Lido Festival day four with Charli XCX and Kelly Lee Owens
Charli XCX headlines the fourth day of Lido Festival in East London’s Victoria Park. Among the many support acts is Welsh electronic producer Kelly Lee Owens, who takes the crowd by storm on Stage 2.
The large blue tent is hot and heavy, with Owens centre in between two electronic stations, dressed in a black coat lined in midnight blue faux fur, and black shorts. The words euphoria and feel good, flash onscreen in large bold white letters, as Owens delves into Dreamstate, the second track from her eponymously titled fourth studio album. Head bopping to the beats in vigorous fashion, the producer brings a heady amount of energy to her set, leaving ravers flushed with dopamine. The ultra melodic Dark Angel takes us on a serotonin – fuelled journey, everyone’s arms in the air, Owens in her element through her bold but fairly brief set.
There are numerous pop-ups, eateries and bars scattered across the festival site, including the O2 Priority tent, which offers customers – or anyone with a Virgin Media contract – free face glitter, hairdos, massages, Polaroids, water, ice cream, Wi-Fi and phone charging. It’s a genuinely relaxing pit stop that leaves you re-energised and ready for the headline act.
And who could forget Brat summer, when whole cities were plastered in that instantly recognisable shade of green? Meant to evoke discomfort and rebellion against conformity, the field today isn’t just marked by Brat green, but by an array of striking, bespoke outfits – edgy and very much on trend. As Charli makes her entrance, the crowd erupts, and she launches straight into a remix of 365. There are no live instruments – the focus is entirely on the singer and her vocals, highly auto-tuned though they may be.
Following the introductory track comes the beloved highlight 360, as the adoring crowd lap up the pop queen’s energy. Practically every song she performs is met with sweeping cheers – unsurprising, given the impact her creativity, and Brat in particular, has had on the cultural zeitgeist. So much so, in fact, that world leaders have even adopted Brat green in their own campaigns.
Charli is a cultural icon and an “it girl” for many fans; she carries the sexy confidence and IDGAF attitude that others aspire to, while her music remains both relatable and relentlessly danceable. She’s the epitome of carefree, and it shows – reflected in the Lido crowd, some of whom strut across the field, frequently bumping into more sober ravers, often a point of contention in spaces like these. Speed Drive, from the Barbie soundtrack – which samples Toni Basil’s 1982 hit Mickey – is a delectably fun track to sing and dance to at full volume. Another standout comes in the form of Sympathy Is a Knife, especially when the Essex-born singer hits the high notes, while Party 4 U delivers that same bittersweet blend of euphoria and melancholy. If only the second verse had been repeated – beautiful, and far too brief.
Charli struts across the stage, owning the runway – rotating her head of curls and throwing her hips with a provocative flair, not unlike a twerk. She turns up the heat – even as the weather cools – especially when water begins to drip onto the stage, eventually drenching her. Closing with Icona Pop’s I Love It feels brash and joyful in all the right ways.
As the lights go down, a personal message appears on screen – but no farewell follows, leaving the crowd in a brief moment of confusion. But don’t despair: Brat is far from over – not for Charli, nor for her fans – and neither would have it any other way. 365 party girl 4 eva.
Selina Begum
Photos: Henry Redcliffe/Ishashah/Clonewman/Bufola
For further information about Lido Festival visit the website here.
Watch the video for Party 4 U here:
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