Glastonbury 2022: Six of the biggest talking points from the Worthy Farm festival
US rapper Kendrick Lamar’s headline set closed an impressive weekend of live music
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The final day at Glastonbury ended with a jaw-dropping performance by American rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Over the course of five days, fans had danced to performances by top artists such as Paul McCartney, Little Simz, Pet Shop Boys, Sam Fender, and Billie Eilish.
On the last day of the festival, George Ezra turned up at the John Peel stage in what was possibly the worst-kept secret set in Glastonbury history, while jazz-fusion legend Herbie Hancock delighted crowds relaxing at the Pyramid stage with a virtuosic performance.
Here’s a look back at six of the biggest talking points from the entire Glastonbury 2022 festival...
Roe v Wade
News of the US Supreme Court’s highly controversial legal ruling broke on Friday, and it was clearly on a lot of people’s minds at Glastonbury. It certainly didn’t escape the attention of the artists, many of whom were American. From Billie Eilish, to Phoebe Bridgers, to Olivia Rodrigo, to Kendrick Lamar, lots of the performers included powerful statements about abortion rights in their sets.
From the youngest ever headliner…
Eilish made history with her Friday night headline slot, delighting fans with an intimate but lively set of songs from the 20-year-old’s two albums. As the festival’s youngest ever solo headliner, the pressure was certainly on Eilish’s shoulders, but as Mark Beaumont’s five-star review attests, she pulled it off with aplomb.
…to the oldest
On the other end of the spectrum, we had Paul McCartney, who delivered an absolute barnstormer of a set on Saturday. Performing a range of hits from his Beatles and Wings repertoires, as well as his solo career (and a couple of covers), Macca delivered a Glastonbury experience for the ages. At 80 years old, he became the festival’s oldest ever headliner.
Kendrick Lamar
Closing the festival on Sunday was Kendrick Lamar, who held the Pyramid Stage in the palm of his hand from the start of his electrifying, career-spanning set to the end. The stunning climax of his set – a rendition of “saviour” performed while blood dripped from his diamond crown of thorns, before he began a furious chant about women’s rights – was pure chills-down-the-spine stuff.
Ukraine
The ongoing war in Ukraine was also a core political issue for many of the festival’s acts and attendees. Ukrainian flags were spotted commonly around the festival site, with McCartney holding one aloft in solidarity as he took the stage for his encore. The Pyramid Stage also played host to Ukrainian band Dakhabrakha on Sunday, one of several Ukrainian artists the festival championed.
A little help from my friends…
While Kendrick’s set may have been all him, many of the festival’s other acts deployed some heavyweight guest stars. McCartney brought Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl on stage towards the end. Olivia Rodrigo welcomed Lily Allen for a duet of “F*** You”. Phoebe Bridges joined forces with Arlo Parks (who had her own full set at the festival) for a couple of numbers. Pete Doherty even showed up on stage during Hak Baker’s performance, having performed with the Libertines shortly before. It was a festival chock-full of unexpected – but thoroughly enjoyed – cameos.
Look back at our live blog below:
Day 3 – In five (more) pictures!
Pretty impressive visuals at the Groove Armada set last night.
“Hands of Time” is a pretty unimpeachable banger...
Little Simz’s set last night gets four stars in our review.
“As the lights of Worthy Farm go dark for the night, Little Simz’s star is shining brighter than ever.”
Read in full here:
Little Simz’s star shines brighter than ever at Glastonbury – review
Little Simz’s raw musicality, accompanied by her bittersweet, confessional lyrics, elevates the musician’s status to 21st-century storyteller and poet
ICYMI – everything to know about Paul McCartney’s headline set this evening.
What day and time will Paul McCartney perform at Glastonbury?
Former Beatle will headline Worthy Farm festival for second time
Who’s everyone most looking forward to seeing today?
Macca’s going to be the obvious answer, but there’s so much to choose from.
Personally I don’t think I’ve seen a better gig this year than Big Thief –they’re sure to be ace this afternoon.
Big Thief’s new album has the rich comfort of a yearned-for homecoming – review
In a market saturated with arty folk rockers, Big Thief stand out not by doing things weirder, but by doing them better
Here’s the video from Phoebe Bridgers’s set yesterday, when she lead the crowd in a chant of “f*** the Supreme Court”
Couple of hours until things really kick off today.
That gives you plenty of time to read this cracking feature by Adam White, about his youth as a “Glastonbury baby”.
The earthy magic and lawless energy of being a child at Glastonbury
Adam White recalls the years he was more interested in seeing The Corrs than Courtney Love, and when the colours, noise and fire-breathing spiders gripped his imagination
Lauren Laverne is one of the faces of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage this year, but she’s just shared this heartbreaking message on Instagram.
Lauren Laverne ‘heartbroken’ after death of mother Celia
‘Mam, I love you forever. Thank you for my fantastic life,’ she wrote in an extended post on Instagram
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