London’s newest music festival has arrived, and it’s not playing by the old rules. LIDO Festival wrapped its first-ever edition with a stunning headline set from London Grammar, closing ten days of artist-curated programming that pushed boundaries, elevated fresh talent, and gave headliners full creative control. From Massive Attack’s solar-powered opener to Charli XCX’s partygirl chaos and a punk-flavoured Outbreak takeover, LIDO established itself as a cultural reimagining of how these things can be done.
On the final night (Sunday 15 June), London Grammar delivered a widescreen set that was both precise and cinematic. “How Does It Feel” rang out across Victoria Park with Hannah Reid’s vocals cutting through the dusk, while the unlikely singalong of Kavinsky’s ‘Nightfall’ became a gorgeous moment of stillness before the drop. The crowd swayed to ‘Wasting My Younger Years’, found catharsis in ‘Baby It’s You’, and roared through the anthemic closer ‘Lose Your Head’.
Supporting sets included a euphoric Róisín Murphy, clad in technicolour and handing roses to the front row, and a spine-tingling, jazz-infused performance by Celeste, whose new material (“Only Time Will Tell”, “Could Be A Machine”) was intimate, surreal, and daring. Maverick Sabre reflected on two decades in music with stripped-back soul, while rising voices like Wasia Project, Clementine Douglas and Pip Millett introduced the future of UK artistry.
Charli XCX’s takeover (14 June) was a breathless, beat-heavy spectacle. Curating her own bill under the name ‘PARTYGIRL’, she brought Gesaffelstein’s thunder, 070 Shake’s bangers, glitch-pop chaos from A. G. Cook and indie moments from The Japanese House. Charli opened with ‘360’, stormed through brat anthems like ‘Von Dutch’, and brought out Bladee for a euphoric ‘Rewind’. When Amelia Dimoldenberg appeared for the “Apple” dance, the crowd lost it, not least the A-listers spotted watching, including Harris Dickinson and Paul Mescal.
Jodie Harsh set the tone with an all-out remix set, while Magdalena Bay’s sci-fi visuals and The Dare’s surprise PinkPantheress moment on Stage 2 made it a curated chaos unlike any other. With a ML3A sound system engineered by Robb Allan, it all sounded pristine, even as bodies bounced and sang along to every last brat-bop.
Earlier in the festival, Massive Attack opened the 10-day run with the UK’s first 100% battery-powered major show, a landmark moment not just for sound, but sustainability. Joined by Elizabeth Fraser and Yasiin Bey, their set was part concert, part statement. Jamie xx followed with a collaborative day that saw him reunite with Romy and Oliver Sim for a The xx moment, while DJ sets with Skrillex, Shy FX, and Nia Archives turned the park into a kaleidoscope of bass and breaks. Harry Styles, spotted in the crowd, looked right at home.
Outbreak Fest brought hardcore to Victoria Park with Turnstile’s massive Friday set (13 June). Their blend of punk energy and polished production brought fans from across the UK and beyond.
Beyond the music, LIDO Festival made bold choices in structure. Letting each day’s headliner curate their lineup gave the festival a shifting identity, no single genre or style dominated, and it felt more like a series of personal statements than a fixed-format event. The ML3A system ensured sound quality across the site, while local collaborations with Tower Hamlets and ELAM (East London Arts & Music) put the community at the heart of the experience.
Sunday even saw festival debuts from new artists like The White Gates Band, whose frontwoman Jessica Richardson summed up the spirit of the event: “You’ve been amazing so far, how about a round of applause for yourselves?”
This year's LIDO Festival was a fresh, fan-first approach to what festivals can be: curated by artists, delivered with care, and driven by intention. With a lineup that ranged from Massive Attack to Maverick Sabre, Celeste to Charli XCX, and underground legends to new-school stars, LIDO just threw down the gauntlet for the future of live music in London.
