Four weekends of live entertainment
Client:
MDLBeast
AFT_r was a series of four live music events held across consecutive weekends at ANB Arena in Riyadh, forming part of the wider Esports World Cup programme.
Launching one week after the Opening Ceremony, the series extended the tournament experience beyond competitive gaming into a high energy live entertainment offering, combining electronic music, hip hop performances and large scale live production within an indoor arena environment.
The events featured a mix of international artists, live performers and touring productions, attracting audiences from across Riyadh and the wider region throughout the tournament period. Each event operated within a fast paced live environment requiring coordination between production, venue operations, artist activity, audience management and broadcast related infrastructure.
Delivered as part of the wider Esports World Cup programme, AFT_r contributed to the broader entertainment and cultural offering surrounding the tournament, positioning the venue as both a competitive gaming destination and large scale live entertainment space throughout the event series.
Number of attendees
24,000
at
AFT_r Concerts
Services
provided
Overlay & Site Management
- Infrastructure scheduling & procurement
- On-site supplier & logistics management
- Budget variance management
- Provision of experts to manage waste and recycling, power, plumbing, plant
Site Design
- CAD Drawings
- Site feasibility studies
- Site surveys (incl drone + topographical)
our role
Years worked: 2024-2025
Special Projects delivered full site management on behalf of MDLBeast for AFT_r across multiple editions, overseeing infrastructure planning, procurement, supplier coordination and operational delivery throughout the event lifecycle.
Across all events, our role included managing infrastructure scheduling, coordinating contractors and overseeing installation and dismantle activities to ensure the site was fully operational for each event weekend. Working within a live arena environment, delivery required continuous coordination between venue operations, production teams, suppliers and operational stakeholders across consecutive shows.
For the 2025 edition at ANB Arena, Special Projects supported the redesign and adaptation of the site layout following the venue transition from Mohammed Abdo Arena. This included coordinating the installation of additional infrastructure, extending site services and supporting updated operational requirements across the venue footprint.
A key part of our role for the 2025 delivery was managing the transition from the E-Sports World Cup Opening Ceremony configuration into the AFT_r event layout within a compressed programme. This included coordinating dismantle, reconfiguration and installation works in parallel, alongside the delivery of updated utilities infrastructure, perimeter walling and fencing required to support the revised event setup.
Throughout delivery, Special Projects maintained operational oversight across suppliers, logistics and site activity, ensuring infrastructure and venue operations remained aligned across all phases of the event series.
