June 17, 2025 |
One of the newer additions to London’s summer calendar, the music festival Lido, has just come to the end of its debut run. Situated in the lush pastures of Victoria Park’s Lido Field (hence the name), the freshly conceived event spanned across six days over two weekends. Opting to do things a little differently, the newcomer boasted an alternative setup than normal, with headliners in charge of curating the artists who would join them on the line-up instead of teams behind the scenes. As a result, each day was entirely unique, reflecting the tastes of each headliner and, in turn, the fans that follow them. Kicking off on June 6 with trip-hop legends Massive Attack, supported by singer-songwriter Tirzah, June 7 saw Jamie XX take his The Floor residency out of the club and onto the field, with appearances from DJ Harvey, Wookie and Nia Archives. Fast forward to this past weekend and the eternal 365 party girl Charli xcx headed up a lineup that billed 070 Shake, A.G. Cook and The Dare. The final day, June 15, saw indie pop band London Grammar play their staples on the main stage with brother-sister duo Wasia Project and neo-soul darlings Celeste and Pip Millet also invited to perform. Here, we round up some of the most memorable performances from Lido 2025.
Massive Attack
To kick off, the Lido team enlisted British trip-hop quartet Massive Attack to perform a set that was equal parts excellent music and political consciousness. With special appearances from Horace Andy, Deborah Miller, Yasiin Bey and Cocteau Twins‘ Elizabeth Fraser, the day marked the first time a London festival has been entirely battery-powered. The showcase also centred around the collective’s activism surrounding Palestinian liberation. Footage of the devastation in Gaza was broadcast behind the group as they played tracks like Take It There and Future Proof, with the music acting only as a vehicle for the message.
Air
French duo Air were tapped by Massive Attack to join them on Lido’s inaugural day, with their distinct brand of electronically-charged dream pop welcomed with open arms by the festival’s punters. A particular highlight was when the recognisable drawl of the dreamlike Sexy Boy caused the crowd to erupt in cheers and spend the rest of the track revelling in the joy of a classic being played live.
Jamie XX
Jamie XX was tasked with curating Lido’s second day and in turn used it as an opportunity to celebrate his The Floor club residency housed by Venut MOT in May 2024. Going back to back with Nia Archives and Skrillex to mark the occasion, the producer also surprised long-time fans by reuniting with his XX partners Romy and Oliver Sim for a triumphant moment on the Main Stage soundtracked by fan-favourite Waited All Night.
John Glacier
One of Britain’s most exciting upcoming talents, rapper John Glacier staged a knockout performance on Lido’s sophomore day. Still reeling from her critically acclaimed album Like A Ribbon, the rising star performed songs like Dancing In The Rain with the relaxed confidence of an artist who knows what they bring to the table, taking puffs of her vape between tracks for good measure.
Charli XCX
To say Victoria Park was teeming for Lido’s Charli xcx-headlined second Saturday feels like an understatement. There were people everywhere you looked, decked out in their finest lime green brattire. An uproarious set which saw the hyper pop juggernaut captivate the sprawling crowd with her signature brash attitude and booty shakes (complimented by itty-bitty leather pants), xcx signed off with a display that implored her fans to keep Brat summer going as long as possible. You don’t have to ask us twice.
Henry Redcliffe
The Dare
Suited, booted and with a cigarette dangling from his lips, The Dare was tapped by xcx to perform as part of her curated line-up. Taking to the stage inside an expansive blue tent, the space still wasn’t big enough to accommodate the swathes of fans who poured in to catch a glimpse of the spec-loving singer, with security having to stop the overflow from trying to squeeze in. The cult classic Girls was received exactly as expected (with gleeful chorus of festival goers screaming in unison that they “like the girls that do drugs (Drugs)/ girls with cigarettes in the back of the club (Club)”). However what was unexpected was a surprise appearance by Pink Pantheress, who performed Stateside to a pulsing crowd that couldn’t quite believe their luck.
Photography courtesy of Lido.
