Festival Review: Lido Fest 2025: Charli XCX's 'Party Girl' Takeover Was Pure Pop Chaos and We Loved Every Second
If you weren’t at Lido Fest on Saturday, honestly, I don’t know what to tell you. You missed one of those rare music festival days that actually delivers on its promise: big energy, iconic performances, and enough glitter, sweat, and serotonin to power an entire Pride float. Headlined and curated by the unstoppable Charli XCX for her “Party Girl” stage, this was a full-on celebration of pop rebellion, queer joy, and futuristic dancefloor mayhem.
Charli XCX: Brat Mode Fully Activated
Let’s start with the queen herself. Charli XCX stormed the stage in full Brat mode: gritty, glamorous, and giving zero you-know-whats. Drenched in neon green lights, she launched into “360” like a woman possessed, strutting across the stage in a sheer dress and combat boots, flanked by dancers who moved like they were born in the year 3000. Her voice? Flawless. The production? Razor sharp. The attitude? Iconic.
There was no slowing down. She tore through bangers like “Von Dutch,” “Club Classics,” and the forever fan-fave “Vroom Vroom” with feral intensity. By the time she screamed “I’m hot and rich and that’s it!”, the crowd lost it. And honestly, fair.
This wasn’t just a Charli concert, it was a full-on sensory explosion, powered by lasers, sweat, and a crowd that screamed every lyric like it was a group therapy session
The Dare: He Brought the Chaos (and No Shirt)
Earlier in the day, The Dare brought his signature punk-meets-party energy to the stage—and yes, he performed shirtless, obviously. The NYC provocateur’s chaotic set was somewhere between a DJ set and a fever dream. He screamed, he danced, he jumped on speakers. The crowd? Ate it up.
His viral hit “Girls” turned the field into a euphoric mosh pit. It felt like an indie sleaze renaissance: grimy, sweaty, and way too much fun.
A.G. Cook: Pop’s Mad Scientist
A.G. Cook, the glitch-pop genius and long-time Charli collaborator, took us into the digital deep end with a set that was equal parts chaotic and euphoric. Think: hard-hitting beats, chopped-up vocals, and synths from another planet. He played cuts from Apple and 7G, dropped a few unreleased surprises, and even teased what sounded like a remixed Brat track.
Jodie Harsh: The Dancefloor Dictator
Jodie Harsh turned the mid-afternoon slot into an all-out rave. Looking like a disco ball came to life, she spun high-glam house and pop edits that had everyone losing their minds. It wasn’t just a DJ set—it was a moment. Her remix of Britney’s “Toxic” into Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana”? Illegal levels of slay.
Between the Bangers: Festival Highlights
Just when you thought you couldn’t dance anymore, The Japanese House swooped in to give us a breath of dreamy, emotional bliss. Their set was the calm eye in the middle of the rave hurricane: lush vocals, layered synths, and the kind of heartbreak that makes you want to cry into your overpriced cider.
Later, Magdalena Bay delivered a candy-coloured synth-pop fantasy with strobe lights and choreographed chaos. Picture Sailor Moon meets Daft Punk at a prom afterparty. Pure joy.
Pop Heaven, Queer Joy, Pure Chaos
Charli XCX didn’t just headline; she handpicked a line-up that celebrated the messy, glorious future of pop and dance music. Every artist brought something totally unique, but together they created something more powerful: a sweaty, sparkly, genre-less utopia.
Was it a little chaotic? Of course. But would we have it any other way? Absolutely not.
Charli said it best: “It’s Charli, baby.” And baby, we believe her.
Words by Laura Maxwell
Photography by Stefania Mohottigt
