Here’s what Trisha would do to celebrate Paul McCartney’s birthday with him at the festival site:
Trisha in Glastonbury 2022 Photography: Laura Snapes / The Guardian
“I would do two things: go to the Park stage, it’s my favorite, and it would take John Peel to do a camping experience. I have been camping there since 1979, when I was 16 years old. Who camps there? Usually people who love music, party and become friends with each other; there is a sense of trust with your neighbors. In fact, I used to camp so close that you would open tents and our feet would be in John Peel’s tent! I think it’s my Glastonbury number 16 or 17. I’m short, so I dress up here so people can find me! ”
The Supreme Court v. Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen
Laura Snapes tells me that Lily Allen just got on stage with Olivia Rodrigo, hooking her up to Supreme Court judges with a duet of Allen’s mega-hit Fuck You.
“Actually, this is my first Glastonbury and I share this stage with Lily, this is the biggest dream come true,” Rodrigo said. “But I’m also just heartbroken by what happened in America yesterday … Many girls and women will die for it. I want to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who don’t care at all about freedom. Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh: Us odiem! T’odiem “.
Updated at 19.48 BST
Haim reviewed
Shaad D’Souza
Energy levels rose to 11 … Haim acts on the stage of the pyramid. Photography: Dylan Martínez / Reuters
Pyramid Scene, 17.45
As a result of Greta Thunberg’s inspiring fall on the Pyramid stage this afternoon, the Los Angeles trio, Haim, must set their set back in 15 minutes and, as a result, only play for 45 minutes of the assigned time. Still, they make it count absolutely, jumping on stage in black bikini tops to match the driving pace of their 2019 single Now I’m In It. Rhythmic and racing, it’s a perfect way for sisters, Danielle, Este and Alana, who exchange vocal and instrumental tasks all the time, to start their fourth Glastonbury set in the last decade.
It’s easy to see why Haim has become such a pillar of Glasto so quickly. They are cheeky and endearing on stage, joking with each other as they deftly traverse the songs from their three albums (the most recent being Women in Music Part III of 2020). They’re visibly excited to be back at the festival: “I can’t believe we’re here,” Alana shouts at one point. “Last year we were lucky enough to do the live broadcast and it was fun. But that’s much better! “
The oldest material of the band shines in this environment. Forever and The Wire, the first radio hits to appear on the band’s debut album in 2013, are clearly the audience’s favorites, and their rhythmic and booming axes translate well when broadcast to a huge field. However, the material Women in Music Part III is more accurate. 3am, sung entirely by Este (unlike Danielle, who sings on the album), is a highlight of the start that sees her bump into the crowd and comically try to pick up festival goers. Gasoline, on the other hand, loses all its beauty jammed and swept away by the wind when played in front of this crowd, the warmth and nuance of the song completely erased by the (understandable) need to play cheap seats.
While Haim’s energy level is rarely below eleven, there is this particular set not as blunt or triumphant as it probably should be. Danielle’s voice, probably worn out by a long touring schedule, sometimes sounds hoarse and struggles to hit higher notes on songs like Don’t Save Me. And those clinging to the audience will notice the absence of dance breaks that have become a mainstay of the band’s latest tour, a possible victim of the 15-minute reduction in set time. However, there are still impressive pleasures that can be found in the Haim ensemble. Even in the worst of times, these sisters are some of the most talented musicians currently working in indie rock. Seeing how the band absolutely ripped apart The Steps, one of the best rock songs released in recent years, in my ears, and watching Danielle go from drums to guitar in the middle of a song, is nothing more than a magic trick .
Updated at 19.43 BST
Tara Joshi
I just met Guillermo, also known as “the beard juggler,” a performer who walked around the place asking people to put spaghetti on his beard because, as he says, “Why not?” I can’t argue with that logic.
We all have to entertain ourselves in some way before the evening acts arrive … Guillermo, also known as “the bearded juggler”. Photography: Tara Joshi / The Guardian
Updated at 19.31 BST
Glass Animals reviewed
Gwilym Mumford
This is supposed to be a bit of a victory lap for Glass Animals, ending a mind-bogglingly successful year so far: their inescapable track (believe me, I’ve tried it) Heat Waves climbed to the top of almost every chart . including the Billboard Hot 100, a record 59 weeks after its debut. They aspired to a Grammy Grammy and have a legitimate claim to be the biggest British band in the world right now.
It’s weird, then, that the crowd on the other stage is as erratic and detached, not even as busy as you might expect on one side of their size. On the sidelines, people are barely paying attention, busting or consulting phones for their next move on this long, lazy Saturday. Was Greta Thunberg’s appeal too great? Did everyone opt for Tony Christie’s platinum tooth charms on the Avalon stage?
Again, perhaps it’s more of a surprise that glass animals can be considered massive in the first place. They split the audience in half: either you are encouraged by their relentlessly sugary dance-pop pop or you consider it as if you are with Sunny Delight. (Heat Waves is a bit abnormal in that sense. Less loaded with E numbers than the rest of its production, it’s harmless enough to attract almost anyone.)
No matter what camp you’re in, it’s hard not to at least credit them with their ability to stay Pollyannaish endlessly in the face of adversity. Here, in addition to an apathetic crowd, they have to face some technical horrors: from the first moment, when they are about to launch into Life Itself, their sounds are encompassed. They just leave the stage for a few minutes, they come out again. Where, and vocalist Dave Bayley repeats his cheerful introduction, word for word. Nothing will deter them from delivering their starchy white boy funk to the somewhat disinterested masses.
But right at the end they throw in those tight Heat Waves chords and everything spins in an instant. The apathetic gamblers themselves get up suddenly, swaying, reveling in that sleepy, drunken heart. Perhaps Glass Animals is destined to be one of those festival bands that drags the reluctant audience for 45 minutes with the promise of a slap in the face at the end. To be fair, there are worse destinations.
Updated at 19.28 BST
Here’s something I don’t quite understand: why are there so many FaceTiming people, friends, and family from the Glastonbury crowds, halfway through the series? To be fair, the last time I was here was before 5G, so maybe it’s not a new phenomenon, but I still see the little perplexed / mesmerized faces of random family members looking from the bright rectangles that remain at the height of the stages. Surely neither end of this conversation can see or hear anything of what is going on? My partner Shaad enlightens me, “It’s kind of a vibration.”
Nilüfer Yanya has reviewed
Tara Joshi
William’s Green, 5:30 pm A guitar growl heralds the start of London’s Nilüfer Yanya’s set, though then there are several false starts as she and her band solve some sound problems. Still, it won’t be long until we delve into alternative rock that does so well (filled with soft saxophone flourishes that sometimes feel funly super-atmospheric, especially in combination with the relentless smoke machine). Yanya is dressed in a beautiful emerald green dress that makes her look like a Tinkerbell rock star, something that also embodies her liquid and bewildered voice.
Rockstar Tinkerbell … Nilüfer Yanya in William’s Green. Photography: Tara Joshi / The Guardian
There’s not much interaction with the crowd, but it works considering the immersive nature of these splashed guitars. She smiles to herself as she performs a set that includes Belong With You, a number I’m pretty sure is a Rid of Me version of PJ Harvey, and ends with a fast-paced, high-profile version of my personal favorite, Crash. It’s a short but sweet performance that culminates with the crowd singing for another song, but she just smiles and says goodbye.
Updated at 19.24 BST
Glastonbury is by no means a cheap festival: in addition to the ticket price of £ 285, combs cost at least £ 6, most food will cost you £ 10 (making every meal a gamble that induces l anxiety: no one wants to waste their precious food (budget on a low-level burrito), and you could easily ruin yourself temporarily with silly hats, or permanently with a teepee or other glamping setting. Everyone here bought their tickets years ago, before the cost-of-living crisis intensified, and some are feeling the pinch while others would rather forget about it while they’re here, reports the Observer.
There are ways to make Glastonbury on a budget. Since 2015, the festival has been offering ‘food for five’, where traders sell smoothies, tea and cakes and even a mini Sunday roast for £ 5. Three-quarters of the site’s 400 food stalls participate in the program.
“It’s noticeably more expensive than it has been in previous years,” Victoria McBride said, sipping a coffee in the sun off the Left Field political stage.
“We pay attention to food stickers for five. Portions are often not as large as the most expensive …