Glastonbury Competition, Kneecap, Pulp, CA7RIEL y Paco Amoroso
Glastonbury Competition 2025, Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, UK, June 25-29, 2025,
Jul 03, 2025
Pictures by Luciana Cacciatore
Internet Unique
The place Sound Meets Assertion: Glastonbury’s Unforgettable Weekend
The BBC iPlayer has been on my dwelling‑room TV since I received again on Monday night. It’s my manner of dealing with the put up‑Glasto blues and with the truth that it’ll be over 700 days earlier than I get to return. However I do marvel: how lengthy will the BBC preserve streaming Glastonbury dwell? I’m glad I noticed Bob Vylan’s set in particular person (and shot it from the pit) as a result of it’s nowhere to be discovered on iPlayer now.
Politics has all the time had a spot at Glastonbury. In any case, Left Subject has hosted debate since 2000, and lately the pageant has welcomed Jeremy Corbyn, Greta Thunberg and an Extinction Insurrection procession. Solely three years in the past the weekend opened with a video from Volodymyr Zelensky.
So it was no shock that this yr, within the shadow of the continuing genocide in Gaza, political statements got here thick and quick. However the backlash from media and establishments appears to mirror not simply the sensitivity of the present second, however how far more scrutinised political speech has grow to be.
“Free Palestine” chants have been heard throughout Worthy Farm all weekend, led by CMAT, Black Nation, New Street, Turnstile, The Libertines, Bob Vylan, Kneecap and extra. Palestinian flags flew at each stage, at each present, much more than final yr, simply as I’d anticipated.
Kneecap had been on the centre of controversy since their Coachella set, the place they displayed a pro-Palestine message that led a number of politicians, together with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to name for Glastonbury to drop them from the lineup. As a substitute, the Irish trio doubled down. Throughout their West Holts set on Saturday afternoon (so busy that entry was closed half an hour earlier than it began) they requested the gang to chant “Fuck Keir Starmer” a number of instances.
The efficiency was explosive, bouncing, sweaty, relentless and brutally political. Liam O’Hanna, who appeared in court docket the week earlier than on terrorism-related costs, addressed the viewers: “The state of affairs might be fairly fucking traumatic for us at instances, however the stress that we’re feeling is minimal in comparison with what the Palestinian individuals are going by each fucking day.” Later within the set they added: “The Palestinians have nowhere to fucking go, actually. Not solely are they being bombed from the fucking skies, they’re now being starved to loss of life. Youngsters being starved to fucking loss of life these days. I don’t should lecture you individuals. We’re all watching it. All of us have a cellphone. Israel are warfare criminals. It’s a fucking genocide.”
Looking on the sea of Palestinian flags, they shouted: “I can see the quantity of Palestinian flags right here, and it’s fucking insane. The BBC editor goes to have some job.” Though their set wasn’t broadcast dwell, it was later made accessible on demand after passing by the BBC’s editorial filter.
Earlier than Kneecap took over West Holts, London duo Bob Vylan delivered some of the charged performances of the weekend. Uncooked, loud, quick, and fearless, with Bob’s teenage daughter becoming a member of onstage to sing with him. In my Glastonbury preview, I stated I anticipated them to talk out politically. I wasn’t incorrect. Their refrain, “Demise, loss of life to the IDF (Israel Protection Forces)” shortly grew to become probably the most controversial second of the pageant. Glastonbury organisers responded with a press release saying they have been “appalled” by the feedback. The backlash didn’t finish there: a police investigation was launched, their set was pulled from the BBC iPlayer, their agent dropped them, their U.S. visas have been revoked (forcing them to cancel their tour), they usually have been faraway from pageant lineups in Manchester and France.
A unique model of concern got here from Australia. Amyl & The Sniffers delivered a high-energy, punk-charged set, but in addition took a second to talk to the gang on the Different Stage. Frontwoman Amy Taylor known as it “such a fucking loopy time to be alive,” criticising politicians on each the left and proper who, in her phrases, “consider in nothing.” She spoke about Palestine, calling out governments, each in Australia and the UK, for “doing jack shit.” She went on to query the failures of the schooling and media methods, saying we aren’t taught the reality about colonisation or given correct intercourse schooling. Her message related world struggles, suggesting that excited about Palestine additionally forces Australians to reckon with their very own historical past: “Us whities… we’re the fucking colonisers, and that’s so disgusting… however that’s the reality.”
Away from the flashpoints, pure musical pleasure arrived with CA7RIEL y Paco Amoroso who delivered a double invoice on Friday. Their West Holts slot was an ideal match for his or her genre-blending sound, whereas their late-night set on the reinvented Shangri-La introduced their irreverent lyrics and dancing tunes to the occasion crowd. Two finest associates, schoolmates, and now Latin America’s most enjoyable dwell act taking on the world on their very own phrases.
Nostalgia dominated different elements of the farm. Supergrass kicked off the Pyramid Stage with a full-circle celebration of I Ought to Coco’s thirtieth anniversary. Alanis Morissette’s emotional set had each ’90s child shouting alongside. Rod Stewart took over the Sunday legendary slot with three costume adjustments, a flawless backing band, and shock friends Lulu and Ronnie Wooden. Even Rod received political, dedicating Love Prepare to Ukraine: “There’s been rather a lot concerning the Center East just lately, fairly rightly so, however I wish to draw your consideration to Ukraine within the subsequent tune.”
Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos advised me exterior the press tent that it was his first time again at Glastonbury since 2015 with FFS. “It’s good to be again. I like Glastonbury. It’s in contrast to another pageant. It’s a really specific, distinctive environment.” His first Glasto? “Once I was 18, I drove down from Aberdeen and had a good time.”
The message of solidarity continued with Nadine Shah, who closed her set with voice notes from Palestinian youngsters and an open letter calling on the UK authorities to cease arming Israel. “The actual risk to the lifetime of the nation comes not from Palestine Motion,” she learn, “however from the House Secretary’s efforts to ban it.”
Elsewhere, the Terminal 1 set up, now in its second yr, provided a harsh, theatrical expertise of contemporary border politics. Guests entered by a duplicate airport terminal constructed from salvaged Heathrow T1 elements, confronted by an intimidating “immigration officer” and safety checks meant to mirror the lived expertise of migrants. Its message was blunt: “No human is unlawful.”
Different shock acts included Lorde, who debuted her new album Friday morning at Woodsies; Lewis Capaldi, returning to the farm after two years; and HAIM, who introduced down The Park on Saturday night time.
The Prodigy closed the Different Stage on Sunday night with a high-energy set devoted to “our brother” Keith Flint. The sound was so highly effective, I’m fairly positive I ended the night time with everlasting earring harm.
I’ll admit it: I used to be sceptical about Olivia Rodrigo headlining. However she proved me incorrect. With a high-energy, all-female band behind her, Olivia ran, jumped, kicked, performed guitar and piano, and headbanged her hair by a magnetic set. At 21:45 on Sunday, she hit the Pyramid Stage and owned it for 90 minutes. Olivia had the true finest stored secret of Glasto this yr: Robert Smith. Collectively they carried out two The Remedy classics, Friday I’m In Love and Simply Like Heaven, each taking part in guitar facet by facet. Rodrigo then continued with just a few extra songs earlier than fireworks exploded over the Pyramid Stage to shut Glastonbury 2025.
Luciana Cacciatore