This weekend marks possibly the daddy of Britain’s music festivals, as tens of thousands of rockers, ravers, indie kids and hippies make their way to Somerset for the Glastonbury festival. With tickets often harder to find than a clean toilet on the Somerset farm however, most of us will be watching from the comfort of our living rooms rather than dancing half naked in a field. That may not be such a bad thing – with rain forecast for the weekend festival revellers could find themselves watching puddles of mud rather than their favourite band. An additional benefit is that it means we can tune in to watch all of our favourite bands without the intense military planning that it takes to get to the right stage at the right time. In fact, even for weeks after the festival in the UK we’ll be able to browse the best gigs on the BBC iPlayer. So if you’ve been there and are worried you missed something, want to settle down to something in the evening or want musical inspiration, here are 10 brilliant acts we’re looking forward to from Glastonbury 2015. There are a few clashes here so it either means some decisions or catching up at home!
1. The Who (Pyramid Stage, Sunday 9.45 pm)
This is part of The Who’s farewell tour, and it would be remiss of us to pass up the opportunity to see one of rock’s greatest ever bands play this iconic stage. With hits like Baba O’Riley, My Generation, Pinball Wizard and The Kids Are Alright, The Who are sure to get the Glastonbury crowd rocking, and it will be a must watch from home too. For how epic a Who gig at Glastonbury is, one just has to look at the video below, which shows the huge crowds enjoying Baba O’Riley from the original mod band on the Pyramid Stage. The perfect end to Glastonbury weekend.
Video source: BBC/Youtube
2. La Roux (John Peel Stage, Saturday 21.05)
La Roux wowed the festival in 2009, with Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid’s gig based on their eponymous album one of the most talked about of the weekend. Their latest offering, 2014’s Trouble In Paradise may lack the commercial cut through of their first album – it was impossible to escape tracks like Bulletproof and In For The Kill in 2009, but it’s arguably as finer piece of work. For some wonderful synthpop, the old hits and newer brilliant tracks like the unbelievably catchy Sexotheque and Uptight Downtown La Roux promise to be a treat.
Video source: BBC/Youtube.com
3. Florence + The Machine (Pyramid Stage, Friday 22:15)
Florence may have been overlooked had it not been for the unfortunate injury to Dave Grohl preventing the Foo Fighters from playing. Down the bill Florence would’ve undoubtedly provided a great gig for festival goers, but might not have stood out as something to watch – it is after all six years since Florence Welch and co burst on to the scene and the excitement has rather diminished. However watching her take on a coveted headline slot will be fascinating and could provide the opportunity for the band to recapture some of the excitement caused by their debut, to go with their undoubted talent.
Image sources: Vevo/Youtube.com
4. Jamie XX
The XX wowed Glastonbury in 2010, with their gig on the John Peel Stage proving one of the highlights of the festival as their debut album became the soundtrack to that summer. They returned in 2013, and Jamie from the band is back this year with his exceptional solo album In Colour. With his eclectic mix of musical styles and electronica music, Jamie XX is sure to provide fans with a gig to match the ones he produced with his bandmates in previous years. This time he’s on before the Super Furry Animals on the Friday night on The Park stage, meaning that one can either watch him and rush back for the headliners if you’re not an SFA fan, or switch him on before the headliners come on on your sofa.
Video source: Youtube.com
5. Hot Chip (West Holts Stage, Friday 22:15)
Hot Chip were one of the stars of the 2010 festival, with hits like Over and Over, One Life Stand and Ready For The Floor being lapped up by an energetic Other Stage crowd. This year they’re headlining the West Holts on Friday, so may be in danger of being overlooked for the names on the Pyramid and the Other stages. However if you remember a time when it seemed every indie club in the country was dancing to Hot Chip and adore the band’s eccentric stagecraft and exceptional ear for a tune – it will be worth checking out Hot Chip.
Video source: Vevo/Youtube.com
6. Lamb (Avalon Stage, Friday 23.15)
1990s trip-hop band Lamb have a habit of putting on magical performances at Glastonbury, enchanting audiences in 2003 and 2009. This is a band who’ll tend to take you away from the crowds and will be a hidden gem for those who want something a little more niche than Florence + The Machine, on at the same time on the Pyramid Stage. The mesmerising vocals of Lou Rhodes will be able to be seen on the Avalon stage, the perfect small venue to drift away with Lamb while there is chaos going on all around you.
Video source: Youtube.com
7. Suede (John Peel Stage, Saturday 22:35)
This is one for those nostalgic for a Glastonbury from a previous age, namely the era of Brtitpop and the 1990s. Glasto may have become a lot more gentrified since then, with one more likely to see a par of designer wellies than the anarchy of the early 1990s. However for those who want to recapture those times – either from the comfort of home or at the festival, Suede can take you back with hits like Beautiful Ones.
Video source: Youtube.com
8. Chet Faker (John Peel Stage, Friday 16:00)
Australian electronica musician Chet Faker chose his moniker as an homage to jazz great Chet Baker, and has begun to break through into the mainstream, with his song Gold a minor hit in the United States. He rose to fame after a cover of Blackstreet’s hit No Diggity was used in a Superbowl commercial, but is so much more than that – a brooding, thoughtful musician who’s also capable of producing jazz infused eletronica music which makes you want to dance, he’s the perfect artist for those who want an other worldly musical experience in the early afternoon before things really get wild in the evening.
Video source: Vevo/Youtube.com
9. Mary J. Blige (Pyramid Stage, Friday 16:00)
Over a career that’s spanned over 20 years Mary J. Blige has built up a reputation as one of the most respected divas who made R&B music almost inescapable at the turn of the millennium. In many ways a precursor to acts like Beyonce and Rihanna who combine hip hop with soul and R&B to create a sound we’re now so familiar with we regard it as the default choice for pop music. With some superb hits of her own, including the towering No More Drama and inescapably catchy Family Affair, watching Mary J is a must for anyone in their mid-to-late 20s who grew up with her music.
Video source: Vevo/Youtube.com
10. FFS (John Peel Stage, Sunday 22:05)
FFS are newcomers to the festival scene, but the bands which make up this supergroup are certainly not. They’re a collaboration between eccentric 1970s rockers Sparks and 2000s art-pop heroes Franz Ferdinand (hence FFS). As such FFS represent one of the most intriguing yet obviously crowd pleasing acts at Glastonbury. The band will be going through their constituent parts’ hits, meaning that this is a must for Franz Ferdinand or Sparks fans, but will also be playing new material such as new single Johnny Delusional. It’s just a shame that people actually at Glastonbury will probably miss the band – as they’re competing against The Who and The Chemical Brothers in their Sunday night timeslot. Still it’s one gig well worth seeking out on the iPlayer, or for those who want to avoid the Pyramid Stage crowds.
Video source: Vevo/Youtube.com
