Glastonbury live: Dua Lipa, Marina Abramović and more to perform as main stages open on Friday – live
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Asha Puthli is a bit of a mystery. It has been about 50 years since she last performed in the UK, two years before she released the album that has made her a cult favorite: 1976’s The Devil Is Loose. This album features a unique blend of soft, high-pitched vocals and jazzy dance beats that disco fans love, especially the popular song Space Talk. Puthli's music career has been diverse, ranging from collaborations with Ornette Coleman to Bollywood soundtracks to new wave. It's hard to say which version of her music will be showcased on the West Holts stage after all this time.
At nearly 80 years old, Puthli is wrapped in a lightweight, sheer fabric, creating a uniquely quirky appearance. She talks about her past friendship with Holly Woodlawn, a drag queen associated with Andy Warhol and known for her role in Lou Reed's Walk on The Wild Side. Puthli also shows how she created the strange bubbling sound in her 1973 cover of George Harrison's I Dig Love (hint: it wasn't from smoking a bong, but from gargling champagne). Despite her glamorous past, Puthli is not shy about expressing her discontent with the weather. "It's so damn cold here," she grumbles. "I just arrived from sunny Miami."
Singing proudly in her original 70s key, she can still hit those high notes on the chorus of Flying Fish. With a tabla player in her band, they do a great job capturing the unique sound of The Devil Is Loose. Her impromptu vocals during Hello Everyone are mixed in with long instrumental sections. The setlist jumps around from bluesy tunes to disco tracks, but the highlight is Space Talk, which sounds amazing. She asks the crowd if they love her and they happily say yes.
Olivia Dean exclaimed that this was the largest audience she had ever performed for, as she finished singing Echo during her early afternoon performance on the Pyramid stage. It has been exactly a year since her debut album Messy was nominated for a Mercury award, and she noted this fact during the show. This performance on Glastonbury's main stage, which kicks off the festival, is like a special blessing for the up-and-coming neo-soul singer. The audience showed up in large numbers, with people sitting in groups but still tightly packed all the way up the hill.
She has been imagining performing on this stage since she was a little girl, she explains, "so this is a very significant moment for me". Despite her young age of only 25, Dean carries herself like a true star, effortlessly switching between different instruments (guitar, keys, tambourine, and even a banana-shaped maraca that I now really want for myself) and connecting warmly with the audience. She mentions that just last year she performed on the smaller Lonely Hearts stage, "so this is a huge step up for me."
In the beginning of her performance, she keeps her cat-eye sunglasses on, adding to the personal and revealing vibe of her set. When she finally removes them, it feels like we are peeling back layers and getting closer to her true self. Her mini-dress features a photo of her grandmother, showing how important this performance is to her.
It is evident that she considers herself connected to the singer-songwriter tradition based on her detailed introductions to each song, sharing the inspiration behind them and highlighting her relatability. In My Own Warfare, she challenges the idea of needing someone else to feel complete, emphasizing independence to enthusiastic cheers. UFO delves into her experiences of feeling disconnected, while I Could Be a Florist explores her daydreams of a different life path. Her latest release, Time, raises questions about how time is spent, despite acknowledging that the audience may not yet know the lyrics.
The performance on the Pyramid stage had a lot of introspection and slower tempos, but Dean's beautiful voice effectively conveyed themes of sadness, relief, heartbreak, yearning, and self-doubt. Accompanied by a brass section, there was a sense of importance despite the early hour at Glastonbury. The band truly shined during Dean's more upbeat songs, but always returned to her mid-tempo comfort zone.
The audience seems to love The Hardest Part, the song she considers to have had a big impact on her life, but my personal favorite is her rendition of Kelis's Millionaire. I wish she would create her own songs with the same confident attitude. Her constant smile during Messy shows its roots as a self-acceptance anthem; perhaps her next move will be to incorporate that same rawness into her music.
However, Dean's music style is more focused on heartfelt songs rather than bold or edgy ones. When asked by an audience member to play at their wedding, she responds with a possible yes, expressing her love for weddings. One of her best moments is during her second-to-last song, Carmen, which pays tribute to the sacrifices that led her to where she is now. Fighting back tears, she dedicates the song to her grandmother who she says is watching her perform on TV, and to the rest of her Windrush generation. Dean explains that her grandmother moved to the country when she was just 18 years old, never having been there before, and completely changed her life. Dean credits her own success to her grandmother's bravery and courage.
It's a beautiful way to finish the performance - or, in Glastonbury terms, begin the morning.
Actresses Saffron Hocking and Lois Chimimba are excited to see Headie One. Hocking expresses their admiration for Headie, calling him sweet and their favorite.
We can hear Olivia Dean's beautiful music floating out of the Portakabin. She looks like she's having a great time performing on the Pyramid stage!
I was waiting at the Other stage for Headie One to start when I noticed someone holding a stick that looked like a voodoo tool in front of me. David, shown in the picture, introduced the person holding the stick as Keith Richards, who is usually with the Rolling Stones but was with him at that moment. I wondered if David and Keith come to this event often. David told me that Keith never misses a year.
Check out Michael Eavis, the creator of Glastonbury, rocking out on the Park stage yesterday!
Hat update: Safi Bugel shares that there are approximately 2 million bucket hats amongst the attendees of Barry Can't Swim. Stay tuned for more coverage on Glastonbury fashion by Sirin Kale!
Marina Abramović has a big challenge ahead of her today - she aims to make the audience at the Pyramid stay quiet for seven minutes straight. Find out more in Lanre Bakare's article.
I am so glad I decided to stay home and go to bed last night instead of going to the Crows' Nest for what was rumored to be a Four Tet DJ set!
The most amusing part of Glastonbury up to now was attending a surprise performance promoted as Will b2b Kieran. There were rumors that it was Burial and Four Tet, with some people in the audience insisting it was true, backed up by four reliable sources. However, when they finally took the stage, it turned out to be two unknown guys named Will and Kieran.
Typically, the first act at the Pyramid stage starts off your day gently, but Squeeze comes out strong, getting you up on your feet and handing you a drink. Dressed sharp in their suits, they launch directly into Take Me I’m Yours at a fast pace, almost like rockabilly, with Glenn Tilbrook’s soulful voice transformed into rock’n’roll. He moves smoothly between his higher vocal range for Hourglass, supported by harmonies from the backing band. Chris Difford takes a different approach with Cool for Cats, his voice now deeper and more seasoned, like an old pub owner sharing a story with the regulars.
The latest track, One Beautiful Summer, has been well-received. During my recent interview with Difford, he mentioned that the song was inspired by a story he read in The Guardian about an elderly couple finding love at a care home in Eastbourne. He shared that the man had passed away, leaving the woman to deal with her broken heart. The song aims to capture the emotions of being in a care home and finding companionship later in life. Difford mentioned that the topic hits close to home as they understand that it is something that could happen to anyone.
He and Tilbrook are celebrating their 50th anniversary together this year, and as demonstrated in this set, they seem inspired by the same energy that fueled the songs they wrote when they were young. Difford mentioned they are even considering revisiting some unreleased demos from the mid-70s. "It's been like an archaeological dig, carefully unearthing each song with a brush," he explained. "I am amazed at the ambition and dedication of those young guys who wrote these songs, and here we are all these years later still playing them."
Even though Tilbrook and Difford are still the core of the band, the other musicians supporting them are amazing. The keyboardist impresses with an old-school synth solo in Slap and Tickle, using a karate-like chopping motion on the keys. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) features intense piano and vibrant congas, and later on, their pedal steel player delivers a powerfully expressive solo. The audience at Pyramid Stage also adds to the magic of the performance. During Up the Junction, the crowd creates a beautiful moment by singing a riff in unison. Tilbrook gets the audience involved with a call and response for Black Coffee in Bed. Difford is moved by the love from the audience, remarking "You’ve made an old man cry," as the wave of appreciation comes back towards him.
Review Of Voice Of Baceprot
What's the best way to kick off a festival? How about some charming, softly sung folk ballads to help ease the crowd into the day after a night of partying? While that's one option, the organizers at Woodsies have chosen a different approach with a high-energy dose of thrash metal to get the adrenaline pumping. Making history as the first Indonesian band to perform at Glastonbury, Voice of Baceprot is a powerful trio of female musicians whose friendly on-stage demeanor contrasts with their strong, old-school metal sound. Clad in all black and wearing hijabs, it's clear they mean business from the very first intense riff they play.
The band's music is heavily influenced by the top four thrash bands of the 80s, but there are also elements of System of a Down in their unique melodies and a touch of Primus in Widi Rahmawati's energetic slap bass riffs. Rahmawati and drummer Euis Siti Aisyah both have opportunities to showcase their skills, with Aisyah's solo receiving a great reception from the crowd. However, the standout performer is vocalist Firda Marsya Kurnia, who effortlessly transitions between aggressive growls and melodic pop-metal vocals. The band takes a break during a powerful breakdown to celebrate Rahmawati's birthday, leading Kurnia to get emotional as the audience joins in. She declares it the best show ever, and in that moment, it's hard to disagree.
Chugging Red Stripe together at noon, the Lambrini Girls burst onto the stage with loud guitars, intense drums, and raw lyrics that challenge the current culture wars of 2024.
Phoebe Lunny passionately shouts out against toxic masculinity and those who are not genuine. She asks for support from LGBTQ+ individuals in the audience before performing Help Me I'm Gay. In the song Terf Wars, there is a back and forth between Lunny and the audience, with her shouting "Shut your stupid fucking mouth" and the crowd responding with "You stupid fucking terf." It's clear that Lunny's music is not likely to be heard on Radio 2 anytime soon.
However, it is exciting to hear a completely different sound, filled with youthful anger, especially when big names like Coldplay, Dua Lipa, and Shania Twain are dominating the music scene this year.
Elle Hunt, out in the field, shares a crucial update:
Walking across the rural landscape is a big part of the Glastonbury festival, and sometimes the things people wear can make you think. As I made my way from the Park stage to the Pyramid, I saw a man wearing a t-shirt with the words "STOP GLORIFYING RATS" on it. It got me thinking about how maybe rats have been getting too much praise lately.
Here are a few beautiful photos taken by our fearless photographer, David Levene, from yesterday.
