Experience the Riyadh Festival: Mixtape, XP Music Futures, and Soundstorm 2025
Riyadh’s entertainment scene is gearing up for a weekend celebrating its vibrant music culture, from an intimate night of soulful rhythms to a multi-day festival, offering something for everyone—from hip-hop enthusiasts to festival lovers—blending classic grooves with tomorrow’s beats. Kicking off this incredible sequence is the much-anticipated Riyadh festival, a landmark event that sets the stage for an unforgettable season of music.
An Ode to the Classics: Mixtape Hip-Hop & RnB Night
Before the storm arrives, the weekend sets the mood with Mixtape, a dedicated Hip-Hop & RnB night hosted at Beast House, Riyadh’s premier music and creative members’ club. This event is a deliberate throwback, a celebration of the genre’s essence. The promise is to take attendees on an auditory journey “from 90s throwbacks to trap cuts and slow jams,” all played the way they were meant to be experienced: loud, live, and dripping with feeling. It’s the perfect warm-up, an opportunity to vibe in a more sophisticated setting before diving into the festival chaos.
Planning Your Night at Mixtape
To ensure a seamless experience, here’s what you need to know:
- Venue & Hours:Mixtape takes place at Beast House, running from 9:00 PM until 3:00 AM.
- Entry Details:The last entry is strictly at 2:00 AM, and online ticket sales end at 1:00 AM. Importantly, there is no re-entry allowed once you’ve entered the venue.
- Special Offer:Ladies enjoy free entry before 9:30 PM, though this is subject to capacity limits. The door manager always reserves the right to deny entry if the venue is full.
- Age Restriction:This is exclusively a 21+ event.
- Dress Code:The mandate is to “Dress to Impress.” The code calls for smart, stylish, and respectful attire. For ladies, this means no revealing clothes or shorts above the knee. For gentlemen, the rules prohibit revealing tops, sleeveless shirts, shorts, thobes, or sandals. Management will refuse entry to anyone deemed inappropriately dressed.
The Main Event: XP Music Futures and Soundstorm 2025
Following the curated rhythms of Mixtape, the energy level skyrockets with the return of XP Music Futures and its flagship festival, Soundstorm. This isn’t just a concert; it’s a cultural movement. XP Music Futures, celebrating its fifth anniversary, is a three-day conference (December 4-6, 2025) dedicated to “building a music community.” It’s where the industry’s future is shaped through inspiring talks, transformative workshops, and musical discoveries.
The conference is split into two key experiences: XP Day focuses on development and skills, while XP Nite sees regional promoters and labels taking over warehouses to showcase emerging talent from the MENA region and beyond. It’s a holistic approach to supercharging the music scene.
Then, from December 11-13, the epicenter of music shifts to the mdlbeast presents Soundstorm. Billed as “A City of Beats,” Soundstorm 2025 is described as a living city that rises from the sand, powered by rhythm and people. It’s the region’s boldest music festival, featuring four districts and fourteen extraordinary stages. The announced lineup is a testament to its global pull, featuring mega-acts like Post Malone, Cardi B, Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris, and a special B2B set from DJ Snake and Metro Boomin.
Choosing Your Soundstorm Experience
To navigate this massive “city,” the festival offers two primary ticket tiers:
- STORM Ticket:This is your all-access pass. It grants admission to the entire festival site, access to all fourteen stages, complimentary parking, and includes wallet credit to spend on food, merchandise, and other amenities.
- STORM+ Ticket:This is the premium, next-level tier. It includes all STORM benefits but adds dedicated entry lanes and parking for skipping lines, prime viewing zones across all stages, and an elevated viewing platform at the main Big Beast stage.
Crafting Your Unforgettable Weekend
For the ultimate music pilgrimage, the SS & XP Bundle is the perfect package. This combines both weekends, allowing you to kick things off with the industry insights and curated parties of XP Music Futures before plunging into the non-stop, high-energy spectacle of Soundstorm. It’s a deep dive into the past, present, and future of music, all in one thrilling trip.
In the End
Whether your preference is for the smooth, soulful curation of a Hip-Hop & RnB night or the boundary-pushing, earth-shaking spectacle of a world-class festival, Riyadh has orchestrated the perfect weekend. It’s a powerful statement about the city’s growing status as a global music hub. From the intimate vibes of Beast House to the sprawling, beat-driven metropolis of Soundstorm, this is more than just a series of events—it’s a celebration of sound in all its forms, offering an experience that will resonate long after the final note has faded.
