AVA Belfast adds new acts and shares day lineups
AVA adds new additions including Funk Tribu, Megra, Mount Palomar, Aika Mal and Nikki O to the lineup on 30th and 31st of May this year at Titanic Slipways.
The festival previously announced Underworld, Overmono, Ewan McVicar, KI/KI, Sloucho and lots more.
The 11th year of the festival features 70 acts performing and a new Dock stage co-curated by Resident Advisor with sets recorded across the weekend at “a dockside amphitheatre for dancing.” The space will feature layered platforms for dancers, a Funktion-One sound system supplied by Hertz-U Audio and a custom audiovisual rig from Visual Spectrum Studio.
And building on their recent London conference strand, there is an arts programme of talks, workshops, and live sessions with local artists.
They’ve also released the day splits for the festival:
FRIDAY PROGRAMME
Friday’s lineup brings together global heavyweights and top-tier Irish talent, featuring AVA debuts and returning favourites. Headlining is Overmono, the duo redefining late-night rave sonics with their signature blend of techno, breakbeats, and leftfield bass. Scottish house powerhouse Ewan McVicar returns to light up AVA with his infectious energy, while VTSS makes her debut with a hard-hitting techno masterclass. Retro-futuristic shapeshifter Funk Tribu and festival mainstay Job Jobse returns with his signature mix of deep house and melodic techno.
Belfast favourite Sally C delivers an acid-laced, high-energy set, while Irish talent Spray presents a highly anticipated live session with his Spriitzz project, fusing wigged-out prog and floor-filling trance grooves. Tokyo’s Minna-no-kimochi (みんなのきもち), known for their unforgettable Boiler Room sets, bring their post-trance collective energy, while AK SPORTS delivers bass-heavy explorations, and Berghain regular Bashkka serves up euphoric, hands-in-the-air house.
Representing Irish rave culture, DART joins the bill, alongside homegrown talent EMA, Cait, Aika Mal, MEGRA, Caolan Patrick, CIAN, Matcha, and Chris Flannigan. MC EMBY returns to host sets and pop-up appearances across the weekend, while Plus One and Crilli DnB push alternative electronic sounds. Local crews Inside Moves, Twitch, and Plain Sailing round things out with their resident selectors.
SATURDAY PROGRAMME
AVA welcomes rave legends Underworld as Saturday’s headliners. Synonymous with UK rave culture, the iconic duo behind Born Slippy—celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025—promise an unforgettable headline performance for the Belfast crowd.
Returning AVA favourite KI/KI will transport the dancefloor into euphoria with her seamless fusion of acid, trance, and techno, blending futurism with nostalgia. Making her AVA debut, global techno sensation DJ Fuckoff brings her signature bass-driven sound, while relentless Italian duo 999999999 push the limits of industrial techno with their BPM-cranking live performance. Irish rave staple Tommy Holohan adds to the intensity, alongside Sam Alfred, who returns with his prog-house-laden beats.
NYC-based trio Fcukers—frequent collaborators of Confidence Man—join the lineup, alongside a live show from experimental Belfast band CHALK. Making her Belfast debut, C.Frim delivers drum-driven cuts that bounce, sway, and shuffle, while London’s OK Williams steps up for a genre-spanning set. DJ Python injects Latin-infused rhythms, and masked producer Sloucho promises a boundary-pushing performance, fusing avant-garde visuals with experimental beats.
Belfast’s homegrown heroes are out in force, including Swoose, Jordan Nocturne, Reger, Optmst, and Holly Lester, a driving force behind Northern Ireland’s music scene. Ponyhawke (aka Marion Hawkes) brings the energy of their vital queer party while emerging talent continues to build across Saturday with DJ Time Of The Month, Body Clinic, Hannah, Sahana, and Hi-Kru x Divergence.
TICKETS FOR AVA 2025 – HERE
Stay tuned for the latest information, including dates, lineups and more below.
