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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.
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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.
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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.
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