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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.

Comment byu/11hubertn from discussion intriphop

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. 

Fans can get exclusive first access to tickets by ordering the band’s new album Moon Music (released on 4th October 2024) from the official Coldplay UK or EU Stores before 11.59pm BST on Tuesday 24 September. All those who have already pre-ordered the album will automatically be eligible for the pre-sale, which will begin on Thursday 26 September at 9am BST. The general sale will take place at 9am BST on Friday 27 September.

Fifty percent of the tickets for the Hull shows – their first ever concerts in the city – will go to local fans (with HU, YO, DN or LN postcodes), via Ticketmaster on Thursday 26 September at 6pm BST.

AUGUST 2025

18 – Hull, Craven Park Stadium
19 – Hull, Craven Park Stadium

22 – London, Wembley Stadium
23 – London, Wembley Stadium
26 – London, Wembley Stadium
27 – London, Wembley Stadium
30 – London, Wembley Stadium
31 – London, Wembley Stadium

What stands out about this tour announcement is the promise Coldplay have made to donate 10% of the band’s proceeds from the Wembley and Hull shows to Music Venue Trust (MVT).

Considering that every week a grassroots venue closes its doors, this will help fund vital work MVT does to support grassroots UK venues and upcoming artists. In a similar vein, Enter Shikari donated £1 from every ticket they sold for their 7-date 2023 tour. Their donations went to Music Venue Trust’s Pipeline Investment Fund, which is their grassroots venue fund.

According to an interview with Mark Davyd, founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust, Coldplay were introduced to MVT through Save Our Scene – a campaign fundraiser for cultural charities – after they reached out to its founder, George Fleming “who very graciously in turn recommended speaking to the Music Venues Trust. By February 2024, it had been agreed that when they announced their 2025 shows, that they’d be making a contribution to the grassroots to support the venues, artists and promoters.”

Donations to the Music Venue Trust will also be made by concert promoters SJM Concerts, Metropolis Music and Live Nation; the band’s booking agent WME; the venues Wembley Stadium and Hull Craven Park; and the official ticket agents, Ticketmaster, See Tickets and AXS.

Additionally, in a world first for a stadium show, Coldplay have also pledged to power the Wembley concerts’ production with 100% solar, wind and kinetic energy.

Sourced from The Independent, in June, Coldplay revealed that their Music of the Spheres show had, at that point, produced 59 per cent less CO2e emissions than their previous stadium tour between 2016 to 2017. The band have also overseen the planting of nine million trees, with a further one million to be planted before the end of the year. Coldplay are expanding their sustainability efforts to their album by producing physical copies of Moon Music made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles.

Lastly, seemingly to counter the ticket rip seen recently around Oasis, Taylor Swift and Beyonce’s tours, a limited number of Infinity Tickets, priced at £20 per ticket, will be made available for the shows via Ticketmaster at 12pm GMT on Friday 22 November.