Massive Attack to headline LIDO with battery power

Massive Attack is set to deliver a 100% battery-powered festival headline set during the inaugural LIDO Festival in London this summer.

The British duo, comprised of Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja and Grant ‘Daddy G’ Marshall, will expand on their Act 1.5 show series during the AEG-backed event. Last year, the group pioneered decarbonised live music events with shows in their native Bristol and Liverpool.

In partnership with clean energy provider Ecotricity, the hip-hop group plans to deliver a historic day in the UK capital, their first London festival show in nearly a decade.

“To present London’s first ever 100% battery-powered festival day with a dynamic range of artists is an optimum outcome for us. History shows it’s often the combination of art and science that overcomes the greatest challenges we face, so it’s good to see LIDO take learnings from our ACT1.5 event last year and apply those technologies to where they see emissions coming from,” Del Naja says.

“Clean productions beginning this journey to normalisation is good news for everyone, but especially for music fans that come to festivals and the local communities that live around them.”

LIDO is part of AEG’s efforts toward “a broader adoption of industry-leading sustainability principles across AEG European Festivals”, says Jim King, AEG Presents’ CEO of European Festivals.

“Big changes require both courage and determination, and I cannot speak highly enough of Massive Attack and their team for embracing the challenge of launching this important initiative. AEG was fortunate to collaborate with Massive Attack on the ACT 1.5 event in Bristol last summer, which set the standard and inspired our team to continue the work they have started at LIDO,” he says.

“A new line has been drawn in the sand for what we expect of events of all sizes”

Following the initial Bristol performance, A Greener Future’s Claire O’Neill hailed the climate-action concert as a “new dawn” for sustainable events.

“A new line has been drawn in the sand for what we expect of events of all sizes, and what can be done when you really put your mind to it, and your money where your mouth is. I think that we’re going to see fewer and fewer diesel generators being used in the coming years, finally,” she said at the time.

O’Neill will deliver a session on Act 1.5 and the future of battery-power events during both the Green Events and Innovations Conference next Tuesday, 25 February and ILMC Futures Forum next Friday, 28 February.

Support for the day will come from French duo Air, Yasiin Bey, and The Alchemist are FORENSICS, with additional names to be announced. Massive Attack round out LIDO’s headliners, and join Jamie xx (Saturday 7 June), OUTBREAK Fest (Friday 13 June), Charli xcx’s own party girl festival (Saturday 14 June) and London Grammar (Sunday 15 June) for the inaugural event.

Sustainability is at the forefront of some UK events this year, with Boomtown launching a hydrogen-powered stage in partnership with Hydrologiq. Organisers claim they will be the first major UK festival to host a stage of this nature.

The effort adds to previous efforts between the partners, as Hydrologiq provided power to the public transport hub via a hydrogen-powered generator for the festival and the week preceding in 2022.

This year’s edition, set for 6-10 August, will feature Maribou State, the Sex Pistols ft. Frank Carter, Sean Paul, Overmono, Hybrid Minds, Nia Archives, and more.

Festivals in Norway, Germany, the US, the UK, and Brazil have added a variety of names

In additional festival news, lineups across the world have added a variety of names.

Norway’s Øyafestivalen has recently added Mk.gee, BICEP, Lola Young, Kelly Lee Owens, Anna of the North, and Yung Lean & Bladee to its impressive lineup. The 6-9 August event will be headlined by Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, and Queens of the Stone Age.

The UK’s Rock N Roll Circus will also boast Queens of the Stone Age, along with the Viagra Boys, Fat Dog, the Bug Club, and So Good in Sheffield on 27 August. They join Reverend and The Makers, headlining another day in Sheffield, along with McFly, Courteneers, Olly Murs, Sam Ryder, and more for the three-day Norwich edition of the festival.

Norway’s Bergenfest has finalised its lineup, adding names including Lucy Dacus, Anna of the North, Lambrini Girls, Confidence Man, 070 Shake, The Wombats, and Princess Nokia. The four-day festival, set on the grounds of a medieval castle and fortress in the Bergen city centre, returns from 11-14 June and will be led by Alanis Morissette, Roxette, The The, Kjartan Lauritzen, Benjamin Ingrosso, and Aurora.

Germany’s Parookaville, set for 18-20 July, has announced Alok, Artbat, Felix Jaehn, and Kshmr will join as headliners, adding to a programme led by Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki, and more.

Mariah Carey, Jessie J, and Camilla Cabello will head up Brazil’s The Town in September

Hamburg’s MS Dockville will be headed up by Raye, alongside The Last Dinner Party, Lola Young, Royel Otis, Sigrid, Peter Doherty, and Milleniumkid. The two-day festival will take place from 15-16 August.

The US’s Oceans Calling will see Green Day, Lenny Kravitz, Noah Kahan, Vampire Weekend, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer top the bill, along with co-organisers O.A.R. The C3 Presents-backed festival lands in Ocean City, Maryland from 26-28 September.

Across the country, FairWell Festival will return to Oregon from 18-19 July, led by Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson. Dwight Yoakam, Sierra Farrell, Cody Jinks, Koe Wetzel, Flatland Cavalry, Tanya Tucker, and Ludacris will also perform.

The UK’s End of The Road recently added nearly 100 names to its 28-31 August event, including Viagra Boys, The National frontman Matt Berninger, DIIV, Christopher Owens, Katy J Pearson, Mabe Fratti, and Sofia Kourtesis. Caribou, Father John Misty, Self Esteem, and Black Country, New Road will also feature.

Nottinghamshire’s Forbidden Forest has unveiled the second phase of its lineup, adding Marco Carola, Andy C, I Hate Models, Sam Divine, Sota, and Charlie Sparks to its 29 May-1 June event.

And Brazil’s The Town will return this September, with Mariah Carey, Jessie J, Camilla Cabello, and Ivete Sangalo revealed as the São Paulo festival’s first stars.

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