In August 2024, an outdoor music event on Bristol’s Downs — headlined by Massive Attack — broke from many of the long-standing norms of the live music industry. Known as “Act 1.5,” the 32,000-person show was more than just a night of music. It was a real-world experiment in decarbonizing live entertainment. And it worked.

The concert was powered without a single diesel generator, relied on eco-friendly food, and coordinated rail schedules to move thousands of fans in and out of the city. It tested whether live music could align with climate science. The answer was not just yes — it was a resounding, reverberating affirmation. They slashed emissions by a whopping 98%.

First Stop: No Diesel

Each year, the UK music industry is estimated to produce around 540,000 tonnes (≈ 595 tons) of greenhouse gas emissions annually, with live music accounting for the majority (74%) of those emissions. That’s the rough equivalent of 100,000 houses, including heating, electricity use, transport, and waste.

Back in 2019, Massive Attack approached researchers at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Norwich, England with a bold ask: could they design a low-carbon tour? It wasn’t just the act of playing music itself. They wanted to reduce as much emissions as possible, starting with how people got in and out of the venue and ending with the electricity used to play the music.

This sparked a broader investigation into the music industry’s emissions and ultimately provided a roadmap to how all artists could reduce their emissions.

The first step was the power. Most large live events (like stadium tours and concerts) use diesel generators. Act 1.5’s power came from a sophisticated network of first- and second-life battery systems. These batteries were charged offsite at facilities powered by renewable electricity and then trucked in on electric vehicles — a zero-emissions loop that served the entire show.

Some 48 hours before the show, diesel generators arrived onsite for another festival scheduled the following week. Some crew members suggested using them as a backup, “just in case.” The band rejected the idea. They had confidence in the months of planning, the redundant battery systems, and the new protocols. It was, in the words of one team member, a moment of “flying without a safety net.”

By the end of the night, the batteries still had 20% charge left. The main stage battery had more than 50%. It wasn’t just sustainable — it was also robust and resilient. In total, the show’s power emissions were 81% to 98% lower than a traditional diesel-powered festival, depending on how the electricity source was accounted.

This was also a win for the concertgoers and staff as it significantly improved air quality in the venue.

But this was the easy part. Most of the concert emissions come fans coming and leaving. Act 1.5 tackled this from multiple angles.

Fans on Rails

Coming by car to a concert can be a nightmare. It can take hours to get in and out of the venue and it’s just one more responsibility when you just want to enjoy live music.

In this case, organizers coordinated with local rail companies — something that rarely happens in the industry. They shared anonymized ticket data to help rail providers forecast demand and scheduled five extra train services after the show. Showtimes were adjusted to ensure fans could make it to the station. Electric shuttle buses ferried attendees from downtown Bristol to the festival site.

There was another innovation: Eticket perks rewarded those who traveled by train. Riders could access premium bar areas and contributed to a tree-planting initiative that funded nearly 4,000 native trees. The trees weren’t even counted in the emission math.

“The partner app Train Hugger matched the ticket buyer tree provision so that 3,898 native trees were planted in total. No carbon ‘offsets’ were claimed for this activity, rather the aim was to make a positive contribution to nature through this partnership,” one report reads.

Things didn’t go as planned. There was a coincidental rail strike and an extra holiday that put added pressure on the trains, but even so, roughly a third of the audience came by train, far more than typical shows.

The artists, too, played their part.

No Carbon Munchies

All the artists were committed. Massive Attack, DJ Milo, Sam Morton, Lankum, and Killer Mike all got to Bristol without flying. They came by coach, ferry, and train. Massive Attack themselves halved their usual equipment load, bringing just two trucks’ worth of gear, all carried on compressed natural gas or HVO (biofuel) vehicles.

Their decisions mattered. Compared to a baseline case, artist travel emissions were slashed by 73%. Equipment transport was down 70%. There was no air freight. No private jets. Just a willingness to plan differently.

The food was also eco-conscious. Every meal served at Act 1.5 was plant-based.

It wasn’t a half-step like “meat-free Mondays” or “sustainable sourcing.” It was a wholesale shift, demanded by the artists and delivered with enthusiasm. Some vendors were seasoned plant-based specialists. Others adapted just for the show. Either way, the audience lined up — literally.

Demand outpaced expectations and was comparable to what you’d see at other concerts. That created long food lines, but it also busted the myth that plant-based menus turn fans away. Emissions from food were 89% lower than a typical festival, largely by eliminating red meat, whose climate impact is many times greater than vegetables or legumes.

Can This Be Scaled Up?

Overall, the band reduced 98% of the emissions compared to a “business as usual” scenario. Of course, the band went to great lengths to achieve these reductions.

But great reductions can be achieved with far less effort, if sustainability is prioritized from the outset. Key components like battery-powered energy, reduced freight, plant-based catering, and integrated low-carbon transport all rely on early planning and deep collaboration across promoters, venues, suppliers, and local authorities.

While larger artists like Massive Attack have more influence and resources to drive such change, the technologies and practices used — such as second-life batteries, electric shuttle buses, and plug-and-play stage setups — are increasingly accessible and can be adopted by a wide range of performers and events. What’s essential is a cultural shift: treating climate action not as an add-on, but as a central design principle of touring.

Key to success is collaboration. The event relied on a network of competing companies working together — battery manufacturers, trucking firms, energy providers — all sharing data, taking risks, and solving problems together.

That model — cooperation in a competitive industry — might be the real innovation.