Massive Attack Launch LIDO Festival’s Green Revolution
LIDO Festival made its debut this Friday, and honestly, it felt like witnessing something genuinely groundbreaking. London’s newest music event didn’t just launch – it made a proper statement, running entirely on battery power with Massive Attack headlining what could be the future of festivals.
This wasn’t your typical festival opening. LIDO’s main stage was completely powered by the Grid Faeries x Ecotricity 1 MW battery system, an industry first that felt less like a publicity stunt and more like a glimpse into how live music could work going forward.
The day started with HUNNY on the main stage, looking brilliantly chaotic in a Liverpool FC shirt over a Manchester United skirt. Her acoustic set was raw and honest, especially during “I Was Born To Cry” where she admitted ‘Maybe that’s a bit too sad for this time in the afternoon. When she talked about being LIDO’s first ever performer, you could hear the genuine excitement: ‘It’s so cool to be the first ever act to play Lido… It’s following a dream, you want to be up there. It’s euphoric.’
Over on Stage 2, Richard Russell brought Everything is Recorded’s soulful, sample-heavy sound, with BERWYN jumping in on vocals and Clari Freeman-Taylor soaring on “Swamp Dream #3”. Their cover of Gil Scott-Heron’s “New York is Killing Me” had everyone clapping along. Tirzah and Mica Levi created these hypnotic, looping soundscapes that wrapped around you, especially during “Send Me”, before things got heavier and darker.
Mad Professor brought his dub mastery with typical enthusiasm, telling the crowd: ‘You can call me Mad Professor. Yeah, big respect to massive, massive Massive Attack. Attacking you with music. Vibes!’ The energy was infectious.
47SOUL delivered something special, blending hip-hop, electronica and traditional Dabke into what they call Shamstep. Their greeting was warm but pointed: ‘Good evening, London. How are you doing? We’re 47SOUL from Palestine, via East and North London. We’re honoured to be here… Eid Mubarak for the ones celebrating.’ Songs like “Don’t Care Where You From” and “Ghost Town” felt like proper anthems.
Yasiin Bey’s FORENSICS project with The Alchemist was a treat for hip-hop fans. He scattered petals before starting, introducing himself: ‘Peace, peace, peace. That is the alchemist. Who are you? I am me. I am Yasiin Bey, and we are FORENSICS. This is the UK premiere of forensics with The Alchemist.’ The former Mos Def showed why he’s still considered a master of the craft.
Air’s Twilight set was perfect timing. From the opening chords of “La femme d’argent”, you knew you were watching something special. Their classics from “Moon Safari” – “Sexy Boy” and “Kelly Watch the Stars” – worked beautifully as the light faded. The French duo kept their trademark cool, simply saying: ‘Thank you so much. We’re happy to play here.’
But Massive Attack owned the night completely. Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja and Grant ‘Daddy G’ Marshall, with their incredible roster of guest collaborators, delivered a performance that felt both career-spanning and urgently relevant. They opened with “Risingson”, screens flashing questions like ‘Do you cry? Do thoughts have shadows?’ – immediately setting this philosophical, slightly unsettling tone.
Elizabeth Fraser’s voice on “Black Milk”, their cover of “Song to the Siren”, and the inevitable “Teardrop” were just sublime. Horace Andy appeared for “Girl I Love You” and later for an epic “Angel”. Deborah Miller handled “Unfinished Sympathy” and “Safe From Harm” beautifully, while Yasiin Bey returned for “I Against I”, creating this perfect full-circle moment.
The sound system was crystal clear – Martin Audio’s new ML3A setup supplied by Solotech and mixed by Robb Allan delivered. Every detail worked, from the facial recognition visuals showing crowd faces to their unexpected and brilliant cover of Ultravox’s “Rockwrock”.
Having celebrities like Naomi Campbell and Nick Grimshaw there certainly added to the buzz, but the real success was proving that sustainable festivals don’t mean compromising on quality. As 3D wrote beforehand, this was about ‘the combination of art and science’, tackling major challenges.
LIDO’s opening night achieved something remarkable – it made environmental responsibility feel exciting rather than restrictive. With Jamie xx, Charli XCX and London Grammar still to come, this festival has already established itself as something genuinely important.
The concept of letting headliners program their days has created something personal and distinctive. If this first day is anything to go by, London’s festival scene just got a serious upgrade.
Photo’s Massive Attack (c) Sophia Carey
