture Leader/MDLBEAST
Robert Bock
Public Relations + Communication Lead/MDLBEAST
Nedda Akhonbay
F&B, Retail, and Partnerships Director/MDLBEAST
Tyler Stellman
Festival Director/productionglue (A TAIT Company)
Matt Richman
Project Lead/productionglue (A TAIT Company)
Diana Hagerbaumer
Screens Producer/productionglue (A TAIT Company)
Erik Pearson
Project Director/Screen Content Creation/Artists In Motion
Natalie Grassick
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