Glastonbury is over for another year and my gosh, did we have a nice time. While we count down the days until we can do it again, have a read of the best sets and goings on that The Forty-Five team caught this year.
The Glastonbury 2024 live blog
It’s Wednesday and up at the park, Scissors is a new femme-queer space (and hairdressers). By day, you can catch a movie in the Flick Shack. By night, Kiki’s nightclub opens up, with neon lights aplenty and a new tent called Mermaids (a Lava La Rue DJ set had it bumping yesterday). Also up at The Park, The Wishing Well is a chill-out area where you can enter a manifestation booth, poke your head out the front and make your wildest dreams come true.
At Carhenge, Terminal 1 is a new immersive space and stage, made from the bones of the old Heathrow Terminal 1 and dedicated to exploring Britain’s immigration policy. Unified by the message that No Human Is Illegal, you move through the space as if you’re going through passport control at the airport. Without spoiling too much, it’s a brilliantly stressful experience. Definitely check it out.
Downstairs, the organisers of St Paul’s Carnival in Bristol talked about the importance of Carnival as a celebration of culture, belonging and rebellion for many living in a predominantly white society. Through a year-long education programme in local schools, the team are helping people understand that Carnival is about so much more than having a boogie.
Arcadia have retired their fire-breathing spider this year in favour of a laser-shooting dragonfly made from an old Falklands helicopter. We haven’t seen her in action yet, but we can confirm, there will be fire (phew), made from bioethanol, so it’s sustainable too. The dragonfly symbolises rebirth and regeneration, reclaiming a war machine as a tool to bring people together. She shoots lasers, too!
In Shangri-La, South-Asian collective, Dialled In has pioneered a new stage: Arrivals. Created by an entirely South-Asian team and programming a weekend of music celebrating music from the region and its diaspora, if it’s anything like the Dialled In shows in London, it’s going to go off. Artists playing include the revered DJ Ritu, an icon of the 90s Asian Underground scene, as well as emerging artists such as Anish Kumar, Gracie T and mainstays like Manara and Nabihah Iqbal.
Wednesday night draws to a close with a Glastonbury first: a drone show lighting up the sky with themes of love and peace. As tradition demands, The Park is lit up with a spectacular fireworks display. A fantastic start to the weekend.
Thursday
Thursday is a great day for bumbling about and getting the ley (geddit?) of the land. A wander up to the pier at Glastonbury On Sea delivers perfect sunset views. A walk down the ‘shopping parade’ at Shangri-La is a bonkers comment on consumerism and a conversation with The Church of the Unrest renews our faith in a higher power.
Arxx
Up at Greenpeace, Forty-Five faves, Arxx storm their first-ever Glastonbury set. The Brighton duo have been on tour with Fletcher for the last year and it’s been so nice seeing their fanbase grow and grow. Today feels like the reward for a lot of hard work with the crowd singing along to hits like ‘Call Me Crazy’ and new track, ‘Good Boy’, to two nervous bandmates. Clara and Hanni’s on-stage banter is as impeccable as ever – a lovely start to the live proceedings. The band also play the BBC Introducing Stage on Friday at 4:30pm, catch ’em if you can. Charlotte Gunn
Moonchild Sannelly
Moonchild Sannelly is a lot of fun – but we knew that already. The South African artist arrives in a blaze of colour, dressed in neon chaps and her trademark bright blue hair lighting up the stage. It’s impossible to not get in the party spirit. At one point, she brings all the ‘baddies’ up on stage to twerk and bump along to the amapiano beats. Props to the one bearded man, joining a harem of hot ladies, and shaking his tush with the best of them. Charlotte Gunn
Friday
There are a lot of familiar faces in the backstage bars this morning. We spot Paul Mescal in his short shorts with Andrew Scott, no doubt plotting some mischief. Daisy Edgar Jones isn’t far behind. Annie Mac is looking fab in a delicious red ensemble. Dragon rider, Matt Smith is bumbling around. Yannis from Foals is chatting with Bran Stark, the raven lad out of Game of Thrones. Oh, we saw Abbey Clancy, too.
Olivia Dean
What better way to soothe yourself into the first full day of music than with Olivia Dean’s buttery vocals. Belting through hits from her Mercury-Prize nominated album, ‘Messy’, she’s anything but. With a tribute to her grandmother Carmen, on her t-shirt, who came over on the Windrush, it’s an emotional set from a rising star, atop the festival’s legendary Pyramid Stage. Charlotte Gunn
Floweroflove
Over at Lonely Hearts Club, things are much more relaxed and chill. Flowerovlove – aka Joyce Cissé – is gently bouncing around the stage to her lowkey bedroom pop. Where other artists on the line-up put power into their performance, she floats around like she’s having a casual dance with friends. As she explains what songs are about – “this is a song I wrote about a boy I went on one date with and got obsessed,” she says before one – that feeling is only reinforced. Rhian Daly
Lambrini Girls
Woodsies becomes a hotbed of playful punk protest as Lambrini Girls take to the stage. It only takes front person Phoebe Lunny two songs to get in the crowd, separating the left and right sides during ‘Help Me I’m Gay’. Prowling the newly claimed space, she asks any “queer, bi, trans and non-binary” legends to raise their hands, inviting some of those who respond to have their moment in the spotlight for a sweet and powerful celebration of the varied lives that make up the festival. Later, Lunny returns to the audience, enlisting a group of people to raise them high above heads so they can launch themselves onto a sea of hands waiting to catch them below. Like the rest of Lambrini Girls’ set, it’s explosive and exhilarating. Rhian Daly
Noname
At Glastonbury, smiles are infectious and Noname is beaming from ear to ear. The West Holts field is packed with people who have come to witness the former poet’s dexterous flow (and a few readying themselves for Sugababes, who follow). The Chicagoean fits right in amidst a Glastonbury crowd – her political 90s-tinged rap, delivered with a bounce that keeps the crowd moving. “It’s OK, you can move. I don’t have rhythm either,” she encourages. “I’m not judging”. ‘Namesake’, with its barbed “Go Beyoncé, go” lyric, is the star – even with a mid-track pause to check if someone in the crowd is doing OK. As Glastonbury debuts go, this feels like a moment. And judging by the look on her face, Noname enjoyed it just as much as us. Charlotte Gunn
Arlo Parks
As the day heats up outside, under the canvas at Woodsies, Arlo Parks brings her own patch of brightness to Glastonbury with a sunny set to a packed tent full of fans. After some gently infectious versions of ‘Eugene’ and ‘Caroline’, she invites Remi Wolf to join her for a sweet ‘Too Good’, trading lines with her cowboy-hatted American counterpart. After, Parks takes a moment to pay tribute to a song that had a big impact on her. “This is probably one of the most important songs I’ve written,” she tells the crowd before an emotional ‘Black Dog’, which proves to be the tender highlight of a gorgeous set. Rhian Daly
Aurora
As Aurora takes to The Park – a stage that feels ready-made to match her vibe – she seems to glide on stage in an ice blue co-ord. Her serene presence doesn’t stop her from using her moment to raise awareness, though, slipping messages of support for various communities between the beautiful likes of ‘Some Type Of Skin’ and ‘A Soul With No King’. After talking about mental health and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people, the star dedicates ‘The Seed’ to the children of Palestine in a heartfelt speech. Rhian Daly
Dua Lipa
Glastonbury 2024’s first Pyramid headliner sets the bar high, turning the field in front of her into a thumping rave. Although the opening of her set feels a little lacking the punch it needs, Dua Lipa quickly picks things up, ramping up the energy until an explosive ‘Don’t Start Now’ and a Kevin Parker-featuring ‘Houdini’ (and a lot of fireworks) bring her momentous milestone to a euphoric close. Read our full review of Dua Lipa’ review’s headline set Rhian Daly
Charli XCX
It’s a BRAT summer and all roads have led to this. We’ve spied the flashes of lime green around the festival, we’ve seen the flags, the t-shirts, the nail varnish (guilty). The queue for Charli’s Levels set begins two hours before the gig – everyone wants to hear those club, club classics. People are pissing around the edge of the venue, not wanting to leave for fear of not getting back in. As 12:30am comes around, the neon lights of the geometric stage go green; dry ice engulfs the stage, and a figure emerges from the darkness in a pleather coat, hot pants and dark shades. “I have a question. Who’s having a BRAT summer?”. We’re on.
The atmosphere is electric as Charli plays a set of BRAT-faves and more pounding beats. It’s not without a little help from her friends, either. Robyn appears to play ‘Dancing On My Own’, Romy pops up for a turn on the decks, Shygirl too – and fiancé George Daniel. The album of the year, the song(s) of summer are brought to visceral life in a perfect late-night Glastonbury set. It’s easy to forget that inside that icon is still a young girl from Essex. Charli is truly, the people’s princess. Massive respect. Charlotte Gunn
Saturday
After a packed first day, Glastonbury’s sound systems are back on for a second full day of music, with yet more celebs hanging around. Idris Elba is spotted side of stage for Little Simz while Dave Grohl pops up watching The Breeders. On stage, there’s plenty of brilliant talent on offer, too.
Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper is punk as fuck. Arriving on stage in a silver corset and matching trousers, with a long lace-trimmed suit jacket, the feminist icon knows the power of the Glastonbury stage – and uses it to shout out all those celebrating Pride month. We spy Cara Delavigne and Anya Taylor-Joy dancing nearby. As ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, comes around, Cyndi recalls first being shown the ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fundamental Rights’ meme. Twisting the lyrics, to match the message and to resist laws controlling women’s bodies, it’s an empowering statement from a true trailblazer. Ending with a beautiful rendition of ‘True Colours’, we are not ashamed to admit that on day four of the festival, we shed our first tear. Charlotte Gunn
Ayra Starr
Glastonbury’s first Afrobeats artist on the Pyramid Stage understood the assignment. Ayra Starr puts on a flawless afternoon set. Throwing in a little bit of Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’ to get the crowd going, she finished with some fighting talk – promising the next time we see her, she’ll be headlining. We love a gal with confidence. Charlotte Gunn
The Last Dinner Party
2023 was The Last Dinner Party’s Glastonbury debut and it was clear from the crowd who had dragged themselves out of their tents for their early-morning Woodsies set, that they would be back. This year’s Other Stage upgrade sees an equally impressive turnout. Dressed mostly in white – frontwoman Abigail in a long, blood-stained gown – the five-piece put on a flawless set of their Baroque-pop masterpieces. Debuting a new song, ‘Second Best’: a jaunty little number with a Bohemian-Rhapsody style opener, the set finished with Abigail reminding us to ‘keep going to protests, keep signing the petitions and keep boycotting the right things’. Here is another band who know the power of their platform. Next year, Pyramid. Charlotte Gunn
Little Simz
“Glastonbury, you need to know you’re witnessing greatness,” Little Simz tells the crowd shortly into her Pyramid Stage set. “I say that not with arrogance, I say it with confidence.” The set that ensues proves she’s well justified in that self-assurance, putting on an absolute masterclass. She’s joined by dancers, DJs and backing musicians but the focus never pulls away from the north London rapper, as she rattles the likes of ‘Heart On Fire’, ‘Introvert’, ‘Venom’ and the Obongjayar-featuring ‘Point And Kill’. She airs a new song ‘The Code’, which shares a set of rules to live your life by. “Thank you for making this one of the highlights of my career, of my life,” she says at the end. “I’m so grateful.” Rhian Daly
Sunday
The weather’s a little cooler, our spirits are a little lower, but we’re ready for day five of Glastonbury. Last night was spent up at Shangri-La’s Peace Stage, watching Kneecap’s 1am – alongside Noel Gallagher – and we’re feeling it this morning. Nothing that a Worthy Farm Cheddar and mushy pea sanger won’t right, though.
Rachel Chinouriri
Sunday kicks off on the Other Stage with the infectious energy of indie star Rachel Chinouriri. It might be early on the last day of the festival, but the crowd that’s gathered to watch her is energetic – and empathetic. She dedicates ‘Robbed’, a song about the premature death of her niece, to the Palestinian people and, by the track’s end has tears falling down her face. “That’s embarrassing,” she jokes as the audience applauds the moving song. Later, she pays tribute to the Black British women who’ve paved the way for her, shouting out the likes of Skunk Anansie’s Skin and The Noisettes’ Shingai, and covering Estelle’s ‘American Boy’. She makes the song her own, it and her whole set further reinforcing her as a bright force to be reckoned with in British music. Rhian Daly
Blondshell
Blondshell might still be on tour in support of their first album, but at their debut Glastonbury performance, they take the opportunity to showcase two new songs. Both are grungy extensions of the world of that debut, with the first seemingly dealing with Sabrina Teitelbaum’s relationship with her mother, while the second, she introduces as ’T&A’ – or ‘Tits And Ass’. Elsewhere in their Woodsies set, the band deliver a “very American cover” of Jane’s Addiction’s ‘Jane Says’ and powerful, bracing versions of the likes of ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Salad’. Rhian Daly
SZA
SZA‘s crowd for the Pyramid is small – but so is The National’s over on The Other stage. Has everyone left early or are they all heading to Shangri-La for one last night of hedonism? Either way, bad decision. As the stage is lit up, it’s transformed in a way we’ve never seen before. We’re inside a cave, with stalagtites hanging from the ceiling and it’s clear the US superstar has gone all out. The thing about SZA that makes her the perfect Glastonbury headliner is that she’s weird: much weirder than most give her credit for. Her songs span every genre and tonight she takes us on an equally mad trip through space and time. At one point, she’s riding a giant ant. During another, she’s giving a cyborg a lapdance. Whether or not you’re familiar with her two flawless albums, ‘Ctrl’ and ‘SOS’, the latter which shows off the versatility of her writing on a wider scale, this set is a visual feast, and the perfect end to a festival that is as much about visual artistry as musical.
