1 September 2026
Staring out across the sea of faces lit from the glow of the Maribou State headline set at LIDO Festival on Monday night, Chris Davids, one half of the electronic duo, announced: ‘Tonight will be our final performance.’
A large ripple of supportive whistles erupted from the thousands of adoring fans in east London’s Victoria Park who had spent the day relishing the final hours of the bank holiday weekend festival.
Davids, along with his musical partner and childhood friend from Hertfordshire, Liam Ivory, grew increasingly emotional as they stood on stage, drinking in the moment.
‘When we started making music in the garden shed of Liam’s parents’ house, we never imagined we would be standing here today headlining,’ Davids continued as the crowd fell silent.
He was sure to thank their longtime collaborators on stage with them, including their drummer, Jonny Cade, bass player and hypeman, Jonjo Williams, and their newest vocalist, Talulah Ruby.
More cheers emerged from the darkness as Davids defiantly declared, ‘But we will be back,’ before breaking into the band’s career-defining soulful track and final main-set song, Midas.
It’s been a stellar 18 months for Maribou State, who have been touring across the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand with their critically acclaimed third studio album, Hallucinating Love.
From a multi-night run in London’s Alexandra Palace last January to the Other Stage at Glastonbury, there is no denying that, no matter how long the hiatus, Maribou State have cemented their place as top players in the music industry.
Ending up on the main stage at LIDO Festival was almost ‘perfect’ as Davids pointed out ‘Tonight is the 99th show of our entire album campaign. I would have liked it to be our 100th but what can you do?’
The hour and a half set itself paid testament to just how far Maribou State has come as a collective.
Seamlessly, the group switched between the warm downtempo beats from their 2015 debut album, Portraits, with hits such as Steal and Midas, to the optimistic and deeply emotional Hallucinating Love tracks such as All I Need and Dance on the World.
With Davids and Ivory working away in the background on a raised platform, switching between synths and guitars, they allowed their bandmates to take more of a central role.
Thwacking bongos and banging his bass guitar, Jonjo Williams easily stole the show with his Bez-like demeanour in an oversized matching Adidas tracksuit – turning the crowd’s energy up to 11.
Talulah Ruby appeared close to a contortionist dancing in an ethereal white two-piece as she replaced the band’s original lead vocalist, Holly Walker.
Ms Walker co-wrote and sang on several recorded tracks but was unable to join Maribou State on tour this time due to pursuing solo ambitions.
She did, however, find time in her schedule to make a surprise appearance at last year’s Glastonbury, which I was lucky enough to see.
While Ms Ruby brings a uniquely impressive soulful edge to the songs, she does not reach the same euphoric, heady feeling Ms Walker’s pitch-perfect vocals Maribou State fans so desire.
Andreya Tirana burst onto the stage for the gospel-inspired track, All I Need, for an uplifting duet with Ms Ruby.
But the most popular hit was saved till last, and as Blackoak blasted across the park accompanied by an explosion of white streamers, there was a euphoric feeling in the air.
Though, perhaps, tinged with a sadness that we would not see such delights for an indeterminate amount of time.
Seeking a break to ‘reset physically and mentally’, it has been a long road for the band, despite the stratospheric successes.
Not least because of Davids’ diagnosis of a rare and debilitating brain condition, Chiari Malformation in 2022, leading to surgery in 2023 from which he has since recovered.
Halluncinating Love as an album is clearly a product borne from their experience dealing with the personal difficulties.
It’s a work that strives to tell audiences that even within the darkest times, there is hope.
And for Davids and Ivory, it is important they keep hold of this themselves.
‘After 18 months of touring this record, and everything that led up to it, it feels like the right moment to actually stop rather than push straight into the next cycle like we always have before,’ Ivory previously told MixMag.
‘From my perspective, this record came from a place of health struggles, so it would be a bit hypocritical to finish an album about resilience and then immediately burn myself out again.’
And after Maribou State’s sensational performance at LIDO Festival, their legions of fans will no doubt wholeheartedly support this decision, preserving the hope they might see them once again.
Words by Dolly Busby