The Act 5.1 festival took place on August 25, 2024, at Clifton Downs in Bristol. It was a 100-percent battery powered event, using electric vehicles, only serving vegan food, and working with local rail providers to allow as many concertgoers to arrive by train as possible. The band brought a minimal amount of equipment with them, and every artist on the bill travelled by low-carbon means such as coach or ferry.

To deter long-distance travel that would harm the environment, the band offered a presale of tickets for local buyers from Bristol, Bath, Glousterchire, Swindon and Taunton. They also encouraged attendees to use public transport, and teamed up with UK booking platform Train Hugger, which gives a quarter of its revenue to efforts to restore the British countryside.

The scientists behind the report hope that Act 1.5 can become a blueprint for organizing climate-conscious festivals. Professor Carly McLachlan, associate director at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said: “It demonstrated that there are real opportunities for promoters, providers, local authorities and central government to create the conditions for the UK to lead the world in super-low carbon events.”

The report found that the majority of carbon emissions that the event generated were from the five per cent of concertgoers who had flown to Bristol. Evidence suggests that air travel to gigs is increasing, as artists are playing international tours with fewer locations. Artists like Taylor Swift have caught criticism for their extensive use of private jets.

Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja said: “There’s a huge question now for tour planning, but also for media and promoter marketing campaigns high on the glitz of epic summer tours that normalise leisure aviation.”

The Bristol trip-hoppers have stayed environmentally conscious for a long time, standing against airport expansions and previously teaming up with the Tyndall Centre to publish a report on eco-friendly touring. They recently revealed they turned down a slot at Coachella 2025 due to concerns about the environmental damage the festival can cause.

To the NME, Del Naja said: “We said no to Coachella for next year because again, we’ve been there once, and once was enough. It’s in Palm Springs. It’s a golf resort built on a desert, run on a sprinkler system, using public water supplies. Mental. If you want to see something that’s the most ludicrous bit of human behavior — it’s right there.”

The band have also recently expressed a desire to release some new material. Their last release came in 2020, with their EP ‘Utopia’. In an interview with the NME, Del Naja said: “We do have some new music which we’ve been sitting on for four years. Hopefully we’re going to be able to release it next year (2025) and do some gigs.” They’ve also been announced as headliners for this year’s LIDO festival – more on that here.

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This isn’t the first time the band have been involved in an event with an emphasis on climate awareness, with their last appearance in the capital coming as part of a surprise show supporting an Extinction Rebellion protest in 2019. They also commissioned a report from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in 2021 to assess the carbon footprint of live music, offering their findings out to event organisers in a bid to tackle the issues raised.   They put the report’s findings into place last year with their ‘Act 1.5’ shows in Bristol and Liverpool. They incorporated 25 measures that reduce the carbon footprint of the events, including incentives for fans cycling to the shows, serving plant-based foods, and using renewable energy.  

Speaking to NME in December, Robert Del Naja, one half of the duo, revealed that the band had turned down an offer to play Coachella 2025. He gave a damning critique of the event, saying, “It’s in Palm Springs. It’s a golf resort built on a desert, run on a sprinkler system, using public water supplies. Mental. If you want to see something that’s the most ludicrous bit of human behaviour – it’s right there.” Instead, they will grace a festival which has pledged to implement eco-friendly policies ranging from waste management to working with local suppliers and food partners.

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Joining Massive Attack on June 6, are French electronic act Air, Forensics (the newly announced project from Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, and producer The Alchemist), and Tirzah, though more acts will be announced before the festival. Air will also join Massive Attack at INmusic festival, taking place in Zagreb between 23 and 25 June.

LIDO isn’t the only festival that has made sustainability a major consideration. Shamabala has pioneered green initiatives, from banning meat to using alternative fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil, solar, and hybrid power instead of diesel generators. In 2023, Glastonbury had a prominent wind turbine installed that powered food stalls. LIDO takes it one step further, suggesting the festival will be powered entirely by batteries. Zenobe provided the batteries for the ‘Act 1.5’ event, repurposing batteries from electric vehicles and giving them a second life.

Massive Attack’s activism extends beyond climate concerns too, with the band canceling a show in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, in 2024. As citizens protested against intrusions on freedom of the press and LGBT rights, the band released a statement, saying “At this moment, performing at the state-owned Black Sea Arena could be seen as an endorsement of their violent crackdown against peaceful protests and civil society”.

As LIDO Festival prepares for its maiden outing, fans of Massive Attack and the wider music community will be welcoming their push for sustainability in the live music sector, and will be hopeful that the event acts as a blueprint for others to follow.