Glastonbury 2023 – latest: Elton John says thank-you to festival audience after farewell UK performance

OK, so I love Arctic Monkeys - nowhere near as much as my colleague, Jacob, but a fair bit. But things have definitely slowed down to a somewhat sluggish pace, I think. We’ve had the hits, sure, but all relatively sedate renditions, perhaps with the exception of “Brianstorm”. I wonder if it has something to do with Alex Turner’s vocal chords still being on the sore side, but also, he does tend to switch it up at their live shows.

On to “Do I Wanna Know?”

I know we were all worried, but wow, what a spectacular return to Worthy Farm for the Arctic Monkeys. Perhaps there’s a slight strain to Alex Turner’s voice, but it’s barely perceptible as he croons his way around “Cornerstone” and “Arabella”, then hollers on hits including “Teddy Picker” and “Brianstorm”. The band are superb, responding to one another with near-psychic precision.

Two stars for Royal Blood’s Pyramid Stage set from Jazz Monroe, OUCH.

Sandwiched between a surprise Foo Fighters set and headliners Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood take to the Pyramid stage Friday night in second billing – a milestone, or stumbling block, for any great band. But the stakes are higher still for the West Sussex duo, as they emerge from an international incident at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee, when singer Mike Kerr lashed out against a “pathetic” crowd that failed to appreciate their rock bona fides, before flouncing off stage with middle fingers raised.

The vainglorious outburst was rooted in the authenticity fetishism that is at the heart of every argument about rock’s supremacy – which explains its intrigue, and hilariousness, to a streaming-era audience that is broadly unfactional and genre-agnostic. Then again, in an age of asinine, media-friendly posturing, it was so uncalculated as to be almost admirable – a rare case of a band whipping up a PR storm, in these enlightened times, not by patronising pop-star women or consorting with far-right provocateurs, but through the old-fashioned medium of being a bit of a dick.

Full review:

Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured.

I can’t believe this was Sparks’s first ever performance at Glastonbury, is that right?! That’s what Russell seemed to say just now. Twenty-six albums in, proving that you don’t have to achieve everything you want in life before you hit 30.

We’ve got Jazz Monroe reviewing the Arctics’ set tonight, but Mark Beaumont, also on site, offered his take on their most recent album, The Car.

Have a read here:

You’ve got about 40 mins before Arctic Monkeys take to the Pyramid Stage as Friday’s headliners for Glastonbury 2023. I’d strongly advise you - should you be watching from home - to switch over to the Park Stage where Sparks are playing an absolutely electrifying set.

Cowboy hats a la Britney 2003 and Beyoncé 2023 are a big style moment at Glastonbury this year.

Here are Jess 30, Sinead 31, Rhi 31, and Morwana 28 from Bristol, who coordinated their outfits for the weekend.

“It’s pink day today,” they say. And in homage to the ultimate Y2K couple, Britney and Justin, no doubt: “Tomorrow is double denim.”

Here’s hoping they can manifest Britney herself to join Elton on tkkhe Pyramid on Sunday, too.