Latest news with #PiltonPop
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Bob Vylan Glastonbury Anti-Israel Chants: Police Issue Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Police have issued an update following Bob Vylan's performance at the Glastonbury Festival over the weekend. On Saturday, the English punk duo led concertgoers in a chant of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces. The band's members go by the stage names Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan. Newsweek contacted Bob Vylan's representative for comment via email on Monday. The Context Glastonbury—originally called the Pilton Pop, Folk and Blues Festival—was founded by English dairy farmer Michael Eavis in 1970. Today, the music festival—located on Worthy Farm in Somerset, England—has grown into the "largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world," according to the Somerset Council. The festival's organizers faced criticism this year over its decision to allow the Irish-language group Kneecap—which previously condemned Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip—to perform. On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage. In response, Israel launched a military operation that has killed more than 56,400 people in Gaza, the Associated Press reported, citing the strip's Hamas-run Health Ministry. Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, on June 28. Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, on June 28. Ki Price/WireImage What To Know Following Bob Vylan's Glastonbury performance, the Avon and Somerset Police issued a statement on its website and on X, formerly Twitter. "We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," the statement said. "Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation." We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon. Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation. — Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) June 28, 2025 What People Are Saying On Sunday, Bobby Vylan posted a statement on Instagram alongside the caption, "I said what I said": "As I lay in bed this morning, my phone buzzing non stop, inundated with messages of both support and hatred, l listen to my daughter typing out loud as she fills out a school survey asking for her feedback on the current state of her school dinners. She expressed that she would like healthier meals, more options and dishes inspired by other parts of the world. Listening to her voice her opinions on a matter that she cares about and affects her daily, reminds me that we may not be doomed after all. Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us. Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change. Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organizing online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered. Today it is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy." Glastonbury Festival and Emily Eavis, Michael Eavis' daughter, shared a statement to their official Instagram accounts: "Glastonbury Festival was created in 1970 as a place for people to come together and rejoice in music, the arts and the best of human endeavor. As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism. We will always believe in—and actively campaign for—hope, unity, peace and love. "With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share, and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs. "However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence." The Israeli Embassy in England wrote on X: "The Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival. "Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out—especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms. "Chants such as 'Death to the IDF,' and 'From the river to the sea' are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination. When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalization of extremist language and the glorification of violence. "We call on Glastonbury Festival organizers, artists, and public leaders in the U.K. to denounce this rhetoric and reject of all forms of hatred." U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech." U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X: "Truly sick. Thousands of people screaming 'Death to the IDF.' This is the base of the Democrat Party." What Happens Next Glastonbury Festival is taking what is known as a "fallow year" in 2026 to give the land at Worthy Farm a break from heavy pedestrian traffic.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'A kind of magic': Emily Eavis on Glastonbury's Thursday feeling
Last year, in an unlikely development, I was booked to DJ at Glastonbury Festival. When I arrived on Thursday afternoon, one thing struck me straight away. There was a very particular atmosphere. I'd best describe is as a sense of release – of a wait being over. I'd never seen or felt anything like it. That Thursday feeling stayed with me. I kept thinking about it in the months afterwards Though the main stages open on Friday and run all weekend, Glastonbury is a five-day festival. To its organiser, Emily Eavis, the first two days are special. The festival was started by her parents, Michael and Jean, and her memories are intertwined with family life. "Traditionally, it would be me and my dad who go down to open the gates on Wednesday," she says. "It's like letting people into Christmas in a way, you know? It's sort of like musical Christmas, because they're in the best state of mind." Over the next two days, the site fills up. And, at some point, almost everyone is in. "Normally Thursday afternoon is when we reach capacity," Emily tells me. "I get a message when we know that the site is full. "I love the Thursday. I love energy of the Thursday." She then describes the same phenomenon I noticed last year. "There's a palpable feeling of excitement, anticipation. People want to see everything and touch everything and be there together. It's a feeling of community, and big gangs of friends all reuniting.' "A palpable feeling of excitement," is the perfect way of putting it. The opening of the festival is something Emily has been witnessing her whole life - although it predates her by 10 years. In 1970, her farmer parents organised the Pilton Pop, Folk and Blues Festival, with glam rocker Marc Bolan, '60s pop star Wayne Fontana and singer-songwriter Al Stewart playing in his back garden. "I think this is the quickest way of clearing my overdraft," said Michael, when asked why he was staging a concert in the field where his dairy cows typically grazed. Rod Stewart on Glastonbury: 'I wish they wouldn't call it the tea-time slot' Glastonbury Festival: Five newcomers you don't want to miss Glastonbury: Full line-up and stage times With a few fits and starts, that event went on to become the UK's most recognisable music festival. And while it has changed over the years, some things have stayed the same. 'When I was little, it was very different to how it is now because it was so much smaller, it was a very few people," says Emily. "But they still had the same look in their eyes which they have now, which is cheer, determination and commitment and joy and excitement and kind of magic. "The look of, like, they're going to make this five days the best five days of their life and it's an amazing thing to witness." It was an amazing thing to witness first-hand last year. And as Emily once more sees the valley fill up, to my delight, I'm one of those who's pitching their tent. I'll be DJing at Stonebridge on Thursday night and doing my best to capture the sense of expectation and possibility. To do that, I've been getting some help from Radio 1's Greg James and his listeners – and from Drum & Bass DJ and producer Crissy Criss. Last week, I took the lift from the BBC newsroom all the way to the top of London's Broadcasting House and joined Greg on his show. We talked about Glastonbury – and Greg asked his listeners to send us voice notes describing the way they feel as the festival kicks off. A good number of them did. We then sampled some of those messages – alongside my interview with Emily Eavis. Crissy Criss has scattered those samples across a track that's a celebration of what Thursday at Glastonbury is all about. Greg will introduce the track at the Stonebridge venue where I'm DJing. As you can probably tell, that Thursday last year had quite an impact on me. As one of Greg's listeners put it: "You set yourself up, you've got your drink. Life is good. You are where you're meant to be." Or in the words of Emily Eavis: "They're going to make this five days the best five days of their life." The BBC has extensive coverage of the festival over the next few days on TV, iPlayer, radio and BBC Sounds. Sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter highlighting uplifting stories and remarkable people from around the world.
Extra.ie
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
5 weird and wonderful facts about Glastonbury Festival
It's that time of year again, where everyone and there mother attempts to hide their seething jealousy at all those attending Glastonbury. Every summer, a quiet corner of Somerset transforms into a sprawling, vibrant city of music, mud, and magic, with a select few managing to nab the highly coveted tickets. Glastonbury Festival isn't just the UK's most iconic music event, it's a cultural phenomenon with decades of quirky history, star-studded surprises, and unexpected traditions. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned camper, here are five fun facts about Glasto that prove it's more than just a music festival. It's that time of year again, where everyone and there mother attempts to hide their seething jealousy at all those attending Glastonbury. Pic: Samir Hussein/WireImage The first festival at Worthy Farm was actually called the Pilton Pop, Folk and Blues Festival and took place in late Summer 1970, just ONE DAY after Jimi Hendrix died. The inaugural event was attended by 1,500 people and admission was £1, which included free camping and free milk (?!) It's believed that Michael Eavis, the founder of Glastonbury, was in debt at the time and thought putting on a festival would clear his financial woes. Well…he wasn't wrong. Pic: Samir Hussein/WireImage You think you manage to get lost after trekking to the mainstage at Electric Picnic? God help you if you go to Glasto! It's no surprise that a massive outdoor space is needed to accommodate the nearly 200,000 people set to attend, but do you really know just how big the site is? Compared to London, Glastonbury covers the distance from Waterloo to Tottenham Court Road, while Oxford's whole city centre would fit into the Glastonbury Festival map. Christ! Glastonbury actually becomes the 7th biggest city in the south of England for one weekend out of the year. Pic:Yep, you heard that right. In 1971, the first year the pyramid stage was introduced and the second year of the festival, admission was entirely free. I'd say something if it was a tiny grass roots festival, but do you know who headlined in 1971? None other than David Bowie. Cost of living crisis who? Pic: Jim Dyson/Redferns You'd think being the creator of one of the biggest festivals in the world would be able to get just about anyone to perform, but you'd be wrong! Glastonbury has been in chats with Fleetwood Mac nearly every year, but it hasn't worked out yet for festival organisers. Michael Eavis has said it's his 'one wish' to have them take to the stage. We're holding out hope Michael! Pic: Jim Dyson/Redferns In a mammoth sanitary feat, there are over 3,300 and over 700 metres of urinals across the site. Glastonbury reports having over 2,000 long-drop seats; over 1,300 compost toilets; plus additional portable and disabled toilets. Look, at the end of the day it makes for great compost!
Metro
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Heartbreaking reason Glastonbury nearly ended in the late 90s
Can you imagine a festival season without Glastonbury? We're not referring to the occasional hiatus caused by the pandemic or the years that the festival took a break to give the farmland at Worthy Farm a much-needed rest from the 200,000 visitors it hosts annually. But in 2025, we'll likely be facing the last Glastonbury until 2027. Emily Eavis revealed last year that she and her father, Sir Michael Eavis, are seriously considering taking a break in 2026. While a two-year gap will be a long wait for die-hard festival fans, it's worth remembering that, in a different reality, we could be living in a world where Glastonbury ceased to exist at all. Everything has a natural expiry date, and last year, Emily shared that Glastonbury nearly came to an end in the late '90s. Yes, we were nearly deprived of Jay-Z covering Oasis, Dizzee Rascal's cameo during Florence and the Machine and all those glorious shots of celebs trudging through mud. On the BBC's Sidetracked podcast, Emily opened up about the tough times that nearly led to the festival's closure. She revealed that her father, Sir Michael, originally planned to retire in the late '90s, and with it, bring an end to Glastonbury. Despite some critics thinking it was a publicity stunt to sell tickets, her parents were genuinely serious about calling it quits. Sir Michael and his wife Jean had planned to retire and travel the world, and they envisioned that the start of the new Millennium, the year 2000, would herald the end of Glastonbury. In fact, Sir Michael admitted that he thought he would never host another one. But after Jean's death in 1999, Sir Michael chose to continue with the festival. He later shared on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that the festival had become his 'new partner' of sorts after his wife's passing. 'We had agreed to retire, but Jean never made it. So I became more determined to keep the festival going. I didn't have a partner, and of course, the kids were keen too! It felt like my new lady friend, in a way—the festival,' he said. The very first Glastonbury festival was held on Saturday, September 19 at Sir Michael Eavis' dairy farm in Pilton, Somerset It was originally named the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival and was renamed as Glastonbury Fayre just one year later. This subsequently evolved into the Glastonbury Festival we know and love today 1,500 festival goers attended the first festival and a ticket for the three-day event cost just £1. However, attendees also were treated to free milk from the Eavis dairy farm Two major headliners pulled out of the first ever festival – Wayne Fontana and The Kinks, but a very worthy replacement helped Sir Michael pull it out of the bag in the shape of the glam rock band Tyrannosaurus Rex, who would later be known as Sir Michael originally set up the festival to make some money and clear some debt, but it wasn't the financial big hitter he had envisaged as he previously said: 'I don't know exactly what my loss will be, but not too great' Sir Michael founded the festival in the early '70s on his Somerset farm, and over the decades, it's grown into one of the world's most prestigious music events. The first Glastonbury, held in 1970 and originally known as the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival, had tickets priced at just £1. Attendees even got free milk from Sir Michael's own dairy. The inaugural festival featured T. Rex, Quintessence, Duster Bennett, Steamhammer, and a host of local bands. Since then, Glastonbury has hosted world-class acts like Hawkwind, New Order, The Smiths, Peter Gabriel, The Cure, Oasis, Blur, The Prodigy, Radiohead, and so many others. It's no wonder every year the question on everyone's lips is, 'Who's headlining this year?' The festival's rise in the '90s saw its status soar, thanks to massive acts like Oasis, Blur, and Radiohead. As Glastonbury grows, it continues to be a cultural milestone, defining an era of British music. This year, Sir Michael will turn 90, and it's clear that the festival and the man behind it deserve a well-earned moment of rest. It's no surprise that with such a legacy, he might take a break too. His contribution to the UK music scene is immeasurable, and in 2024, he was knighted for his services to music and charity, after receiving a CBE in 2007. As the visionary once said: 'We started with 500 people in 1970, and now millions want to come every year. That's quite extraordinary, isn't it?' Extraordinary it is, and whether or not Glastonbury takes a break in 2026, it remains one of the world's most iconic festivals—cementing Britain's place on the global cultural map and raising millions for charity each year. More Trending From its humble beginnings in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into a global phenomenon, with countless historic moments along the way. Who could forget 'the year of the mud' in 1997, the infamous site flooding of 2005, Jay-Z's groundbreaking hip-hop headline in 2008, or the 2022 festival featuring both Billie Eilish, the youngest-ever solo headliner, and Sir Paul McCartney, the oldest? Looking ahead, the 2025 festival is set to be a standout, featuring performances by rock legend Neil Young, pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo, Alanis Morissette, and a long-awaited return from Sir Rod Stewart, who'll headline 23 years after his last Glastonbury appearance. For many, it will be an unforgettable send-off before the much-anticipated fallow year. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Glastonbury mystery performer 'gives away' appearance with arrival in the UK MORE: The weird and wonderful ways you can cure a Glastonbury hangover MORE: Fat Joe sued for $20,000,000 over claims of underage sex with minors
