For every Coldplay, Shania Twain or Orbital that plays at Glastonbury, there are a whole bunch of new bands that can only dream of headlining the legendary festival, but they’ve all got to start somewhere. Just ask Chris Martin and co.
Coldplay will headline the Pyramid Stage for the fifth time on Saturday night, 25 years since they made their Worthy Farm debut in the New Bands Tent (now renamed Woodsies). Back then they’d been together for just 18 months, with only an EP to their name, but three years later they were booked for the biggest slot in the business for the first time. Muse, who also played the New Bands Tent in 1999, went on to headline in 2004, 2010 and 2016.
The BBC is live-streaming all five main stages on iPlayer this year, so there will be a heap of music to enjoy this weekend (and later at your leisure). Wondering who to check out? Here's our pick of seven brilliant new bands to watch this weekend. You could end up enjoying a future headliner...
- FREE stream: BBC iPlayer (UK)
- Watch anywhere with NordVPN
The Last Dinner Party
The Last Dinner Party shot to prominence a little over a year ago with the release of their debut single Nothing Matters – and their feet have hardly touched the ground since. The five-piece, who signed a record deal before they’d even released a song, were a last-minute addition to last year’s line-up, playing to a packed Woodsies tent, but this year they’ve earned a promotion to the Other Stage. The band’s baroque-pop songs, theatrical presentation, and singer Abigail Morris’s Kate Bush-esque stage presence will make this a mid-afternoon dinner party to which everyone will want an invite.
When are they on? Saturday 3:45pm, Other Stage
Kneecap
Northern Ireland isn’t exactly known for its hip-hop, but that’s exactly what makes Kneecap, who rap in both English and Irish, such a thrilling proposition. Belfast might be a long way from Brooklyn, but Kneecap’s songs cover much of the same ground as their American counterparts: working-class struggles, politics, and getting completely off your head to forget both.
The group, which consists of vocalists Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara, plus balaclava-clad DJ Próvaí, has earned a deserved reputation for their rowdy live shows that have more in common with hardcore punk gigs than head-nodding hip-hop sets. This pre-midday performance will be a wake-up call for those trying to shake off the effects of the night before.
When are they on? Saturday 11:30am, Woodsies
Blondshell
Blondshell is the stage name of Sabrina Teitelbaum – an LA-based singer who had a fledgling career as a pop artist under the moniker Baum, but binned it all off to become what she is today: a more grungey Sheryl Crow. Blondshell is at her best when she’s got something to get off her chest, whether that’s venting about love, addiction, self-destruction or revenge, so while there’s plenty of angst in her songs, she writes about these subjects with maturity and a relatable wit. Her influences are certainly quite obvious, but with an ear for brilliantly melodic hooks she could easily outgrow them before too long.
When are they on? Sunday 3:30pm, Woodsies
High Vis
High Vis formed in London but there’s a distinctly Northern vibe to their sound – it’s Madchester meets hardcore punk. There’s righteous anger here but High Vis are not nihilistic; there’s defiance, hope and belief in their music. Their gigs are cathartic, us-against-the-world singalongs, and in Merseyside-born Graham Sayle, who looks like he’s ready to fight every single member of the audience at the drop of a mic, they have one of the most passionate and magnetic frontmen since Liam Gallagher swaggered his way out of Longsight in the early '90s.
When are they on? Saturday 12:45pm, Woodsies
Rachel Chinouriri
Back in 2023, Rachel Chinouriri landed a slot supporting Lewis Capaldi on tour after she drunkenly messaged him on Instagram offering her services. Whether the London-based singer slid into Michael Eavis’s DMs to secure this slot at Glastonbury isn’t for us to speculate, but on the strength of her songs, she certainly deserves it. The first album the 25-year-old ever bought was A Rush Of Blood To The Head by Saturday night’s headliners Coldplay, and their influence is palpable in her catchy, inventive pop tunes that quickly get comfortable in your brain.
When are they on? Sunday 12:30pm, Other Stage
The Mary Wallopers
The Mary Wallopers make the kind of music that makes them sound like they’ve been around for decades, but their debut album was only released in 2022. To be fair, some of the songs they play have been around for a lot longer, but if you’re expecting a bunch of hairy old chaps who look like morris dancers singing dreary songs about harvesting turnips, prepare to be surprised by The Mary Wallopers. This is folk music as they believe it should be: raucous and rabble-rousing. And with a tour booked for early 2025 that ends with a night at Brixton Academy, chances are they’ll be causing good-natured riots on far bigger stages than this by next summer.
When are they on? Friday 3:15pm, The Park Stage
Problem Patterns
Problem Patterns entered Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition hoping to win a place on this year’s line-up, and while the Belfast four-piece didn’t take top spot, the judges were so impressed with the standard of all eight finalists that the whole lot were rewarded with a slot at the festival. Formed in 2018, the band doesn’t have a lead singer: Alanah Smith, Beverley Boal, Bethany Crooks and Ciara King all switch instruments to ensure everyone has a voice. That emphasis on equality is something that runs right through their music, with songs that tackle homophobia, misogyny and people who say “not all men”, so it’s not a huge surprise that they’ve been compared to Bikini Kill and other bands from the riot grrrl scene of the ‘90s.
When are they on? Sunday 11:30am, The Park Stage
Read more:
How to live stream Glastonbury 2024 – TV channels, headliners, set times, dates, weather
Here's how to upgrade your TV's sound system
Our pick of the best soundbars
