As someone who normally attends festivals such as Parklife, Creamfields and Leeds; festivals with huge names and line-ups, I wasn't sure what to expect heading into Belfast’s AVA (Audio Visuals Arts) Festival.

However, this modestly sized festival surprised me in more ways than one. The whole atmosphere of the festival simply swept me away. Compacted into an abandoned warehouse in the heart of Belfast, this festival emitted the same vibes and emotions felt at the major festivals I was used to, quickly making it a sure-fire recommendation to House and Techno fans or even anyone into electronic music in general.

Aside from the music, the conference - another major part of the festival included in your ticket - made the weekend extra special, really immersing you into the inner workings of the electronic music scene.

Being able to attend DJ showcases and talks from artists such as KiNK, to music production masterclasses from big names like Bicep, adds another dimension to your weekend that you just can’t get from the mainstream festivals. Bicep engaged with the audience over their production techniques and really dissected the duo’s process behind their latest album, something that added an extra spark to the experience seeing the duo onstage later on.

Day 1 - Friday

Kicking off at 10:00 am on Friday morning, I entered the MAC, Belfast’s Metropolitan Arts Centre and multi-culture building, packed full of stages, auditoriums and presentation areas over 6 floors. I started the day with a presentation from Belfast’s very own electronic duo, Bicep, which felt more like a talk show as they cracked jokes, told stories and showcased synthesizers and the basis for creating electronic songs.

Honestly, this was incredibly interesting - the guys knew exactly how to explain to their audience the processes of music production without it being too overwhelming or complicated. With a professional host who timed his questions to perfection, it drew the best possible answers out of Bicep making it well worth the early morning trip from the UK to Belfast.

Next up was Native Instruments, who gave a workshop with Myler on how to build lead sounds on Reaktor (software which allows you to build modular synths and other instruments). Again, it was fantastic seeing another producer who would be performing later on showcasing his own way of creating songs. In a matter of 45 minutes, Myler easily demonstrated his ability to create techno leads, making it an intriguing and helpful session for anyone in the music production scene (or anyone in general!). 

The rest of the day was spent touring the venue itself as I checked out the third area of the conference designated for big names like Pioneer and Native Instruments as well as small up-and-coming companies showing off their tech to conference goers.

Personally, I thought it was fantastic to see the support given out by organisations to up-and-coming producers, helping them get their feet on the ground and make a dent in the bustling Northern-Irish electronic music scene.

Unfortunately, at around 1:00 pm I had to head back to my hotel to check in, which leads me nicely on to another great feature of this festival!

While on my way back I noticed that everything from the conference, major hotels, and festival itself were all within walking distance. And, not only were there loads of different points of interests and tourist attractions along the way to catch the eye of people travelling between parts of the festival - something that admittedly I even did on the first day, backtracking me an hour from my schedule!

By 4:00 pm, the festival kicked off with a superb line-up and, although the Irish rain came down, it didn’t stop the goers at the Boiler Room and Red Bull stage from keeping it moving. Elsewhere, the Mainstage and Smirnoff stage were kept dry under cover, with an incredible closing set from Bicep. I couldn’t have loved this day any more.

Day 2 - Saturday

With an even stronger line-up on day 2, the weather cleared up nicely in the afternoon making way for DVS1 to absolutely shut it down as one of the closing acts. Day 2 was, in my opinion, the better of the two - DVS1’s incredible set was the perfect ending to a fantastic weekend and Nez, an act who took me by surprise was a definite festival highlight. His techno set got the whole crowd and I moving from start to finish; one to watch in the future for sure.

As someone who is used to Creamfields or Parklife for his festivals, I went into AVA not expecting much. However, this little festival has got so much more to it than meets the eye. I cannot fault a single thing. From the lovely staff, the stellar line-up to the festival location itself, this festival is perfect for anyone wanting a musical weekend getaway.

I love this festival and look forward to next year with hopefully more exciting surprises on the way!