Bear in mind that Saudi Arabia is a huge country, you will therefore have to be more specific about which part you are thinking about.
Mutt.
Commuting through that airport in a couple of hours, its not a city that i like, the people are extremely different to those found in Jeddah or Dammam.
Apart from that, i dont know enough about the city or situation to offer valid advice.... sorry.
As for Arabic music, in this part of the world its tribal, it certainly isnt the modern lebanese style thats shown on MTV!
Customs, Culture and history used to play a large part in many expats lives, but with the present security situation the police are actually stopping expats from camping or touring the country. Gone are the days of visiting/camping in Medain Saleh or following the Hejaz railway
Mutt.