AVA Festival News :
BICEP RETURN TO AVA FESTIVAL BELFAST FOR MONUMENTAL HEADLINE HOMECOMING SHOW IN 2022
AVA BELFAST 2022 TICKETS
Weekend (3nd Release) from £85
Deposit scheme available – Reserve place from £30
Group Tickets – £300
AVA Belfast 2022
3 + 4 June 2022 – Titanic Slipways
Following a mega return in 2021 that proved AVA Belfast is a shining star in the global festival calendar, AVA is ready for the reveal of next year’s heavyweight headliners – a huge homecoming for Belfast-born duo BICEP. Undoubtedly Belfast’s most celebrated electronic music export, BICEP have paved the way for a new generation of creative talent born from Northern Ireland and has highlighted globally the power of the movement in the city. AVA is proud to welcome the duo to their new Titanic Slipways home, as they play on home turf against an iconic Belfast docklands backdrop in what will be their largest homecoming festival show to date. AVA was born in the docklands at T13 and returning to the spiritual home is going to be a huge celebration and occasion for the festival. And of course, there’ll be a host of live acts, DJs, visual artists, and more set to join across 3rd and 4th June 2022 with more details coming soon. Tickets are available now for weekend tickets (3rd Release), deposit scheme, and group ticket bundles are also available.
‘Having played the first AVA festival in 2015 – it’s a real homecoming gig for us. We can’t wait to be back in 2022 to play our biggest Northern Irish live show to date on home turf. This feels like a really special moment for us and we’re very excited to be playing alongside lots of friends and family.’ – BICEP (Matt & Andy)
In what is set to be a homecoming gig like no other, BICEP will deliver an emotional and fully-charged return performance in the city where it all started. In the past 12 years, BICEP have risen to meteoric fame, from the early days with their FMB blog and parties, through to now being 2x BRIT Award nominees, and their last Ninja Tune released album ISLES reaching number two in the UK album chart. Their 2017 album BICEP is one of the most recognised dance albums of recent years, including international anthems ‘GLUE’, ‘OPAL’, and more. Local heroes gone global, BICEP have always championed breakthrough acts from Ireland including Hammer, OR:LA, Swoose, Cromby, Sally C, Brame & Hamo, and plenty more.
‘AVA started for us seven years ago on the docks, so returning to our home turf with an Act who has been there with us from the beginning, and who is now one of the biggest Electronic Acts in the worldwill be a momentous moment and one we are confident will follow what a special occasion September 2021 was. Our 2022 edition of AVA will be homecoming for all of us, and we can’t wait!’
Sarah McBriar, Founder, AVA Festival
More sonic explorations will take place across the AVA Belfast weekender, with plenty more DJs, artists, live acts, partners, and more adding to the electric energy. Party people can expect to experience top-level international selectors and electronic experimentalists, local Irish legends. The introduction of new alternative sounds in 2021 means there’ll be more live acts, rap, hip-hop joining for 2022.
A core part of the festivals make up is the crowd, so expect to meet one the friendliest, liveliest set of festival attendees in the whole world; the Belfast craic is like no other. For anyone wanting to visit Belfast, AVA is an ideal way to experience the local culture and dive straight in. AVA is an integral part of the city’s fabric and works closely with Tourism Ireland, the Arts Council NI, and more each year to make the event possible, as well as creating hundreds of opportunities, jobs, and educational resources through their events each year. Flight tickets from most major UK / European airports are affordable and the city has plenty of accommodation options. There is no excuse not to be a part of AVA 2022.
“What began as an intimate festival in a small warehouse embodying the city’s iconic shipbuilding aesthetic has evolved into hosting ten thousand guests per day and a lineup that’s increased in diversity of sound over the past six years. No longer content with competing for the title of best festival in Ireland, AVA have their sights firmly fixated on rivaling similar events throughout Europe.” –Resident Advisor
“If there’s one takeaway from AVA, it’s the sheer spirit of the artists and the crowd, and the sense of joy and hope it brought to everyone involved in the festival – from the bar staff to the headline acts. It was two days of smiles, laughter and positivity, and a feeling in the air that Northern Ireland is gearing up for its full return to the dancefloor. Belfast, eh? Welcome back.”
–DJ Mag
“When the day drew on, choosing stages became increasingly difficult. The shadowy DJ Boneyard pulled a huge crowd to the Grasses as the sky turned dark, while Jayda G’s insatiable energy had dancers at the Nomadic bouncing from the walls. There was a similar reaction in that space to JD Twitch and Jonnie Wilkes’ nod to Lee “Scratch” Perry, which certainly ranked as one of the weekend’s finer moments.” – Crack Magazine
“There’ll always be something emotional about seeing a local event like AVA become a runaway, internationally-talked-about success story and this was even more true this year as it fought the Covid odds and managed to deliver its biggest event yet.
Long may it reign.’“– Belfast Live
AVA BELFAST 2022 TICKETS
Weekend (3nd Release) from £85
Deposit scheme available – Reserve place from £30
Group Tickets – £300
All tickets are available from avafestival.com
AVA Festival and Conference 2022
3 + 4 JUNE 2022 – Titanic Slipways
For all press enquiries or press information, contact dresden@themessage.love
AVA Belfast 2022 is supported by Arts Council Northern Ireland