Glastonbury 2022: Six of the biggest talking points from the Worthy Farm festival
US rapper Kendrick Lamar’s headline set closed an impressive weekend of live music
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Your support makes all the difference.The final day at Glastonbury ended with a jaw-dropping performance by American rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Over the course of five days, fans had danced to performances by top artists such as Paul McCartney, Little Simz, Pet Shop Boys, Sam Fender, and Billie Eilish.
On the last day of the festival, George Ezra turned up at the John Peel stage in what was possibly the worst-kept secret set in Glastonbury history, while jazz-fusion legend Herbie Hancock delighted crowds relaxing at the Pyramid stage with a virtuosic performance.
Here’s a look back at six of the biggest talking points from the entire Glastonbury 2022 festival...
Roe v Wade
News of the US Supreme Court’s highly controversial legal ruling broke on Friday, and it was clearly on a lot of people’s minds at Glastonbury. It certainly didn’t escape the attention of the artists, many of whom were American. From Billie Eilish, to Phoebe Bridgers, to Olivia Rodrigo, to Kendrick Lamar, lots of the performers included powerful statements about abortion rights in their sets.
From the youngest ever headliner…
Eilish made history with her Friday night headline slot, delighting fans with an intimate but lively set of songs from the 20-year-old’s two albums. As the festival’s youngest ever solo headliner, the pressure was certainly on Eilish’s shoulders, but as Mark Beaumont’s five-star review attests, she pulled it off with aplomb.
…to the oldest
On the other end of the spectrum, we had Paul McCartney, who delivered an absolute barnstormer of a set on Saturday. Performing a range of hits from his Beatles and Wings repertoires, as well as his solo career (and a couple of covers), Macca delivered a Glastonbury experience for the ages. At 80 years old, he became the festival’s oldest ever headliner.
Kendrick Lamar
Closing the festival on Sunday was Kendrick Lamar, who held the Pyramid Stage in the palm of his hand from the start of his electrifying, career-spanning set to the end. The stunning climax of his set – a rendition of “saviour” performed while blood dripped from his diamond crown of thorns, before he began a furious chant about women’s rights – was pure chills-down-the-spine stuff.
Ukraine
The ongoing war in Ukraine was also a core political issue for many of the festival’s acts and attendees. Ukrainian flags were spotted commonly around the festival site, with McCartney holding one aloft in solidarity as he took the stage for his encore. The Pyramid Stage also played host to Ukrainian band Dakhabrakha on Sunday, one of several Ukrainian artists the festival championed.
A little help from my friends…
While Kendrick’s set may have been all him, many of the festival’s other acts deployed some heavyweight guest stars. McCartney brought Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl on stage towards the end. Olivia Rodrigo welcomed Lily Allen for a duet of “F*** You”. Phoebe Bridges joined forces with Arlo Parks (who had her own full set at the festival) for a couple of numbers. Pete Doherty even showed up on stage during Hak Baker’s performance, having performed with the Libertines shortly before. It was a festival chock-full of unexpected – but thoroughly enjoyed – cameos.
Look back at our live blog below:
Blossoms have said they had to clean their own hotel rooms ahead of their Friday (24 June) performance at Glastonbury Festival.
The Stockport indie group revealed they they arrived at their hotel late last night (23 June), to be told that only some of the rooms they’d booked were ready.
Speaking to Zoe Ball on the BBC 2 Breakfast Show this morning, live from Worthy Farm, frontman Tom Ogden said it had been “one of the worst journeys” they had ever had.
Blossoms forced to clean their own hotel rooms ahead of Glastonbury performance
‘You know what, it keeps you grounded doesn’t it – changing your beds in the hotel?’ frontman Tom Ogden said
Phoebe Bridgers says ‘this one’s for Paul’ as she introduces next song, ‘Sidelines'
Bridgers just sent the crowd into meltdown at West Holts as she and her drummer Marshall introduced her song “Sidelines”, as they discussed how it’s about not trusting someone who pays you compliments.
“This one’s for Paul,” Bridgers said after this, prompting a LOT of screaming.
She’s also brought out Arlo Parks for a duet and wished everyone a happy Pride <3
... Presumably a reference to her boyfriend, Irish actor Paul Mescal.
“A 40-minute blast of pure, undiluted zeitgeist. A gigantic crowd stretching away over hill and vale. A generation’s prejudices and expectations overturned like a flick of dust off the shoulder. A setlist chiselled into quicksilver by Zeus and carried to the stage by a choir of winged roadies. Or maybe just the Dalai Lama, blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.
“These are just a few of the reasons why a gig playing out on the hallowed grounds of Worthy Farm might go down in Glastonbury folklore – one of those iconic moments that don’t just make the weekend, but mark out the evolution of pop culture. Glastonbury is where musical history is made and cultural colossi are crowned on a near-annual basis.”
Check out Mark Beaumont’s ranking of the greatest Glastonbury performances:
The 22 greatest Glastonbury performances ever
Ahead of the festival’s glorious return to Worthy Farm, Mark Beaumont picks some of Glastonbury’s greatest ever music moments
‘Keeps you grounded’ – Blossoms clean their own hotel rooms ahead of Glastonbury
Blossoms supposedly had to clean their own hotel rooms ahead of their Friday (24 June) performance at Glastonbury Festival.
The Stockport indie group revealed they they arrived at their hotel late last night (23 June), to be told that only some of the rooms they’d booked were ready.
Speaking to Zoe Ball on the BBC 2 Breakfast Show this morning, live from Worthy Farm, frontman Tom Ogden said it had been “one of the worst journeys” they had ever had.
Blossoms forced to clean their own hotel rooms ahead of Glastonbury performance
‘You know what, it keeps you grounded doesn’t it – changing your beds in the hotel?’ frontman Tom Ogden said
Phoebe Bridgers review – John Peel
At the John Peel Stage, Phoebe Bridgers puts on one of the performances of the day. In what is her first Glastonbury, her songs adroitly switch between sardonic and sad, that honeyed voice filling the tent like a heat-haze. From the second she breaks into the breathtaking “Motion Sickness”, about Ryan Adams, she has the audience completely rapt.
“Who wants to say f*** the Supreme Court?” she says, in response to the news in the US today. “F*** America. Irrelevant old motherf***ers.”
The overbidding sentiment is one of joy, though: there are lovely renditions of “Scott Street”, in which she goes down to the crowd and hands the mic to someone in the front row. Later, Arlo Parks joins her onstage for a two-song denouement: “Graceland Too” and “I Know the End”. To have emerged from it dry-eyed was just about inconceivable. ★★★★★
St Vincent performs a stupendous set on the Other Stage
The latest Glastonbury reviews are in...
Phoebe Bridgers puts on one of the performances of the day for her Glastonbury debut, joined by Arlo Parks who’d earlier delivered her own sublime set
Glastonbury reviews: Phoebe Bridgers and Arlo Parks
Phoebe Bridgers puts on one of the performances of the day for her Glastonbury debut, joined by Arlo Parks who’d earlier delivered her own sublime set
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