Take My Bass / East Coast
Volume Five
Sri Lanka's premier underground tech house series lands on the East Coast for peak surf season.
The Location
Arugam Bay
The whole island is on a break and heading east. We open the long weekend on the Friday night.
28.08Funky De Bar
Headliner
Shiyam
Fondly known as Loku Ayya. Twenty-five years on the decks and a pioneer of minimal, progressive and tech house in Colombo.
25 yrsUnpredictable, dark, groovy
The Soundtrack
Eight deep
VK Black · Soul SL · Sturdy · Ritmik · Augi · Dian · MJ. Immersive, groove-driven, built for a music-first crowd.
Priority Pass
First 250 free
Arugam Days ticket holders enter complimentary before 8:00 PM. Pre-registration required.
Get on the listThe Ultimate Long Weekend
The entire island is heading east.
Get ready for an absolutely mad weekend in Arugam Bay. With a massive extended public holiday aligning perfectly with peak surf season, the entire island is officially on a break and heading east. We are kicking off the celebrations on Friday night with Take My Bass Vol 5.
This massive night leads right into the Arugam Days festival happening on August 29th and 30th. With a huge crowd pouring into town, this is guaranteed to be our most energetic edition yet. Expect immersive, groove-driven nights built for a music-first crowd.
Fri 28
Take My Bass Vol 5
Funky De Bar, Arugam Bay
Sat 29
Sun 30
The Soundtrack
Eight selectors, one dancefloor.
Headliner
Shiyam
Minimal · Progressive · Tech House
Fondly known as Loku Ayya, Shiyam brings over 25 years of experience to the decks. As a pioneer of the Minimal, Progressive and Tech House genres in Colombo, he has shared the stage with global icons and headlined some of the most cutting-edge dance parties in the country. Expect his signature style of unpredictable, dark and groovy tunes that will take you on a mind-blowing sonic journey.
VK Black
Tech House · Progressive
Rooted in Kandy but deeply connected to the coast, VK Black is one of the most recognized faces in the Arugam Bay and Down South party scenes. He refuses to play it safe — a spontaneous crowd DJ who crafts his sets live to unify the dancefloor and keep the energy soaring.
Soul SL
House · Progressive House
Delivering clean, modern sounds and premium stage presence, Soul SL is a master of House and Progressive House. His peak-time sets blend deep grooves and hypnotic rhythms to create an unforgettable, high-energy experience from start to finish.
Sturdy (Sick Leave)
House · Breaks · Minimal
A visionary behind the Sick Leave collective, Sturdy brings genre-blurring sets that seamlessly move between house, breaks and club music. Rooted in the foundations of minimal house, his selections are a driving force for quality underground sounds.
Ritmik (AUS)
Tribal · Rolling Basslines
Born in Sri Lanka and now based in Melbourne, Ritmik channels his past as a heavy metal drummer into the electronic music world. Known for building tension with rolling basslines and tribal grooves, he has played iconic Melbourne venues like Revolver Upstairs and supported major international acts.
Augi (FRA)
Minimal · Micro House · Disco
Introduced to music from a very young age through the colourful CDs he used to burn, Augi later found himself through vinyl records — first with house and funk, then drawn to minimal and the exuberant percussions it offers. Depending on his mood he moves between disco, micro house, deep house and break.
Dian
House · Tech · Melodic · Afro
A familiar and trusted presence across Sri Lanka's electronic music scene, Dian is known for his instinctive ability to read the crowd. His immersive sets seamlessly weave through House, Tech House, Progressive, Melodic and Afro House to deliver smooth transitions, deep grooves and peak-time energy. Having graced stages at major events like Arugam Days and Tiki Therapy, as well as sharing decks with international acts like CASSIM and Novak, he creates memorable journeys wherever he performs.
Photo to come
MJ
Funky De Bar resident
Full biography to be announced.
Event Details & Access
Get on the list before the cutoff.
Venue
Funky De Bar
Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
Date
Fri 28 Aug 2026
Doors from early evening
A-Days Priority Pass
Holding an Arugam Days ticket? Claim your complimentary Take My Bass Priority Pass. Pre-registration is required and limited to the first 250 Arugam Days ticket holders for complimentary entry before 8:00 PM.
First 250 · Before 20:00Thank you for registering
Enter for free before 8:00 pm by showing your Arugam Days Ticket.
Door Policy
Standard door rules and cover charges apply after 8:00 PM. Secure your digital pass early to guarantee your spot before the cutoff.
Getting There
The East Coast doesn't come to you.
Fly in, ride the overnight bus from Colombo, or lock in a flat-rate taxi — here's every way to reach Arugam Bay before the 28th, and what each one actually costs you in time and rupees.
Fastest
By Air
≈ 3 hours total
- Colombo → Batticaloa15:00 → 15:45
- Batticaloa → Colombo16:00 → 16:45
- Onward transfer~2 hrs by road
- CarrierCinnamon Air
Daily direct flights to Pasikudah–Batticaloa, the closest domestic airport to Arugam Bay. Times shown are Cinnamon Air's August timetable — confirm closer to departure.
Ask Bayline for a transfer rate → Book flightsClassic
By Bus
≈ 6–8 hours overnight
- CTB / SLTBLKR 2,900 pp
- CTB / SLTB times21:00 → 03:15
- Al RashithLKR 3,000 pp
- Al Rashith times19:00 → 02:45
- Tuk-tuk to A-Bay≈ LKR 1,000
Both run overnight via the Southern Expressway. CTB/SLTB goes straight into Arugam Bay; Al Rashith departs Borella and stops at Pottuvil — a short tuk-tuk from there. Al Rashith is hotline-only, no online ticketing.
Join the taxi-share group →Easiest
By Car
≈ 6 hours
- Flat sedan ratesfrom LKR 25,000
- Return driverAvailable
- Share a taxiWhatsApp group
- PartnerBayline Tours
Fixed sedan rates, no surge pricing, plus a rideshare community and a return-driver service. Full rates below.
See Bayline rates ↓
Official Ride Partner
Bayline Tours
Fixed rates, a driver community, and a way home that doesn't wreck your last night.
| Kandy → Arugam Bay | LKR 25,000 |
| Galle → Arugam Bay | LKR 28,000 |
| Colombo → Arugam Bay | LKR 35,000 |
Share a taxi
Don't need a whole car to yourself? Jump into the group, find others landing or leaving around the same time, and split the fare.
Find a taxi buddy
Return driver service
Vetted drivers bring you — and your own vehicle — home safely afterwards, so nobody's making the drive back exhausted.
Book a driverWhere to Stay
Book a bed before the town fills up.
Arugam Bay sells out over the long weekend. Search live availability below, or let the team find you something.