'Embarrassing' Glastonbury opening ceremony is panned by revellers after 'sound issues' during fireworks display

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

Glastonbury festival-goers have criticised last night's opening ceremony as 'embarrassing' after claiming it was marred by a lack of amplified sound.
Acrobats and singers took part in the colourful show on the Pyramid Stage which finished with fireworks as the festival began at Worthy Farm in Somerset.
But disappointed revellers among the crowd at the start of the five-day event said they were unable to hear anything and the performers had been 'let down'.
Others however pointed out that the ceremony, which was entitled 'The Dreamweaver's Journey', was meant to be unamplified due to noise restrictions.
MailOnline understands that the lack of sound was because Glastonbury's main stages are not allowed amplified sound until Friday due to the terms of its licence.
Choirs were therefore placed around the audience during the performance, while the unamplified circus show and the big screens encouraged the crowd to sing along.
But one unimpressed festival-goer told The Sun: 'The opening ceremony started ten minutes late, there was a huge choir on stage that no one could hear.
'All we could hear was the sound of a couple of drums. It was a massive fireworks display with no music, the whole silence lasted 30 minutes.'
Others complained about the show on X, with one tweeting: 'Not good from a sound standpoint. I think you have let the performers down here to say the least.'
Another wrote: 'Massive crowd, great performances, but thoroughly lost because somebody forgot to turn the amps on.' And a third tweeted: 'No sound?!'
A fourth said: 'Guessing you do know the speakers on Pyramid aren't working tonight for the opening ceremony? Real shame, so much potential for an awesome night.'
Other comments included 'Who forgot to turn the speakers on?'; 'This Glastonbury opening ceremony is embarrassing as F'; and 'Is there meant to be no sound at the Glastonbury 2025 opening ceremony? Local regs? Crowds a bit restless at the back.'
But one person replied to defend the show, saying: 'It was always supposed to be crowd driven audio. Glasto explained this in an update earlier today.'
In the update he referenced, Glastonbury had told festival-goers that it wanted to create a 'visceral, immersive acoustic musical soundscape and we need your voice' and encouraged everyone to 'participate in a living, breathing chorus of sound'.
A 'Dreamweaver digital cyclist' appeared on the big screens, with attendees asked to 'tune in and hum along'.
Organisers added: 'Pick any note and hold it as they cruise the road. Uphill? Take your pitch higher. Downhill? Glide your pitch lower. Need to breathe? Go for it – this is a marathon, not a sprint.
'Watch closely: If the Dreamweaver cyclist gets bigger, raise your voice. If they shrink in the distance, soften your sound. And don't worry about matching the person next to you – the more variety, the better. We want a beautiful chaos of sound that moves with the action.'
Last night featured two opening ceremonies – one at the Pyramid Stage and the other at the Green Fields area, with both having a 10pm start time. They were followed by fireworks viewable from both areas at 10.45pm.
The Pyramid Stage was hosting a theatre and circus show for the first time since 1990.
Organisers described it as a 'breathtaking aerial odyssey, with acrobats and incredible circus performances' and an 'unforgettable shared experience of energy, emotion and spectacle'.
It comes after the gates to Glastonbury opened at 8am yesterday, with organiser Emily Eavis and her father, co-founder Sir Michael Eavis, seen counting down and cheering as the festival began while a brass band played.
More than 200,000 people are expected to descend on the fields of Pilton, with ticket-holders advised to prepare for mainly warm weather but with a chance of rain.
This year's event will see headline performances from British rock/pop band The 1975, veteran singer Neil Young and his band the Chrome Hearts, and US pop star Olivia Rodrigo.
Performing in the coveted Sunday tea-time legends slot this year is Sir Rod Stewart, who previously said he will be joined by his former Faces band member Ronnie Wood, as well as some other guests.
One of the more controversial acts performing is Irish rap trio Kneecap, who have been in the headlines recently after one of their members was charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year.
Last week, the 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts.
He was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the group's performance at the festival, taking place on the West Holts Stage at 4pm on Saturday, is not 'appropriate' and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance.
Among the acts expected to draw large crowds this year is alternative pop star Charli XCX, who will perform songs from her genre-defining sixth studio album Brat.
She is performing on Saturday night on the Other Stage, 15 minutes before the West Holts stage is graced by US rapper Doechii, another artist who has exploded in popularity in the last year.
Other performers include Irish singer CMAT, Prada singer Raye, US musician Brandi Carlile, Nile Rodgers and Chic and hip-hop star Loyle Carner.
Also involved are US pop star Gracie Abrams, indie outfit Wet Leg, Mercury Prize-winning jazz quintet Ezra Collective, US rapper Denzel Curry and rising star Lola Young.
The line-up additionally features a number of acts listed as TBA, as well as a mysterious act called Patchwork, who will take to the Pyramid Stage on Saturday.
This year, the BBC will provide live-streams of the five main stages - Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park.