Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
AVA look at this line-up..
Boucher Road festival up there with best
Local festival behemoth AVA has just announced its plans for later this year and as is customary, they are corking. All being well, of course, AVA 2021 will take place across the weekend of 24-25 September at Boucher Road Playing Fields and will boast a phenomenal line-up of international dance music royalty alongside a particular focus on local talent.
We spoke to festival founder Sarah Mcbriar this week, who said, “We are thrilled to announce our return to Belfast at the end of September. We truly feel this will be one of the most special events we will ever produce, coming out the other side of the pandemic. We are also moving sites now to the Boucher Road Playing Fields, a blank canvas offering us exciting and endless opportunities, taking the Festival fully outdoors.
“September’s event will be just the beginning of this new chapter for us. We have been working on the new site design for some time, incorporating the elements we believe will showcase the artists in the best way and make this year’s AVA experience unique.
“The breadth of local and international artists in the line-up is testament to the successes and growth of previous years.”
Performing acts will include Berlin Techno duo Fjaak, the world’s number one electronic live act KINK (Live), Helena Hauff, disco queen
Jayda G, plus
Dutch female forces Carista & KIKI. Returning to AVA will be revered duo Optimo, Derry’s incredible Or:la, Hammer and Cromby and Techno don Sunil Sharpe. Some of the female powerhouses taking to the decks include super-selectors Saoirse and Sally C, plus many more. A new addition to the programme will be the finest of Irish hip-hop with revered Dublin rapper Kojaque, Aby Coulibaly, Leo Miyagee and Emby all joining. As is legendary multiinstrumentalist and broken beat innovator Kaidi Tatham and Irish vocalist Gemma Dunleavy. In keeping with the longstanding ethos of the festival, AVA also promises an uncompromising approach to design, creativity. The multi-stage open air site will have a distinctive set up merging industrial design with music, and visual electronic artists including Algorithm, Visual Spectrum and Kevin Gartland.
And beyond the dancefloor, AVA will once again deliver a full programme of art installations and music/art/culture, chill spaces, local food traders, a new cocktail bar experience plus much more.
In all, it’s another mouth watering proposition and exactly what the doctor ordered.
Tickets are available now, day tickets costing £45 and full festival weekend passes £85. Head to the AVA Festival website to pick them up.