Why Glastonbury is the music festival you need to know
Coachella and Lollapalooza may boast some of the best celeb cameos and flower crown fashion, but the one music festival you should be paying attention to is across the pond.
The Glastonbury Festival is a 46-year-old music festival in the U.K. that boasts some of the biggest bands and artists in the world. Held on 900 acres of farmland in Pilton, near Glastonbury from June 22 to June 26, Glastonbury’s lineup ranges from pop, reggae, rock, dubstep, metal to folk and techno.
Arguably the biggest music festival in the world, and certainly the biggest music festival in the U.K., the Glastonbury Festival has exploded in numbers and reputation since it was founded in 1970 as the Pilton, Blues & Folk Festival.
Who’s playing?
Adele and Coldplay will be headlining this year.
Other acts include Muse, Beck, LCD Soundsystem, ZZ Top, Disclosure, Ellie Goulding, Grimes, The 1975, AlunaGeorge, CHVRCHES, Santigold, Cyndi Lauper and more.
5 Brit-born acts to watch out for
Skepta
Glastonbury may have had a fractious history with hip-hop, but with this year’s line-up, the festival has started to embrace grime — a uniquely inner city London genre that combines U.K. garage and jungle. Skepta is one of the hottest grime acts, and fellow grime artists Kano, Stormzy, Section Boyz, Charlie Sloth and J Hus will be bringing the East London sound to the festival.
Charles Hazlewood
The famous conductor will lead the British Paraorchestra in a tribute to the late David Bowie, as Glastonbury’s first classical music headliner. They will perform Philip Glass's Symphony No 4, which is based on Bowie's Heroes LP.
Years & Years
The London electronica trio Years & Years is bringing their brand of synth pop to Glastonbury, and is another sign that the guitar-music biased festival is opening their horizons.
Blossoms
The members of the guitar pop band were all born in the same Stockport, Greater Manchester, hospital, and spent their time rehearsing in their bassist’s grandfather’s scaffolding yard. Since debuting in 2013, they’ve perfected their psychedelic indie rock sound, and are set to steal the show when they perform Friday.
Savages
An all-female London-based rock band that formed in 2011, Savages promises a dark and mesmerizing performance. Their anguished post-punk sound is what many of the pop and hip-hop naysayers come to Glastonbury for.
Keep up with Glastonbury if you like: Lollapalooza, Summerfest, music, mud
With up to 200,000 people attending per day and England’s famous drizzly weather, there will be mud. But at least it’s mud, beer and rock n’ roll.