LIDO Festival: Victoria Park’s new kid on the block

After the storm comes a calm, or rather, after a dreary winter, comes festival season. Summer festivals have officially kicked off this month, and there's a new kid on the block – LIDO Festival. Held in Victoria Park, the 2-weekend festival is already making waves in the UK music festival scene.

Put on by AEG Presents, the organisers of the well-established urban festivals BST Hyde Park and All Points East, LIDO has curated lineups with the curatorial magical powers of Massive Attack (6 June), Jamie XX (7 June), Outbreak Fest – a residency within the festival – dedicated to the northern counterculture and underground scene (13 June), Charli XCX (14 June), and London Grammar (15 June).

On 6 June, LIDO Festival will stage iconic trip-hop group Massive Attack in their first festival appearance in over nine years, supported by Tirzah, FORENSICS, Air, The Alchemist, and Yasiin Bey. On the 7 June, and after the release of the acclaimed album In Waves in September, Jamie XX takes the lead role, supported by Nia Archives, Sampha, Romy, Arca, Panda Bear, Shy One, John Glacier, Wookie, DJ Gigola, and Livwutang. Alongside this, we can also expect a 3-hour club residency with DJ Harvey, ‘The Floor’. On the following weekend, 13 June, northern counterculture comes to the capital with a residency by Outbreak Fest, with the likes of Turnstile, Alex G, Danny Brown, and Fleshwater topping the bill.

On the 14 June, your favourite party girl’s party girl, Charli XCX, curates a stellar lineup of alt/pop acts, ranging from A.G. Cook, 070 Shake, The Dare, The Japanese House, Gesaffelstein, Jodie Harsh, Kelly Lee Owens, Magdalena Bay, Yseult, among others. Finally, on 15 June, the celestial British alt group London Grammar headlines and curates an ethereal lineup with Celeste, Róisín Murphy, Pip Millett, The Blessed Madonna, Wasia Project, Maverick Sabre, Clementine Douglas, Dan Whitlam, and Holly Walker.

LIDO is also partnering with the local community in Tower Hamlets, working with Tower Hamlets Council and putting on a free community festival, ‘In the Neighbourhood’, running from Monday 9 to Thursday 12 June, with activities ranging from live music and DJ sets with local artists, sport and fitness sessions, street food, among others.

Another important aspect of the LIDO Festival is its strong sustainability ethos. The festival, which has been coined as the worldwide promoter’s ‘most green festival to date’, is making strides towards creating a greener live music experience. For instance, Massive Attack’s gig will be 100% battery-powered to reduce carbon emissions and pollution, and green hydrogen will be utilised throughout the festival to reduce its carbon footprint. On the food side, all traders have been vetted to purchase ingredients via ethical sources, among other initiatives that aim to transform the way sustainability is acted upon in live events.

Already a highlight of our summer festival rotation, the Sonic Hub team is excited to be part of what promises to be a great (and sustainable) time!

Tickets to LIDO Festival are on sale at https://www.lidofestival.co.uk/tickets/

For FAQs, schedules and further information, click here.

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WORDS BEA VASQUES