RIYADH: Concert-goers danced the night away at the Freaks of Nature Episode 5 event in Riyadh from Oct. 5 to 6, which featured an international lineup of popular DJs and a devoted crowd.
The concert’s theme was “querencia,” described by Freaks of Nature as the sacred space of authenticity, connection and self-expression, where freaks find a sense of refuge, a sanctuary where they can retreat and seek solace, a place where they feel a deep sense of belonging, safety and strength.
Photographer Adel Alshahed said that he wanted to experience the concert and capture the moment by taking shots of his favorite memories of the night.
“Everyone was talking about it and then I saw the line-up, I was impressed by that,” he said.
Alshahed said: “I came with my friends and got my camera with me to take some memories. The place is amazing and everything is nice. When you get these memories, especially in these events, everyone is happy and in their comfort zone.”
Russ Hoag, from Hawaii, was in the Kingdom for a business trip to complete building the Barbie and King Tut exhibit in Boulevard Riyadh.
Freaks of Nature Episode 5 event too place in Riyadh. (Meshari Bin Khathran)
He said: “I was brought out here for work so I had to look up who was playing in local concerts and I saw that Lost Frequencies was playing. I come from Hawaii so we don’t get artists like him a lot in Hawaii so it’s awesome to see and be able to experience this.”
The concert’s “Freak Bazaar” introduced a new way to shop while enjoying the musical atmosphere.
In collaboration with the Saudi concept store, WE CRE8, the Freak Bazaar showcased the works of 100 Saudi brands and other local artists.
Saudi artist Alanoud Alshobaili is a clinical psychologist and therapist who paints abstract works as a way of expressing thoughts and emotions.
Alshobaili said: “There’s always a feeling, there’s always a story behind every piece I make. There is a lot of connections with the pieces that I make, whether it’s clothing, canvas or even an experimental sculpture.”
The concert gave her the opportunity to connect with new artists, Alshobaili said. “I met a lot of artists, even the people who just come to enjoy the amazing DJs and music. I loved everything and it was an amazing opportunity.”
Alshobaili describes the concert as a place to “be yourself and be as freaky as you want.”
The two-day event, organized by Saudi creative agency Disrupt, featured international artists including Belgian DJ and record producer Lost Frequencies, techno house legends Agents of Time, Grammy-nominated electronic music artist Nic Fanciulli, and Danish DJ Morten.
A number of Saudi and regional talents took part in the festival, including DJ Mubarak, Aziz.wav, KALI-B, Hamza Hawsawi, and Timba JD.
