Blog ≫ 2025 ≫ Glastonbury day 2
Day two of Glastonbury 2025, the Saturday. This is the first day where I do not have any contemporaneous notes, I'm writing it all up over a week after returning home. What the hell happened on the Saturday? I can be sure I didn't sleep well, woke up early, and headed out of my tent. I can check my photos I took that day, and my messages to Clare and to my friends, so that's where I'll head.
When I left my tent I headed near enough to the main stage and could hear American soundchecking voices. Guessing this would be for Neil Young later. There's something to look forward to. It did seem to include organ sounds though, like a big church organ, so maybe not. At the time I thought it sounded like Iron Butterfly.
I knew I was seeing Kneecap this day, so I headed to the West Holts field just to check things out. They would be on mid-afternoon but I would have to be in place a couple of hours before. There had been a warning that they would close the field as they expected it to be very popular. This from the official Glastonbury app.
Kneecap will draw a large audience for their 4pm West Holts show. If you’re not planning to see them, please plan alternative routes around that area. If you do plan to attend, listen to stewards, and please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures.
So I'm at the stage before midday and it looks like this:
I hung around long enough for the first band to come on, they were called Infinity Song. Not exactly my usual sort of thing, but fine. And they did a Fleetwood Mac cover. I did not hang around for their whole set though, as I was close to the cabaret tent and knew there would more on there for me. The compare was Barara someone, Mrs Merton-esque, doing the compere's job of warming the crowd up a bit. I don't think they expected people to stay for long, as the warming up bits between the acts did repeat a bit. But I did stay for quite a while. I saw Kerry Godliman doing a full stand up set first, then Jazz Emu doing funny songs. Then Spencer Jones doing physical comedy, I've seen him before, and he's very good. Last time I saw him he was also doing the "how much time have I got left?" throughout the set so good to know that is part of the act. Then I left before Lou Sanders came on to head back to West Holts. I walked past The Turdis, the mini toilet escape room, but did not attempt to join in.
Back to West Holts then to watch Bob Vylan. They were on my list, I was not familiar with them. Everyone's heard of them now though! I liked them a lot, pretty angry stuff, with a lot to say on a lot of causes. They say they're a punk band, and they have a guitar sound, but it's two guys with no guitars on stage. Not sure if it's just samples, or it really is live guitar but not to distract from the main guys. Bobby Vylan does the vocals and the crowd surfing and Bobbie Vylan does the drums. I was with them when they shouted Free Free Palestine, but not with the rest of it. I can see their point, and it does seem to be an overreaction to me. You can't say anything these days.
At the time I said they were like a British Rage Against The Machine, but it is more performance and less rock. If the guitars were up front I'd like them more, but I did like them. Look, Bob Vylan crowdsurfing past me:
And with that they're off. Plenty of people did join in with the chanting, but they'd have joined in with anything I think. They announced Kneecap were doing a signing on the merch stall after the gig, and the merch stall was in the same area I was, but I didn't want to lose my spot, and I didn't want to be carrying any merch around with me. I would get a record or a t-shirt though.
Next stop Kneecap, in the same place. I did well not to need the loo, but I'd not had a drink yet today. And it's 4pm already what was I thinking?? The crowd had built up even more, I assume they had closed the field. They starte d with an intro video, all their bad press, everyone criticising them, then into the tunes. I think they started with Better Way To Live. I could look this up, I will come back and fill this in.
It was quite mental, great atmosphere, for a good show. I did like them trying to get in trouble again, though they'd have to go some to outdo Bob Vylan. The one called Móglaí Bap said the other one Mo Chara is back in court again at Westminster, so can we all go down to support him, and have an absolute riot? And Mo Chara said just to be clear (I'm paraphrasing) absolutely not a riot, and Móglaí Bap said "YEAH A RIOT". They're walking a fine line, could be properly in trouble, and that makes them a bit exciting. They, like Bob Vylan, are being victimised a bit for being pro Palestinian. You can't say anything these days. Anyway right after I txted my friends on The Signal:
Kneecap was absolutely insane. Multiple mosh pits kept opening. When did rappers adopt the mosh pit? Also, someone went in the crowd with a fire extinguisher full of red paint and sprayed it over everyone. I hope it's paint. I look like Dexter
The moshpits were a bit hairy. If I thought the rock / rap moshpit was a bit odd on Thursday, this was crazy. For one, there's more than one moshpit. When they shout "open up" from the stage, anyone might start a moshpit wherever they are. So while I was being pushed back from the big one at the front there was another right behind me. I'm in danger of moshing myself. A bit much a my age. And, also, the red paint. It happened twice, my first thought was someone had thrown a cup of something disgusting and it had gone splat and splashed us. Then it happened again and I got spattered with a red mist. Then I saw the guy with the fire extinguisher. Quite dedicated to being annoying and disruptive I'd say. Not sure what it was about, but I didn't mind it. The red splatters on my white t-shirt are one of my remaining souvenirs of the gig.
After, just enough time to catch some of John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival on the main stage, thought I was going to miss him. I could hear the strains of Fortunate Son as I was heading to the stage, then caught a lot of chat about how he'd gone his songs back, and then Bad Moon Rising, and Proud Mary. I thought I heard Up Around The Bend too but that looks to have just been outro music. They had a lot of good songs! I wish I had seen it all but I wouldn't have traded it for Kneecap.
Next to get in position for Patchwork. Who would it be..? Surely no surprise to anyone really, but as they were starting up still people were saying I think it might be Oasis. Their intro was a bit odd, still leaving a bit of room for doubt. but then of course it was Pulp. A relatively short set, but to a huge crowd. They could have headlined.
- Sorted for E's & Wizz
- Disco 2000
- Spike Island
- O.U. (Gone, Gone)
- Acrylic Afternoons
- Something Changed
- Do You Remember the First Time?
- Mis-Shapes 9, Got to Have Love
- Babies
- Common People
#MakeGlastonbury1995Again
I'd arranged to meet my friend Steve for this, and following a mix up of exactly which ice cream van we should meet at we ended up quite a way back. But we could hear OK, and see the whole experience.
Jarvis claimed to have the set list from when they headlined in 1995, and he ripped it up. The Red Arrows flew over during the set too.
I think I just met another friend at the cider bus between Pulp and Neil Young, just drinking and chatting. Neil Young came on but I thought there was some mistake, there was such a small crowd for him, maybe 10% of the people who had been there earlier for Pulp. Where were they? Were they heading up to the rave areas? He was competing with CharlieXCX on the other stage and Scissor Sisters on Woodsies. Scissor Sisters brought on Sir Ian McKellan. Neil Young didn't bring on anyone but he did bring on Hank Williams' guitar. Was it not Hank Williams who had a guitar with "This Machine Kills Fascists" on it? He didn't get half the earache that Bob Vylan did did he?? Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts did play the biggies:
- Sugar Mountain
- Be the Rain
- When You Dance, I Can Really Love
- Cinnamon Girl
- Fuckin' Up
- Hey Hey, My My
- The Needle and the Damage Done
- Harvest Moon
- Looking Forward
- Sun Green
- Love and Only Love
- Like a Hurricane
- Name of Love
- Old Man
- Rockin' in the Free World
- Throw Your Hatred Down
After, cider bus, some loaded fries from Plantaguese, and back to my tent to sleep. I really didn't buy a lot of food on this trip, I got all my calories and nutrients in liquid apple form.
