Riyadh Music Week Expands into the City with Fringe Shows and Public Activations
Riyadh Music Week is a dynamic celebration of sound that gathers artists, industry professionals and music lovers for a series of immersive experiences. This year’s edition places special emphasis on Fringe events that uplift emerging talent and activate grassroots venues, alongside a programme of public-space performances that bring live music to the city’s streets and plazas.
The Fringe programme transforms warehouses, studios, cafés and other cultural hubs into intimate stages where local creatives can connect with audiences. At the same time, the public activations aim to animate Riyadh’s urban fabric, inviting residents and visitors to encounter contemporary Saudi and regional music in everyday settings.
Produced by the Music Commission, Riyadh Music Week supports the Kingdom’s music ecosystem through education, innovation, international partnerships and industry development. The Fringe and public-space programmes extend across the city from December 7–10, 2025, complementing the festival’s main-stage offerings and spotlighting the next generation of Saudi and regional artists.
Fringe highlights (Dec. 7–10, 2025)
URX — Riyadh Rhythm at SALT (Riyadh Park)
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025. URX presents “Riyadh Rhythm” in SALT Restaurant’s outdoor area at Riyadh Park, a community-driven night of house and electronic music. Running 7:00 PM–12:00 AM, the event has capacity for approximately 300 guests, is family friendly, and offers accessible parking at Riyadh Park.
MDLBEAST Records — IMMF Showcase
MDLBEAST Records will stage a dedicated Fringe showcase aligned with an International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) session. The programme will feature MDLBEAST Records AllStars and highlight Arabic electronica and other contemporary sounds the label champions across indie, pop, hip hop and electronic music.
The Fridge — Open Mic: Little Legends & Open Mic (Personage Warehouse C11, JAX District)
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025. The Fridge launches “The Fridge Open Mic powered by Sennheiser,” split into two segments: Little Legends for ages 7–14 (6:30 PM–7:30 PM) and the main open mic for ages 15+ (7:30 PM–10:30 PM). Doors open at 6:00 PM. The evening is free but requires pre-registration; a full professional backline will be provided.
The Fridge Presents — Emerging Saudi Artists (Personage Warehouse C11)
Date: Monday, December 8, 2025. A multi-genre showcase featuring Shargeeya, Zain Faiez and Turki Al Abdullah. Doors open at 7:00 PM with performances from 8:00 PM–10:00 PM. The event focuses on original music and discovery; entry is free with advance registration and capacity is limited.
The Fridge Concert Series — Launch with Tamtam (Personage Warehouse C11)
Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The Fridge launches its concert series in Saudi Arabia with Tamtam headlining and Khaleeji Blonde as support. Doors at 8:00 PM; show starts at 9:00 PM. This is a ticketed event with limited capacity—secure tickets online in advance.
Bohemia Records — “Wax Head” Takeover (TWH – J08, JAX Culture, Al Diriyah)
Dates: December 9–10, 2025, 6:00 PM–12:00 AM. A two-night celebration of vinyl culture and underground sounds featuring DJ sets, live bands, interactive listening stations and a “Beans & Beats” coffee-led session from 7:00 PM–9:00 PM, followed by late-night performances until midnight. Entry is free but requires online registration; Beans & Beats has limited capacity (~60), with up to 250 standing for late-night sets.
The Warehouse — Lammah | Jalsat (The Warehouse, JAX District)
Dates: LAMMAH on December 7, 2025 (9:00 PM–12:00 AM) and JALSAT on December 8, 2025 (9:00 PM–12:00 AM). LAMMAH invites communal singing and live-band accompaniment in an intimate, audience-led evening of classic Arabic repertoire. JALSAT offers a cozy winter night of Arab and Khaleeji songs that celebrate tarab and traditional performance. Capacity is up to 350; JAX District parking and golf-cart shuttles are available for a fee.
Merwas — Studio Tours & Live Band Night
Date: One-night session between December 7–10, 2025. Merwas opens its rehearsal complex for private studio tours (7:00 PM–8:00 PM) followed by a live-band performance (8:00 PM–11:00 PM) that blends Arabic and English influences and encourages audience singalongs. The event capacity is approximately 150 guests.
Additional venue confirmations, registration links and partner announcements will be posted via the Music Commission’s official social channels in the run-up to the festival: X (formerly Twitter) at @MOC_Music and Instagram at @moc_music.
Riyadh Music Week continues to position the city as a regional cultural hub by creating space for artistic exchange, industry development and audience discovery across both formal stages and grassroots settings.
