Celebrities Blend into the Crowd
The 2025 Glastonbury Festival opened with Louis Tomlinson (One Direction) shouting “Glastoooo!” while hauling a backpack through the hospitality campsite—a moment emblematic of the event’s egalitarian spirit . Celebrities like Paul Mescal (with Gracie Abrams on his shoulders during Olivia Rodrigo’s Cure collaboration), Paul McCartney, and Harry Styles mingled freely among 200,000 attendees, all weathering the mud and heat at Worthy Farm .
Political Firestorms
This year’s festival became a flashpoint for geopolitical activism:
- Bob Vylan ignited controversy with chants of “death to the IDF” during their televised set, prompting condemnation from Glastonbury organizers, the BBC, and PM Keir Starmer. The duo was dropped by agency UTA, and police launched an investigation .
- Kneecap drew a record crowd despite pre-show backlash over member Mo Chara’s terrorism charges. Their set included “Fuck Keir Starmer” chants and pro-Palestine slogans, leading the BBC to cancel their livestream .
- Palestinian flags flooded crowds, while artists like Wolf Alice, Amyl and the Sniffers, and The Libertines voiced solidarity. Rod Stewart dedicated “Love Train” to Ukraine but acknowledged Middle East tensions .
- Visual protests included Mark Wallinger’s Gaza-themed installation Jungle Gym and Led by Donkeys’ anti-billionaire billboard featuring Elon Musk and Starmer boarding a Mars-bound rocket .
Contrastingly, The 1975’s Matty Healy declared, “We don’t want our legacy to be politics,” yet performed their immigration-themed hit “Love It If We Made It” with Trump/Kanye visuals .
Women Dominate the Stages
Female artists delivered landmark performances:
- Olivia Rodrigo’s Sunday Pyramid headline set became a cathartic scream-along, featuring a Robert Smith duet (“Friday I’m in Love”) and a deafening roar during “All-American Bitch” .
- Charli XCX owned the Other Stage with her “Brat” anthems, mouthing “What the fuck?!” as crowds danced in unison. Dubbed the “People’s Princess,” she partied until 2 a.m. post-set .
- Rising star CMAT electrified the Pyramid Stage, while Lorde debuted her album Virgin in full at Woodsies. Wolf Alice’s sunset set on the Other Stage left fans in tears .
Indie Nostalgia Resurgence
Early-2000s indie bands ruled the weekend:
- Pulp (billed as “Patchwork”) packed the Pyramid Stage, triggering a massive sing-along to “Common People” during a surprise Red Arrows flyover .
- The 1975 leaned into their 2013 debut, playing “Chocolate” and “Sex” amid LED screens flashing self-mocking critiques .
- Reunited acts The Maccabees (with Florence Welch) and Franz Ferdinand fueled mosh pits, while festival fashion revived band tees and studded belts .
Unforgettable Secret Sets
- Lewis Capaldi’s emotional Pyramid Stage return saw him tear up during “Someone You Loved,” two years after a Tourette’s episode cut his 2023 set short .
- Lorde drew oversubscribed crowds to Woodsies at 11:30 a.m., blending Virgin tracks with classics like “Green Light” .
- HAIM debuted songs from I Quit on the Park Stage, and Skepta salvaged Saturday by replacing an ill Deftones with a raucous grime set .
Crowd Control Wins, Heat Challenges
After 2024’s overcrowding crisis, organizers sold fewer tickets and used app alerts for capacity updates. While crowds flowed smoother, temperatures hit 27°C (81°F), testing attendees amid packed sets .
The Verdict
Glastonbury 2025 balanced raw politics, female-led triumphs, and millennial nostalgia, cementing its legacy before a fallow year. As one critic noted: “This year made the two-year wait for 2027 unbearable” .
The Pop Blog general news and updates, mostly from press releases and conferences.