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29 Apr 2025
Photo: OFFLIMITS Music Festival
On April 26, Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Park on Yas Island became the place to be, hosting the first-ever OFFLIMITS Festival. Sure, it happened a few days ago, but we at The Sandy Times are still buzzing, and the songs are literally stuck in our heads.
The festival lineup was stacked from the start: Ed Sheeran, OneRepublic, Kaiser Chiefs, Faithless, and Sevdaliza — basically, an unreal roster that guaranteed the crowd would be singing their hearts out. But that is not all: also hitting the stage were Zeyne, Artbat, Ben & Ben, Katty Leen, and Leony, delivering everything from deep house to punchy pop energy. OFFLIMITS really had something for every type of music lover. And that is exactly what happened.
OneRepublic. Photo: OFFLIMITS Music Festival
The event sprawled across four epic stages — T11 Stage, Meteor Stage, Club X Stage, and the star of the show, Head Stage. The main stage featured a stunning curved LED wall, designed by Florian Wieder, the creative force behind Adele’s spectacular custom stadium in Munich. It looked absolutely breathtaking, making the whole experience even more unforgettable.
Sevdaliza. Photo: OFFLIMITS Music Festival
Ed Sheeran’s Abu Dhabi debut was beyond amazing. Bringing his Mathematics Tour to Etihad Park, Ed totally commanded the stage, rocking his signature chill style — black trousers and a simple black T-shirt sporting a bright "Abu Dhabi" logo.
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Ed Sheeran. Photo: OFFLIMITS Music Festival
His performance was unreal — two solid hours, no breaks, no backing band, just Ed, his guitar, and his loop pedal, belting out hits like "Castle on the Hill," "Shivers," "I'm a Mess," and "The A Team." Seeing him live, it is crystal clear why he is one of the absolute best performers out there.
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Ed Sheeran. Photo: OFFLIMITS Music Festival
Then there was OneRepublic, who absolutely smashed it. Hearing "Apologize" live, sung by thousands of fans, was one of those goosebump-inducing moments you don't forget. Ryan Tedder’s energy and incredible voice made sure the crowd stayed hyped throughout the entire set. Honestly, their performance was exactly the kind of high-energy vibe that festivals live for.
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OneRepublic. Photo: OFFLIMITS Music Festival
No surprise that the festival pulled in over 30,000 attendees in just a single day. The organisers set out to create something genuinely unique, something that hadn't been done before in the UAE. Sia Farr, CEO of UAE-based Theory Eleven Entertainment, summed it up perfectly when speaking with IQ Mag: “We set out to create something that’s never been done before in the UAE, and set a baseline for a legacy project that could last for many years.”
After a day packed with unforgettable performances and energy, there is no doubt OFFLIMITS absolutely delivered on its promise.
Are we waiting for the next OFFLIMITS? The answer is pretty obvious.