Claptone and Groove Armada 2026 in Abu Dhabi

Claptone and Groove Armada bring an open-air house music night to Surf Abu Dhabi on Hudayriyat Island on Friday 13 November 2026, with both acts playing DJ sets in The Garden, on a full production stage that faces the wave pool. Gates open at 7pm and the music runs until around 2:30am.

Presented by Surf Abu Dhabi in association with Ilios, it is a single date in the capital, pairing a masked star of festival-season house with a British duo whose records have been filling dancefloors for three decades.

Claptone: the man in the golden mask

Claptone performs in a golden, beaked mask and never shows his face, which has become as much a part of the act as the music. Behind the mask is a DJ and producer with serious pedigree: readers of DJ Mag have voted him their top house DJ five years running, and he plays more than 275 shows a year.

His own productions include No Eyes and Heartbeat, and his remixes have travelled far beyond the clubs, notably his take on Gregory Porter’s Liquid Spirit and on Cold Heart, the Elton John and Dua Lipa hit. In Ibiza he hosts Masquerade, a party series known for its costumes and theatrical staging, and he has played major festivals around the world.

Expect a set of melodic, vocal-led house with plenty of big moments: the sort of music that works especially well outdoors, under an open sky.

Groove Armada: three decades of British dance

Groove Armada are Andy Cato and Tom Findlay, who started making music together in the 1990s. Their run of albums, including Vertigo, Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub) and Black Light, brought three UK Top 10 records and three Grammy nominations. The singles most people recognise, even if they cannot place the band name, are At The River, the rolling Superstylin’ and I See You Baby.

They also founded the Lovebox festival in London, and in recent years they have become regular headliners for Defected and Glitterbox, the house and disco labels and party brands. That background shapes their DJ sets, which move between house, disco and their own catalogue. This is a DJ set rather than a live band show, but a well-placed classic or two is very much part of their style.

Why the pairing works

On paper, Claptone and Groove Armada come from different corners of house music: one a modern festival favourite with a theatrical persona, the other a British duo with deep roots in chill-out, big beat and disco-house. In practice, both lean towards warm, soulful, vocal-driven records, and both know how to read a large open-air crowd. A seven-hour window, from 7pm to around 2:30am, gives each act time to build properly.

The venue: The Garden at Surf Abu Dhabi

Surf Abu Dhabi on Hudayriyat Island is home to what it describes as the world’s largest wave pool. For this night, the action takes place in The Garden, an outdoor space within the venue, with the stage set up so the crowd looks out towards the waves. Tickets only give access to the areas linked to the category you buy, and you may be asked to show your ticket or wristband in controlled zones.

House rules

• Under-16s must be with an adult aged 21 or over. Alcohol is served only to over-21s with valid photo ID.
• Government-issued photo ID may be required, and the name on the ticket must match it.
• Beachwear is not allowed, despite the waves.
• Bags must be no larger than 30 x 30 x 15cm, and there is no cloakroom.
• There is no re-entry once your ticket is scanned. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas.
• Outside food and drink, chairs, professional cameras, drones, selfie sticks, scooters and pets (except registered assistance animals) are not allowed.

Tickets are delivered to the app account linked to your booking email no later than 48 hours before the event, and must be clearly visible on your phone at the gate.

Who it suits

This night is made for anyone who grew up with Groove Armada’s singles in the early 2000s, fans who have followed Claptone’s festival sets online and want to see the mask in person, and groups looking for an outdoor Friday that feels different from a regular club night. With a 7pm opening, it also works for those who prefer to start early and settle in by the water before the night peaks.

Getting there

Surf Abu Dhabi is reached via the Hudayriyat Bridge. The route continues along Shakhbout Bin Sultan Street through several roundabouts, so use GPS rather than memory. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are the easiest option; no public transport route is suggested.

For more nights out, see our nightlife guide, explore things to do in Abu Dhabi or browse things to do in November.