10 best Glastonbury gigs to watch from your sofa
FRIDAY
Squeeze (Pyramid Stage, Friday, 12pm)
The perfect songcraft of new wave pop rock veterans Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford get festivities going on Friday morning. If the sun is shining, Pulling Mussels From a Shell could be pure singalong joy.
Lulu (Avalon Stage, 6.35pm)
Country pop queen Shania Twain occupies the so called “legend slot” on Sunday afternoon, but if you want to hear real live and roaring vocals, try and catch the ageless (well, 75) Lulu still making us want to shout after sixty years in showbiz. Come on, now!
Aurora (The Park Stage, 7.30pm)
The Norwegian enchantress operates in eccentric spaces between the ethereal and earthy, an elfin dance pop maverick floating through the magical soundscapes of Kate Bush and Bjork. Glastonbury should dial up the magic.
Dua Lipa (Pyramid Stage, 10pm)
She was arguably the breakout star of lockdown, whose sleek disco bangers kept the world dancing in their own homes. The only new British artist to conquer the whole pop world in a decade, this is Dua Lipa’s moment to shine.
SATURDAY
The Last Dinner Party (Other Stage, 3.45pm)
Like Kate Bush fronting Arcade Fire at a fancy dress party in a girl’s school. Last year at Glastonbury, this ebullient art rock outfit affirmed their status as the coming thing. Climbing up the bill (and broadcast on TV) this year, tune in to see what has made them Britain’s hottest new band.
Little Simz (Pyramid Stage, 7.45pm)
Arguably Britain’s pre-eminent rapper, Top Boy star Simbiato Ajikawo slips her sharp delivery of fast flying rhymes into a huge musical soundscape mixing hard hitting electro, ebullient afrobeat and luscious jazz, funk and soul.
Coldplay (Pyramid Stage, 9.45pm)
Despite grumbles that the colourful soft rock quartet are over-familiar headliners, this will surely be the most spectacular and joyous set of the festival. Epic, uplifting singalongs is what Coldplay do best.
SUNDAY
Janelle Monae (Pyramid Stage, 5.45pm)
US RnB star Sza is the Sunday night headliner, but she is in danger of being outshone by sci-fi pop funk movie star Monae, who picked up dance moves from James Brown and pop smarts from Prince.
Burna Boy: (Pyramid Stage, 7.30pm)
The Nigerian afro-fusion superstar dazzled on the Other Stage in 2022, now he’s ascended to second on the bill on the Pyramid to show just how important African music has become to mainstream pop culture. Expect an ebullient set full of massive tunes blending afrobeat with soul, pop, electro and hip hop delivered with his exceptional band, The Outsiders.
The National (The Other Stage, 9.45pm)
Guitar bands may no longer be in the ascendancy at Glastonbury but poetically twisted American alt rock outfit the National are in a purple patch, a bunch of beardy old guys popping up all over records by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Phoebe Bridgers. They are a high wire live act who should bring some real intensity to the last night of the greatest festival on earth.
