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Despite the festival being cancelled on its 50th anniversary due to the pandemic the BBC iPlayer has an incredible range of highlights, from headliners to laid back acoustic sets all available now.
Roughly 200,00 people attend the world-famous festival every year. With the likes of legends Beyoncé, David Bowie, and The Cure, to indie supergroups like Radiohead, Oasis, and Pulp to electro classics like The Chemical Brothers. Only the best of the best has graced the great Pyramid Stage.
From pop, rap, and indie, to DJS, dance and grime the iPlayer has a cracking selection right now.
Every Glastonbury performance stands out from the vast amount of people in the crowds, the incredible once in a lifetime performances and the picturesque sunset surroundings. The electric vibes and outstanding performances are enough to give anyone goosebumps.
There really is nothing like it. Get a couple of cold cans, put on your best festival outfit, sit back and take in all the spine-tingling moments the festival has to offer.
Pulp,1995.
Pulps 1995 set really takes you back in time. Not a phone to be seen in the massive crowd, something that is rare nowadays. Jarvis Cocker is a king and this performance is a rare gem. Starting with the brilliant ‘Do You Remember the First Time’, the set just gets better from there.
Six months before the millennium this set actually features ‘Disco 2000’s’ live debut. Still an anthem today, seeing its live debut is a special feeling even through a screen twenty years later. The set climaxes with an outstanding rendition of ‘Common People’.
The Chemical Brothers, 2000.
One of the biggest crowds ever. At the start of the millennium dance duo Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons took to the iconic stage on the Saturday night and turned the whole field into one massive house party.
Starting with ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ the set was instantly electrifying. I cannot begin to imagine how intensely incredible it would have been to be in that crowd on that night. Superstar DJs here we go indeed.
Bloc Party, 2009.
The exhilarating set from the London four piece is an amazing watch. Opening with ‘One Month Off’, highlights include ‘Two More Years’, ‘One More Chance’ and an incredible finish with ‘Flux’ followed by ‘Helicopter’. The way frontman Kele Okereke holds a crowd, paired with mid 00’s electric indie hits will light up your night.
Beyoncé, 2011.
Beyoncé’s incredible performance opens with ‘Crazy in Love’. She came to headline, and holy shit how she headlined. The performance is a masterpiece. Beyoncé is the first solo woman of colour to headline the Pyramid Stage. The whole set is magical: Destiny’s Child medleys, a Kings of Leon Cover, sensational songs. Exhilarating choreography throughout. This performance is not one to miss.
Arctic Monkeys, 2013.
As an avid Arctic Monkeys fan, I have seen this performance countless times. The 2013 set debuts AM their most rock and roll album to date and a shiny new Alex Turner. Very different from their first Glasto headline performance.
It’s hard to believe the four suave Sheffield men owning the great Pyramid Stage are the same scruffy boys who headlined their back in 2007.
The guitar echoing through the darkness across the crowd, the classic AM graphics lighting up the screens building suspense till the drums kick in and ‘Do I Wanna Know’ begins, it is a spectacular opening.
Straight after diving into their old stuff with Favourite Worst Nightmares ‘Brainstorm’. The whole set is hit after hit, each one performed flawlessly.
Arcade Fire, 2014.
Arcade Fire’s funky technicolour set is outstanding. Featuring a lot of hits from their debut album Funeral, including a beautiful performance of ‘Rebellion’ followed by ‘Joan of Arc’. The whole set is full of exuberance and extremely uplifting to watch.
Florence and the Machine, 2015.
Returning to headline the Pyramid Stage back in 2015 Florence and the Machine were nothing short of spectacular. Full of exuberance, front woman Florence leaping across the stage as far into the crowd as bouncers would allow her. The whole performance is an energetic euphoric treat.
The XX, 2017.
The London trio took to stage by storm with their electronic indie pop tunes. Suitably starting with ‘Intro’, the set had songs from I See You, xx, and Coexist. Their music is so insanely beautiful and their performance on the Pyramid Stage was no different.
A strong solo rendition of Performance from Romy adds to the atmospheric brilliance throughout. Coming to a perfect end with ‘On Hold’ followed by ‘Angels’. All in all, it’s an outstanding gorgeous performance in the hazy sunset. Definitely worth a watch.
There are many more headline performances, acoustic sets, and wholesome Glastonbury content to light up your lockdown available on the iPlayer now.
Film Media and Journalism student at the University of Stirling. Editor in Chief at Brig Newspaper. Edinburgh / Stirling
