CLUB AWI: Ayebatonye & Friends

When the lights drop and the bass begins to pulse, Club Awi calls you back to the floor.

For a decade, Club Awi has been the heartbeat of late-night dance culture at Darwin Festival. In 2026, it returns with renewed purpose: a call to the floor, a reminder that dancing together isn’t a luxury – it’s essential.

Launching this year’s electrifying programme, Ayebatonye & Friends set the tone for what’s to come – deep, global club energy paired with immersive visuals that move as powerfully as the music itself.

Ayebatonye is a DJ, artist, writer and Founder/Creative Director of DIY arts platform Irregular Fit (2018-2022) of Nigerian heritage born and raised on Gadigal Land, currently based on Larrakia Country.

Known worldwide for her groove centred cross-genre sets, she’s become a mainstay in the Australian music scene.  Traversing time, space and genre Ayebatonye’s signature style blends together an array of global electronic sounds rich with afro rhythms, deep percussive drum beats, house, techno, jersey club and more.

In recent years she has been tapped to support renowned artists including Honey Dijon, DJ Bone, Underground Resistance, Skin on Skin, Soichi Terada, Dixon, SPFDJ and many more esteemed electronic artists. Ayebatonye has been invited to play Pitch Music and Art Festival, Dark Mofo, Inner Varnika, Boiler Room Sydney and to close the beloved Meredith Music Festival. Her distinctive style and avid interest in fashion has led to curating soundscapes for the likes of Gucci, Erik Yvon for Melbourne Fashion Week, Calvin Klein, Office Magazine and Incu x Nike Air Max day.

Joining Ayebatonye is rising star NayNay, a radio host and DJ with immaculate selections in afrocentric sounds, encompassing everything from tribal house, Afrohouse, and soul to tech and high-energy dance tracks. A true raver at heart, this selectress loves to experiment with the crowd and is passionate about preserving the diverse roots of electronic dance music, which is evident in her new event project, Enzi Archive.

NayNay has quickly risen to prominence in the Australian scene, performing at major festivals like Beyond The Valley and many venues nationwide, while sharing the stage with artists such as Skin On Skin, Jyoty, and Austin Millz. Expanding her reach internationally, she has also brought her sound to Paris pop-ups during Fashion Week and clubs in Zanzibar, cementing her as an artist with global recognition.

This is Club Awi – Darwin’s favourite late-night Festival club – open to everyone, built for connection and made to be felt.

Club Awi Moonlight Warm-Up – $45 (book online)
Kick off your Club Awi experience with a little extra shine. Club Awi Moonlight Warm‑Up is a premium add‑on that gets you into the Airnorth Moonlight Lounge for a pre‑party cocktail and a private bar moment before you head into the club, to get your dance on.

What you get
- Airnorth Moonlight Lounge access - Private bar from one hour before the show starts
- Cocktail on arrival - Redeemable until 15 minutes before the show starts in the Airnorth Moonlight Lounge
- Priority entry to Club Awi - Valid for 1 hour after Club Awi starts