Jamie xx Brings The xx Together for On-Stage Reunion at LIDO Festival
The second day of the new LIDO Festival delivered a magical moment as Jamie xx brought together all members of The xx for an emotional on-stage reunion, capping off a genre-defying showcase of cutting-edge music in East London.
Jamie xx’s carefully curated lineup featured Arca, Sampha, and his xx bandmate Romy, alongside other pioneers reshaping electronic music and pop. The crowd, which included celebrities Harry Styles and Sharon Horgan, experienced exceptional sound quality thanks to the new Martin Audio system supplied by Solotech.
Fifteen years after his debut album “In Colour,” Jamie xx has cemented his status as a UK dance institution. Originally finding fame with Mercury Award-winning The xx, Saturday saw him reunite on stage with bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim during his hit “Waiting All Night,” followed by an emotional embrace. ‘We love you, London,’ Romy told the cheering crowd.
Jamie xx’s set was a journey through dance music’s past and future, capturing the essence of East London’s legendary club scene. The industrial pulse of “Gosh” transformed into something almost otherworldly, while classic drum ‘n’ bass, house, and dubstep tracks kept the energy flowing. Cameras caught fans dancing throughout the park, their faces lighting up the big screens.
The brooding “Breather” from this year’s “In Waves” offered a moment of dark euphoria, with its haunting refrain ‘You deserve to be happy’ resonating across the field. Classics from “In Colour” hit hard, particularly the thunderous “Loud Places” and his collaboration with The Avalanches, “All You Children,” which had the entire crowd singing along.
Romy’s distinctive vocals graced “Loud Places” once again, while Robyn’s voice powered through their collaboration “Life” – a pure old-school house anthem. The set was woven in snippets of Mazzy Star’s “Into Dust” and Ramzy Bailey’s “I Hate Hate,” but it was “Let’s Do It Again” that truly shook the ground beneath everyone’s feet.
The day kicked off with Jamie xx and Skrillex delivering an explosive B2B set that drew massive crowds to the main stage. Their high-energy remix barrage included a wild take on Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache (Jump On It)” and the eternal crowd-pleaser “Jump Around” by House of Pain. ‘Yo, good morning, good afternoon — make some noise for Jamie!’ Skrillex shouted, whipping the audience into a frenzy.
Rain couldn’t dampen John Glacier’s spirit as she kicked off her boots and performed barefoot. ‘This is my local park, so hello,’ she said with a grin, her experimental sounds winning over fans, including Sampha, who watched from the crowd. ‘Oh, I finally won you over? Thank you for staying in the rain as well. There’s a lot of you,’ she laughed.
Panda Bear brought indie charm with the stomping “Defense” and the beautifully crafted “50mg,” which channelled serious Fleetwood Mac vibes. Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox then took everyone on a shimmering journey into deep psychedelic territory.
Sampha proved why he’s considered one of music’s most daring songwriters, seamlessly blending jazz percussion with euphoric disco. Tracks like “Suspended” and “Can’t Go Back” showcased his incredible range. ‘It’s a pleasure to play for you,’ he beamed. ‘Today’s a day that builds character!’
Just as the rain stopped, Venezuelan powerhouse Arca exploded onto the stage, demanding and receiving raucous cheers from an eager crowd. Her electric anthems like “Rakata” and “Prada” had everyone chanting back the lyrics as she owned every inch of the stage, playfully urging the audience to purr along and joking that their collective body heat would keep everyone warm.
Over at Stage 2, DJ Villager opened with pure energy, including an irresistible remix of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” Tim Reaper warmed up the jungle-hungry crowd before the legendary Shy FX took over with a ferocious drum ‘n’ bass assault that had everyone skanking from start to finish. When he dropped “Original Nuttah” to close, the crowd went mental.
One of the day’s most anticipated moments saw Jamie xx team up with Nia Archives for a special B2B set. ‘I’m playing Lido Festival for the first time. I’m super excited because it’s in my local area and it’s really exciting to go back to back with Jamie xx,’ she said. ‘I loved the way he’s curated the festival.’
The evening concluded with Romy delivering an animated solo performance packed with bangers like “Enjoy The Life,” “Lifetime,” “Always Forever,” and “The Sea,” before closing with “Strong.” It was pure disco heaven filtered through East London’s indie sensibilities.
Jamie xx also curated The Floor, an intimate space within Victoria Park featuring DJ sets from Stresshead, Shy One, livwutang, Wookie, and a marathon three-hour set from DJ Harvey. The concept, inspired by his celebrated club residencies, brought that underground club feeling to the festival setting with a custom sound system that made every beat hit perfectly.
Photos (c) Bufola Photography
