Glastonbury 2024 live: Festival gets underway as first secret set rumour emerges
Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA and Shania Twain are in the top spots for this year’s festival as ticket-holders arrive to Worthy Farm in their thousands
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Emily Eavis has opened the gates to Worthy Farm, officially kicking off this year’s Glastonbury as thousands of ticket-holders flock to the festival site.
Pop star Dua Lipa, rock band Coldplay and US star SZA will headline the Pyramid Stage from Friday, while country-pop superstar Shania Twain takes on the coveted Sunday Legends Slot.
Across the weekend, an eclectic lineup will perform on the sprawling festival’s various stages, from folk to Afrobeats, rock, indie, dance, hip-hop, soul and reggae. You can view the full Glastonbury lineup and set times here.
Glastonbury ticket-holders can breathe a sigh of relief, however, as the weather for this year’s festival is forecast to be “mostly warm, dry and settled”.
Here’s a handy guide on what to pack for Glastonbury 2024.
Meanwhile, a source tells The Independent that rock band Kasabian are likely to be the “secret” Saturday performers on the Woodsies stage at 6pm.
If you’re following from home, the BBC has shared its schedule of coverage for the weekend.
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Twenty years ago, the Manchester band headlined Worthy Farm for the second and last time. Mark Beaumont looks back at the ill-fated show, which has gone down in history as one of their worst, and argues that it marked the beginning of the end for Liam and Noel Gallagher’s Britpop dream
Was 2004 the worst Glastonbury ever? If you were an Oasis fan, yes
Twenty years ago, the Manchester band headlined Worthy Farm for the second and last time. Mark Beaumont looks back at the ill-fated show, which has gone down in history as one of their worst, and argues that it marked the beginning of the end for Liam and Noel Gallagher’s Britpop dream
Blondie performs ‘One Way or Another’ at Glastonbury 2023
Emily Eavis explains why a Glastonbury festival ticket ballot wouldn’t work
Emily Eavis has shut down the idea of a “Glastonbury ballot”, calling the dilemma over the demand for tickets “one of the worst sides to the job”.
The Glastonbury co-organiser, who is the daughter of festival founder Michael Eavis, opens the gates to Worthy Farm today and officially kicks off the 2024 festival, which is being headlined by Coldplay, Dua Lipa and SZA.
Speaking to the BBC in front of the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm, Eavis was asked about whether organisers would ever consider doing a ticket ballot, considered one of the fairest ways to allow people to apply for tickets to in-demand events.
“I think if we did a ballot, we’d end up with some people who weren’t necessarily as bothered about coming,” Eavis explained to presenter and DJ Annie Mac.
“It’s really hard to say this year because I know a lot of people didn’t get tickets and they wanted them. But you know, a lot of the time, the people who really really want them get them do through volunteering or through competitions.”
Full story:
Emily Eavis explains why a Glastonbury festival ticket ballot wouldn’t work
Festival co-organiser acknowledged the huge demand for tickets but pointed out other means of securing a pass to Worthy Farm
COMMENT / SZA is the festival headliner who will save our summers
The Grammy and Brit winner has earned widespread acclaim for her two studio albums ‘CTRL’ and ‘SOS’ – yet, based on the confusion sparked when she was announced as a Glastonbury headliner this year, many still don’t know her name. Here’s why you should absolutely dive into her work, writes Kate Solomon
Don’t know Glastonbury headliner SZA? Here’s why you should
The Grammy and Brit winner has earned widespread acclaim for her two studio albums ‘CTRL’ and ‘SOS’ – yet, based on the confusion sparked when she was announced as a Glastonbury headliner this year, many still don’t know her name. Here’s why you should absolutely dive into her work, writes Kate Solomon
Glastonbury Festival 2024 lineup, set times and clashfinder for each stage
Hundreds of other artists will perform across this weekend, with the Glastonbury set times allowing fans to work out whether they’ll have time to dash from one stage to another in order to see their favourites.
There are also a few spots reserved for surprise acts, including the “TBA” marked at 6pm on Saturday at the Woodsies stage. Previous surprise artists at Glastonbury have included The Killers, Radiohead and the Foo Fighters.
Here are the set times for the main stages across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Glastonbury 2024 lineup, set times and clashfinder for each stage
Fans can now work out any tricky clashes between sets, and which stages their favourite artists are playing
In pictures: Revellers arrive at Glastonbury 2024
The road to Glastonbury: What makes a Pyramid Stage headliner, and why is it so hard to find them?
Glastonbury organisers won’t show England Euro 2024 match during festival
Glastonbury’s organisers have said they won’t be showing England’s Euro 2024 round-of-16 game during the festival, as it could clash with a headliner’s performance.
Gareth Southgate’s team are guaranteed a place in the last 16, despite their poor performance to date, after Albania failed to beat Spain on Monday (24 June).
This means their next game will be on 30 June, the final night of the festival when SZA is due to headline.
In a statement released before Scotland were knocked out, the festival organisers said: “In previous years, we have endeavoured to show notable matches on big screens where possible, particularly on days before the main stages have opened.
“However, with England and Scotland's last 16 matches potentially clashing with headline sets at this year's festival, the decision has been made that - as in 2014 and 2016 - should England or Scotland qualify from their groups, their last 16 matches will not be shown at the festival.”
Organisers added: “We would like to wish both Gareth Southgate and Steve Clarke's sides all the best in Germany. And we hope we'll all be able to watch them play quarter-final matches in the days after this year's festival.”
Unfortunately, this could mean a surge in festival-goers leaving Worthy Farm before SZA is due to take to the Pyramid Stage as the final headliner of the weekend.
She will perform at 9.30pm on the Sunday, after Burna Boy at 7.30pm and Janelle Monae at 5.45pm.
You can find the full schedule here:
Glastonbury 2024 lineup, set times and clashfinder for each stage
Fans can now work out any tricky clashes between sets, and which stages their favourite artists are playing
Flashback: Lizzo performs 'Truth Hurts' at Glastonbury 2023
Kelis review, Glastonbury Festival 2023: A sublime, genre-hopping performance that is more party than show
Kelis blew our critics away with her 2023 performance at Glastonbury, here’s a reminder of what went down:
Kelis delivers a sublime Glastonbury set that is more party than show – review
Still one of the best voices in music, Kelis does not disappoint at her first headline Glastonbury show
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