Showsec Services Epic Dakar Saudi Arabia Closing Concert

The start of the new year saw Showsec complete a recent run of high-profile events in Saudi Arabia by providing services to the epic closing concert of the Dakar Rally on the 17th January.

The 42^nd edition of the annual off-road endurance rally was the first to be held in Saudi Arabia with the closing concert taking place outside the city limits of Riyadh in Qiddiya. Some of the finest acts of the hip hop genre performed including Wiz Khalifa and Young Thug.

A full 360-degree event security management model was delivered for the concert covering the closing stage and podium presentation of the 2020 Dakar Rally.

Showsec Director Mark Logan said: “This was unique opportunity for us to capitalise on all the hard work and learnings of operating in the region over the last few years.

“It afforded us the position to plan and manage our first full onsite and offsite delivery which in this fledging market is very much a new line in the sand.”

Showsec managed all aspects of the security delivery at the event, from analysis and planning to operational delivery of the event site, artist and event staff security.

Deploying 26 staff to the event, Showsec collaborated with a local security provider in the city to cover all the normal component parts of a festival site, from gates to backstage; as well as liaising with local government agency stakeholders and touring artists.

Mark added: “Every time we come back to this market, the stand out features are that the local people always welcome us to their country, and they have eagerness to learn, which is very refreshing in our industry. The enthusiasm for collaborative learning goes both ways.

“This is another foot on that learning ladder and we look forward to working with our clients, the Saudi government stakeholders and local security providers to go onto greater heights”.