Afrojack and Laidback Luke to headline 12-hour virtual version of Saudi's MDL Beast festival

Running overnight, MDL Beast Freqways promises to be an epic virtual affair

Steve Aoki performs during MDL Beast, a three-day festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing together the best in music, performing arts and culture.
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After thrilling the international dance scene with its ground breaking festival in Riyadh last December, the Saudi dance music brand MDL Beast returns with a similarly epic virtual festival.

Running on Saturday, June 20, MDL Beast Freqways is a 12-hour online music festival in which fans check out virtual sets by a string of top-tier regional and international DJs.

Among the many international stars to feature in the line-are Afrojack, Maceo Plex, Claptone and Laidback Luke.

Leading the regional talent are respected Saudi spinners Baloo, Cosmicat and Lebanon’s Jade X Tala.

Entrance to the festival is free upon registration and the action will all be streamed on the event’s website. The festival begins at 8pm and will continue until 8am on Sunday, June 21 to usher in World Music Day.

Another mega EDM festival is going online

MDL Beast Freqways is not the only mammoth dance music festival to migrate online.

Belgian festival Tomorrowland recently announced it will return with the virtual event Tomorrowland: Around the World to run from Saturday, July 25 until Sunday, July 26.

Ticket sales go live on the Tomorrowland website on Thursday, June 18 and cost 12.50 euros (Dh52) for a day pass, or 20 euros (Dh83) for weekend passes that include a week of video-on-demand content.

Organisers promise eight music ‘stages’, including the physical festival's regular platforms Atmosphere, Core, Freedom Stage and Elixir.

The digital version of the festival will also have three new stages, which have been specially created and designed by the creative team and 3D artists behind the event.

Each stage will feature music from the world’s best artists in dance and electronic music – from all genres – as well as a large portion of the fireworks and laser shows that Tomorrowland is known for.