Untold Mega Music Festival – Expo Dubai City

Case Study: Untold Mega Music Festival – Expo Dubai City

Client: Untold
Project: Untold Mega Music Festival
Location: Expo Dubai City, UAE
Production Partner: Whatever Live
Executive Producer: Ean Thorley

Overview

Untold Festival has cemented its reputation as one of Europe’s most iconic dance music events. Since launching in 2015 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, it has hosted international superstars such as Armin van Buuren, David Guetta, and Tiësto. The festival was crowned Best Major Festival by the European Festival Awards in its debut year and has since grown into a global music phenomenon. The 2024 Untold Mega Music Festival at Expo Dubai City marked the brand’s boldest international expansion, setting a new standard for festival production in the Middle East.

Project Brief

Whatever Live was commissioned as the primary production partner, responsible for delivering the full live broadcast of the four-day festival. The event featured a world-class DJ lineup and spanned four main stages across the expansive Expo Dubai City site.

Main Stage Operations

At the festival’s core was the Main Stage, where Whatever Live established a fully operational Outside Broadcast (OB) Village, featuring:

A state-of-the-art OB truck with multi-camera live production capabilities
Dedicated grip and rigging equipment
On-site production offices for coordination and editorial oversight
High-bandwidth infrastructure to enable uninterrupted global streaming

Technical Execution

As the largest music festival ever staged in the UAE, this production demanded exceptional planning, logistics, and technical execution. Critical elements included:

Audio Management: Delivering crystal-clear sound across multiple stages and vast audience areas was a top priority.
Broadcast Infrastructure: Multi-camera systems and live switching enabled dynamic, real-time coverage across all platforms.
Operational Hours: Broadcasts ran nightly from 17:00 to 04:00, requiring rigorous scheduling and support systems to maintain peak performance over extended shifts.

Key Challenges & Solutions

Managing multiple stages across a large venue, we established a centralized command centre with dedicated stage teams and high-bandwidth communications to ensure seamless coordination. To withstand challenging environmental conditions, we deployed weatherproof and heat-resistant equipment across all OB and stage areas, maintaining reliability throughout the event. Sustaining long daily broadcast hours was made possible through shift-based crew rotations, on-site catering, and designated rest areas, all designed to support team well-being and performance. To achieve premium audio quality at scale, we partnered with leading audio engineers and implemented precision monitoring systems, delivering an exceptional experience for audiences.

Impact

The Untold Mega Music Festival in Dubai was a defining event for both the Untold brand and the region’s music scene. The broadcast and production achievements:

Delivered immersive live coverage to a global streaming audience
Redefined technical standards for festivals in the Middle East
Reinforced Whatever Live’s reputation as a trusted partner for high-profile international productions

Conclusion

This project showcased the power of meticulous planning, cutting-edge broadcast technology, and global creative collaboration. Whatever Live was proud to bring Untold’s vision to life, delivering an unforgettable experience to audiences on-site and around the world.