dXb Music Festival in Dubai

It’s official – Dubai’s al-fresco season is here. If you wanted any proof that temperatures have cooled and the city has recovered its mojo, look no further than the upcoming string of huge outdoor festivals taking place across the next three Fridays, each with a capacity of more than 10,000 people. Things kick of at Festival City on Friday October 5 with the dXb Music Festival. A week later it’s the long-awaited first Sandance of the season, at Atlantis The Palm, and on Friday October 19 Atelier/Live takes to the stage at Meydan. We round up the essentials, speak to the headliners and preview the great festival showdown.

The lowdown
Kicking off this season of festival fever is the second ever dXb event. More than 10,000 people turned out for the first, hosted at Atlantis last September on what is now dubbed ‘Sandance Beach’, and headlined by electro-pop duo LMFAO (one member of which, SkyBlu, is back to play Atelier/Live on Friday October 19). Hosts Live Nation have upped the ante this time, shifting the venue to Festival Park and bringing over more headliners, including Dutch DJ star Afrojack, poppy hip-hop quartet Far East Movement and US DJ-hitmaker Kaskade. Finally, fresh from UK number one ‘Heatwave’, ‘godfather of grime’ Wiley is a more-than-welcome
last-minute addition to the bill.

Factfile
Capacity: 15,000.
When: 5pm-2am, Friday October 5.
Where: Festival Park, Dubai Festival City.
Price: Dhs350-500.
Transport: None arranged at time of going to press.
Stayover options: None available.

View Atelier/Festival in Dubai
View Sandance beach festival in Dubai