HTF recently headed down to Worthy Farm for the UK’s largest and most legendary festival, Glastonbury!
With acts spread over 50+ stages across the site, some of the world’s most incredible acts graced the stage over the weekend and you can check out what we thought right here. With rumours of who is going to appear at next year’s event circulating already, make sure you stay up to date with plans for next year by keeping an eye on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/glastonburyofficial
Roll on Glasto 2015!
Friday 27th June
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Source: Press Shot
Kaiser Chiefs – Other Stage (Secret Set) – 3/5
At 11am on the Friday morning, most festival goers were feeling rather sleepy but the Kaiser Chiefs aimed to change all that with a surprise 45 minute set on the Other Stage. Bursting on to the stage to perform ‘I Predict A Riot’, frontman Ricky Wilson jumped into the crowd to ensure everyone knew he was there to wake them up. Already sipping at a beer, he invited everyone to stick two fingers up at the rain which had been falling all morning. The band’s energy did not dwindle throughout the set, playing a whole host of their clap-along hits including ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’ and ‘Angry Mob’. As Ricky shouted out their familiar lyrics, the crowd mimicked every word – clearly enjoying this unexpected look back at the Kaiser Chief’s back catalogue. A great way to kick start the first day of Glastonbury 2014.
Reviewer: Claire Rollins
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Source: Press ShotHaim – Other Stage – 4/5
Every time we see the Haim sisters they just keep getting better and better. Holding off the impending thunderstorm with their California sunshine, the girls put on a stunning performance, and it appears after bass player Este‘s close call last year, where she nearly has a seizure on stage due to her diabetes, they were looking to make this years appearance one to remember.
An incredible cover, with Este taking up vocal duties, of Beyonce‘s ‘XO‘ was a definite set highlight and despite a few guitar tuning issues in ‘The Wire‘, Haim really pulled out the punches and delivered an incredible set. Last year The Park stage, this year The Other stage..let’s go Pyramid next year girls!
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Source: PromoLily Allen – Pyramid Stage – 4/5
Narrowly avoiding cancellation due to the ridiculous rain, Lily’s set-time was shortened meaning there was no time for messing around. Wasting no time at all, the set opened with the bouncy classic ‘LDN‘ and it was as if the rain didn’t even happen as the summer vibe was cracked out in awesome style and from here on in; a set of back to back bangers.
It was great to see new album tracks such as ‘Sheezus‘ and ‘Hard Out Here‘ going down well with the fans and the obvious sing-a-long anthem ‘Fuck You‘ was enough proof to why Lily is such a great festival act. Managing to crack out between-track banter about her ‘camel-toe’ and still be able to produce a beautiful rendition of her christmas classic ‘Somewhere Only We Know‘,
Lily is a born performer and with her recently announcing she is off on tour with Miley Cyrus, we can imagine the combination of the two is going to be explosive. Unfortunately after this we had to run off to see Chvrches. Sorry for leaving your set early Lily but we still love you. Feel free to dedicate ‘Fuck You’ to us next time.
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Source: Press ShotChvrches – John Peel Stage – 4.5/5
For a 3 piece band with quite a static on-stage setup, Chvrches manage to produce an incredible energy that fills the stage. Vocalist Lauren Mayberry may not be the most active front women, but she doesn’t need to be. Her beautiful and innocent vocals are all that are needed as her bitter-sweet lyrics suck you in and her presence alone is more than enough.
Huge tunes such as ‘Recover‘, ‘We Sink‘ and ‘Lies‘ really show how great this band are and their powerful bass can be felt through every bone of your body at times. The band seem quite taken back at today’s turnout, and after declaring their sadness for missing out on Dolly Parton on Sunday, Lauren treats us to her best ‘in-the-shower’ rendition of Dolly’s hit ‘Jolene‘.
Taking over vocal duties for ‘Under The Tide‘, synth player Martin Doherty puts every ounce of energy he has and whereas sometimes changing vocalist can detract from the performance, Doherty just adds to what is already a stunning set. Ending on ‘The Mother We Share‘ it’s clear to see why this band are here today and as Lauren asks us to “Please remember us as something more than the girl with the bad Dolly Parton impression.” I think that’s the last thing we will remember them for. Awesome!
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Source: Press ShotDanny Brown – The Park Stage – 4/5
DJ Skylar started the show right with Waka Flocka Flame‘s ‘Hard In The Paint‘ followed by some heavy Trap remixes and A$AP Ferg‘s Shabba before old Danny Brown himself entered the stage. When I say entered, Danny ran on and became the most hyped person in The Park Field. Danny came to please, and with his heavy trap beats the fans quickly created mosh pits showing the thick sticky mud in this usually chilled and calm corner of Worthy Farm.
The brief moments Danny did talk to the crowd, you could see the shock and appreciation on the Detroit rapper’s face at how many people had showed up for his set. It felt like Danny gave 110% with every song especially tracks like ‘25 Bucks‘, ‘Blunt After Blunt‘, ‘Kush Coma‘ and ‘I Will‘ that stuck out in particular. Unfortunately for Danny the vocal sound quality for most of the set was poor and his unique pitched voice was overpowered by the trap instrumentals making it nearly impossible to hear him for some of the set.
“STYLE!”
Reviewer: Josh Pratt
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Source: PromoSkrillex – Other Stage – 4.5/5
Skrillex stood out as a highlight for us this year, and has wholeheartedly scrapped the tacky reputation that may have been lingering in our heads about him. Without a clear indication as to what tracks he played (or in which order) we can still clearly recall his consistency in dropping bangers.
Track after track, Skrillex delivered drops which, without fail, sent the crowd wild. Projections of ghouls, skeletons and other general madness had their input, along with the astounding lighting; lasers and strobes that were being emitted from Skrillex himself, suspended up high on a futuristic sculpture. As you may be familiar, his own produced tracks scream OTT and are near enough impossible to listen to alone, however, in the presence of the Other Stage, we don’t think we have ever experienced a DJ set with so much energy.
Reviewer: Liam Trinh
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Source: Press Shot
Arcade Fire – Pyramid Stage – 4.5/5
Off the back of the huge success of their most recent album Reflektor, which saw Arcade Fire take a welcome diversion down the disco route; swapping their scrappy look for glitter chic, Win Butler and co. saw themselves booked in for their first ever Glastonbury headline slot.
Opting for a set heavy of Reflektor material, Arcade Fire managed to pull off the contrast in vibes between this and their earlier albums perfectly; working a smooth transition between the grooveline beats of tracks like ‘Reflektor‘ and ‘Joan Of Ark‘ alongside the calmer, more heartfelt feel of tracks like ‘The Suburbs‘, ‘Ready To Start‘ and ‘Rebellion (Lies)‘ before Butler released a chilling accapella version of ’Neon Bible‘ hit ‘My Body Is A Cage‘ as the interlude to a touching rendition of’ ‘Keep The Car Running‘.
Following a break in the set and calls for an encore, a group of characters dressed in huge papier-mâché bobble-heads known as Paft Dunk took to the stage; playing a ‘Best Of Glastonbury’ DJ set consisting of snippets of tracks like’Common People‘, ‘Wonderwall‘, ‘99 Problems‘ and ‘Firestarter‘; the group raving about on the stage in a hilarious manner before being shoved away by an apologetic Win Butler. In a slight return to reality, glittered confetti and fireworks were fired into the air for a stunning closing trio beginning with’Normal Person‘ and’Here Comes The Night Time‘ before treating us to a truly special performance of the anthemic’Wake Up‘, leaving the audience in a trance-like state; a fitting end to a stunning opening night at the Pyramid Stage.
Reviewer: Bart Williams
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Saturday 28th June
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Source: Press ShotKelis – Pyramid Stage – 3.5/5
If were expecting the fiery ‘I hate you so much right now!’ Kelis today you may have been a little surprised. It seems like over the last few years she has transformed herself from the crazy women we once knew to a now more sophisticated and soulful Kelis, and you know what? We kinda like it!
With most people in attendance probably there purely to get their ‘Milkshake’ on (we actually had an actual milkshake ready for action – not even lying), Kelis’ set turned out to be a great way to spend the afternoon. Tunes such as ‘Trick Me‘, ‘Millionaire‘ and ‘Accapella‘ were welcomed with open arms and although we didn’t get to scream our lungs out to ‘Caught Out‘ Kelis still entertained and put on a great performance. Thanks Kelis, our milkshake is now more than shook-up.
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Source: Press Shot
The Fat White Family – John Peel Stage – 4/5
Following the tight, formulated attitude of Royal Blood‘s Saturday John Peel set was a band who, whilst generating a similar level of energy, couldn’t be any more different in terms of composition and predictability. Through the image projected by The Fat White Family since their inception, comparisons have been made to early-Libertines, with that sticky squat-band romance oozing out of their live performances; performances that have seen frontman Lias Saoudi getting up to all kinds of raucous on-stage shenanigans over the past year or so. And it wasn’t long before that developing front-man notoriety was uncaged; Saoudi stripping down to just a pair of loose trousers, wriggling around on stage as if confined by some kind of coccoon whilst bellowing out the psychobilly vocals of an opening trio consisting of ‘Auto-neutron‘, ‘Is It Raining In Your Mouth‘ and ‘Touch The Leather‘; some of the band’s biggest numbers to date.
As well as more tracks from their debut ‘Champagne Holocaust‘, they teased the new track ‘I Am Mark E. Smith‘; the influence of Mark E. Smith’s The Fall on the Fat White sound and attitude plain to see throughout the messy remainder of the set, which ended with the brilliant cynicism-fueld melody of’ ‘Bomb Disneyland‘.
Overall a great set which whilst exhibiting a comparatively tame Lias Saoudi in terms of amount of clothes on display still exuded that dark n’ dirty post-punk energy that’s seen them labeled ones to watch on the circuit.
Reviewer: Bart Williams
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Source: PromoLana Del Rey – Pyramid Stage – 3.5/5
Lana may not be the most active of performers, but with a voice as beautiful as her’s, you would think she could be stood there in a bin-bag and still have the same impact. The problem is, while some people would be happy with that, most people expect more of a show and, especially at a festival, it doesn’t always translate as well as it would in an intimate venue.
Vocally Lana can not be faulted as tracks such as ‘Blue Jeans‘, ‘Born To Die‘ and ‘Summertime Sadness‘ really show off her abilities and her execution is flawless. By half way through the set though, it seemed some just weren’t feeling it and a few people we knew ventured off to find something else a little more exciting.
With music as slow and moody as Lana’s can be we can see why she wouldn’t exactly be jumping around like she’s the singer in a pop-punk band but her distant look just seemed like she was sometimes just in her own world and the connection just wasn’t there. A vocally incredible performance but just lacking in that spark that would have made it incredible.
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Source: Press ShotPixies – Other Stage – 4/5
Pixies took to the Other Stage on the Saturday night as part of their comeback tour, and having just released their new album ‘Indie Cindy’ the band had a lot of new material to play, never mind their endless classics. A whirlwind of nostalgia rushed through Glastonbury as they kicked off their set with ‘Bone Machine’ from the album Surfer Rosa released way back in ’88. This set the tone for the rest of their electrifying set, which dipped in and out of their new album and delved even deeper into their older ones, including ‘Come On Pilgrim’, ‘Hey’, ‘Isla De Encanta’ and ‘Debaser’, which really got everyone jumping and the true fans shone through.
Lead singer, Black Francis, has in no which way lost his spark with age and, if anything, showed the band’s true passion to their music and ever-evident power to work a crowd. The finale was inevitable but absolutely flawless nevertheless.‘Where Is My Mind’, the track that is known and loved by so many rocked The Other Stage with a whirlwind of nostalgia. We all expected greatness and that was undoubtedly delivered by the legends that are Pixies who will continue to influence many more artists for years to come.
Reviewer: Fleur Cook
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Source: Promo/Facebook
Jack White – Pyramid Stage – 4/5
Having graced the grounds of Worthy Farm in the past with each of his side-projects, it was only a matter of time before we saw Jack White hit the Pyramid stage joined only by his solo persona and hit the pyramid stage he did; presumably with the memories of his 2002 appearance with The White Stripes fresh in the mind. White opted for a Stripes-heavy setlist; an opening trio of ‘Icky Thump‘, ‘Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground‘ and ‘Screwdriver‘ getting the set started before we were treated to the likes of ‘Black Math‘, ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is‘, ‘Cannon‘ and ‘We’re Gonna Be Friends‘ being slipped in between tracks from his two solo albums Blunderbuss and Lazaretto.
As much as the almost-classic status of his White Stripes renditions welcomed the greatest reaction from the crowd, the relevance and noticeably more personal aesthetic of his solo work generated just the same energy, with White leaping about the stage graced by that extraordinary aura he’s always somehow posessed that sets him apart from the rest; where he can have his back to the audience for the most part of a performance yet still have your absolute attention throughout. Fresh tracks like’High Ball Stepper‘ and’Three Women‘ felt so tight that you’d think he’d been on the road performing them for decades, these running into an electric performance of the album’s title track’Lazaretto‘ before we met the break – the calm before the storm.
As soon as White and his band had vacated the stage, the unmistakable guitar line of ‘Seven Nation Army‘ was instantly being yelled by a packed-out, pissed-up Pyramid stage audience; that of course being the track the majority oh so longed to witness. After a while of these temporary vocalists doing their thing, the band returned to the stage for a performance of the untouchably cool ‘Ball And Biscuit‘ before treating us to the inevitable conclusion of the almighty ‘Seven Nation Army‘; setting the crowd alight and leaving the football terrace chant echoing around worthy farm long into the night.
Reviewer: Bart Williams
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Source: Press ShotMetallica – Pyramid Stage – 0/5
With all the recent controversy surrounding the bands appearance at the festival, and especially around vocalist James Hetfield after it was revealed he would be narrating a documentary on the big-game hunting of bears, it seemed like Metallica set out to piss people off. Releasing a festival T-shirt covered in the negative comments they had received about them being booked was actually an amusing way to hit-back, but really they should have just stopped there.
Opening their set was a video clearly aimed at all the haters surrounding Hetfield’s hunting controversy. A subject that for many, is seen as something quite serious; after all the killing of anything, be that human or animal, is something that does upset people. The video showed footage of a fox hunt, and just before the dogs get to the fox, four bears pop-up from behind a bush to shoot the hunters and save the fox. The bears heads were then taken off to reveal, METALLICA!
Seriously? A video showing the band saving an animal from hunters when a member of the band is in fact an actual hunter themselves, and is also endorsing big-game hunting on television, which is even frowned upon by some other hunters. Is it us or does that not quite work or make any sense? We don’t really see what point they are trying to make here? It’s either a horrible attempt to make light of the situation, which is never going to work, or just a weird way to try and make people think that they are actually the ‘good guys’ saving the animals when in reality it’s not the case. It’s a bit hypocritical don’t you think?
It seems like the better option for the band would have been to have had a more each to their own/professional attitude about this, let’s be fair – hunting is always going to be a big area of disagreement, rather than playing the schoolyard ‘pissing people off is cool’ card. I don’t think it’s a subject to be made fun of, especially at a festival where a lot of people really care about this kind of thing.
As a woman walked passed us and said ‘There should be more people booing’, it was time to leave. We’re sorry Metallica, you may be one of the worlds greatest metal bands but we think you need to think more about your actions.
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Source: Official Promo
The 1975 – Pyramid Stage – 3.5/5
Being the support act to Dolly Parton today is no mean feat and it seemed like some of The 1975 boys may have got a bit over excited about this fact prior to the show; from the get-go it was pretty clear vocalist Matt Healy may have had a little bit too much. Despite this, the band manage to pull off a sometimes slightly sloppy, but still much enjoyed set with Matt’s wasted state quickly becoming just part of the entertainment furniture.
The 1975’s rise to fame has been meteoric and on the strength of opening track ‘The City‘ alone, it’s clear to see why. Tracks such as ‘Settle Down‘ and ‘Girls‘ definitely got the crowd moving, while the atmospheric ‘Robbers‘ really shone through as they slowed things down. With an up & down set, depending on Matt’s state at the time, overall it entertained and if the band is this good in this state then we are prepared to be blown away next time. Declaring ‘this song is about shagging’ before set-closer ‘Sex‘ ending with a comedic bang and leaves us more than warmed up for Dolly.
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Chance The Rapper – John Peel Stage – 5/5
From the moment Chance The Rapper was announced to perform at Glastonbury it was obvious he was going to be a highlight. The Chicago rapper is a mix of Kanye West and Lil Wayne, but when Lil Wayne was actually good and last year released a free mixtape called Acid Rap. The niche project could be argued as one of the best Rap/Hip-Hop releases of 2013. The concept of Acid Rap is in the title, just be on Acid (LSD) and listen to Chance as he raps. The style of the production is only truly appreciated when on Acid according to Chance.
Considering other large artists were performing and clashed with Chance there was a large amount of people in the John Peel tent and 90% of them were true Chance The Rapper fans. This was recognised by Chance as soon as he ran on stage. A couple of songs deep into his set he interacted with the crowd and made people feel connected to the music. Little things like asking everyone to come closer to feel more involved and the fans scream “I love you” as loud as they could just set a good vibe inside the John Peel tent.
Finally the music. The set was faultless as he dipped in to songs from his first 10Days mixtape like ‘Brains Cells‘ to some of his recently released music like ‘Home Studio‘ and then almost the entire Acid Rap mixtape in between. After he repeatedly said how good the show was, Chance decided to give the crowd the opportunity to pick the next song. The songs that the crowd could choose were ‘Paradise‘ or ‘Paranoia‘. With ‘Paranoia being the clear favourite – a great choice!
Chance The Rapper and The Social Experiment truly embraced the ambience of the festival whilst performing in their niche style and didn’t let down the thousands of fans inside the John Peel tent.
Reviewer: Josh Pratt
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Sam Smith – Other Stage – 4/5
As one of the most exciting new acts of the past 12 months, Sam Smith’s performance was highly anticipated by many. Walking on stage fashioning an amazing flowery blazer, it was obvious from the start that Sam himself wanted to ensure he made an impression. With nothing but a full band playing behind him, Sam allowed his voice to take centre stage throughout.
He sang slightly chilled versions of hit singles ‘La La La’ and ‘Latch’, whilst also performing an unexpected cover of Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Do I Wanna Know’, bringing a whole new soulful edge to the record. Saving the best until last, Sam sung his latest number one ‘Say With Me’. It was a true goosebumps-on-the-neck moment, as the crowd sung every word right back. It was incredible to hear such a unique voice and talent performed in such a special setting. Sam Smith certainly impressed more than could be expected.
Reviewer: Claire Rollins
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Source: Press ShotDolly Parton – Pyramid Stage – 5/5
The out-right queen of country music had arrived to the Glastonbury Festival and we are pretty sure the Pyramid stage has not seen a crowd this huge in a long time. There was no messing around with Dolly and the second she entered the stage,’Baby I’m Burnin’‘ kicked in and not one single face across the entire crowd was left without a smile.
Dolly is one of those people you can’t help but love. From the way she talks, the way she smiles as she sings, her stories between tracks, she is just a superstar. Declaring she is touring to promote her new album, and asking if we minded if she played a new track, I don’t think anyone would have minded if she just stood on the stage playing the spoons for an hour.
Announcing she had written a song especially for Glastonbury entitled ‘Mud Song‘ just melted brains as the entire crowd chanted ‘Mud, Mud, Mud’ over and over while Dolly rapped over the top. Classics such as ‘Islands In The Stream‘ and ‘Jolene‘ had everyone singing their lungs out and by the time we hit ‘9 To 5‘ everyone was on top of the world. Unfortunately we had to miss the last two songs of the set (Sorry!) but all want to say is DOLLY, PLEASE PLAY EVERY FESTIVAL!! WE LOVE YOU!
Reviewer: Chris Hines
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Image source: Press Shot
Ed Sheeran – Pyramid Stage – 4.5/5
‘This is probably one of the biggest gigs I’ve ever played, this is insane’ Ed beamed to a packed Pyramid Stage crowd on Sunday afternoon. If the singer-songwriter was nervous, you’d never tell – opening his hour long set with a confident ten minute performance of ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’, which was full of tongue twisting raps and crowd participation – a theme that continued throughout his set.
It was incredible to see one man and his guitar manage to captivate such a large crowd with nothing but raw talent. Highlights of the set included well-known sing-along classics ‘Lego House’ and ‘The A Team’. He also performed some of the material from his new album including ‘Don’t’, ‘Thinking Out Loud’ and ‘Sing’, which all sounded fresh and exciting whilst in keeping with the distinctive Sheeran sound. No matter which song he was performing, Ed’s powerful voice and endearing personality kept the audience hanging on every last word and note. Even when he’d left the stage – the crowd continued to sing his lyrics in appreciation.
Reviewer: Claire Rollins
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Source: Press ShotEllie Goulding – Pyramid Stage – 4/5
Ellie Goulding treated Worthy Farm to an electrifying set on Sunday night – kicking it all off with ‘Figure 8’ and barely slowing down until the end. It’s usually during festival sets when it becomes clear just how many incredible hits an artist has and this was certainly the case with Ellie. From ‘Anything Can Happen’ and ‘Goodness Gracious’ to debut album hit ‘Starry Eyed’, throughout each song she shows off a whole host of epic dance moves as well as drumming skills.
Taking to her guitar half way through the set, Ellie performed renditions of ‘Guns & Horses’ and her cover of Alt J’s ‘Tessellate’. Both songs allowed her voice to take centre stage, showing off her unique sound and vocal range. Throughout the show Ellie exclaimed her excitement for being at Glastonbury and this energy came to a head with ‘I Need Your Love’ – a song which made the whole crowd go mad from start to finish. As the sun began to set on the last evening of the festival, Ellie closed her performance with aptly named single ‘Burn’ – providing a picturesque backdrop and memorable end to a really fun performance.
Reviewer: Claire Rollins
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Source: WBR / Danny ClinchThe Black Keys – Pyramid Stage – 3.5/5
The Black Keys‘ appearance on the Pyramid Stage was complimented heavily by the beautiful weather; the setting seeming almost perfect for the catchy classic rock they’re famous for.’Howlin’ For You‘, ‘Gold On The Ceiling‘, ‘Run Right Back‘ and ‘Lonely Boy‘ were just a handful of the anthems played in this evenings set, strung together nicely by the more subtle likes of ‘Ten Cent Pistol‘.
Frontman Dan Auerbach‘s stage presence was on top form for that of a Pyramid Stage first-timer, added to greatly by his humble brilliance on guitar. There was a warming likability surrounding this Ohio duo, yet we couldn’t help but feel it’ll take a bit more experience for The Black Keys to own the Pyramid Stage like they intend to.
Reviewer: Liam Trinh
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Source: Press ShotKasabian – Pyramid Stage – 4.5/5
Sunday night and the sun was setting over Worthy Farm and Kasabian rounded off Glastonbury festival with a bang. We all know, and expect, Kasabian to be crowd pleasers, but their performance tonight was truly flawless and the crowd reaction really mirrored their efforts.
Playing a number of tracks from their new album 48:13, and of course a stream of their golden hits such as ‘Fire’, ‘Empire’ and ‘Shoot The Runner’, certainly got the intended reaction. Accompanied by a group of string players, they gave Glastonbury a full set of just over an hour and a half of intense, incredible music that could sway even the most reluctant festival goer into being a Kasabian fan.
An added surprise from the boys came with the entrance of comedian and actor Noel Fielding for ‘Vlad The Impaler’,and as the set drew to a close, front-man Tom Meighan thanked the crowd, showing his appreciation to the fans and feeling honoured at far they have come since playing the Other Stage 10 years ago. They finished off Glastonbury with a mash-up of ‘Praise You’ by Fat Boy Slim and an old classic ‘LSF’,echoing through the crowds and bringing the festival to a perfect close.
Reviewer: Fleur Cook
