Glastonbury 2023 – latest: Elton John says thank-you to festival audience after farewell UK performance
Rocket Man bids farewell as he played what could be his final live show in the UK, with a jaw-dropping, career-spanning set of his greatest songs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Elton John performed what will go down as one of the greatest headline shows in Glastonbury history last night (Sunday 25 June), to one of the biggest crowds the festival has seen in years.
Lil Nas X was the final artist to take to the main stage before the 76-year-old at Worthy Farm, Somerset, after a joyful Yusuf/Cat Stevens entertained fans with songs including “Wild World” and “Father and Son”.
The revered folk singer-songwriter performed with his band in the coveted Legends Slot, a gig previously handed to artists including Lionel Richie, Kylie Minogue and Dolly Parton. He also gave superfan/comedian Ricky Gervais a shout-out on his birthday, before playing his song “Tea for the Tillerman”.
At 9pm, John launched his performance with some of his best-known songs, including his 1975 cover of “Pinball Wizard” and “Benny and the Jets”. From the moment he sat down at the piano, the show was a pure blast of euphoria from one of the world’s greatest living entertainers, with surprise guests including The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers, and Gabriels singer Jacob Lusk.
‘This doesn’t look bad’: Glastonbury clean-up team say site left better than ever
Glastonbury viewers stunned at ‘insane’ crowd size for Elton John’s Pyramid Stage concert
How to get tickets for Glastonbury 2024
Elton John review, Glastonbury 2023: The glitziest, most high-energy retirement party the world has ever seen
Read our interview with The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie
Earlier this year, Mark Beaumont (currently on site at Worthy Farm) wrote an incredibly moving interview with Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds, who just closed their Glastonbury set with the inevitable “Three Lions”, Broudie’s football anthem with Frank Skinner and David Baddiel.
Have a read here:
The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie: ‘I had to rebuild myself’
The self-confessed ‘miserable bastard’ sits down with Mark Beaumont to discuss coming up in Liverpool’s thriving Eighties rock scene, the legacy of football anthem ‘Three Lions’, and why it’s taken him over a decade to make a new Lightning Seeds album
Dave Grohl sighting at Worthy Farm – confirmed!
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has been spotted at Glastonbury, further stoking rumours that the band will make a surprise appearance on stage tonight.
A mysterious band called The ChurnUps are scheduled to perform on the Pyramid Stage tonight and many are convinced that they are the Foo Fighters under an alias.
A Foo Fighters fanpage tweeted a photo of Grohl on-site on Friday afternoon:
REVIEW: FLO at the Woodsies stage
FLO more than earning the Destiny’s Child comparisons in a set packed with tight harmonies and soaring riffs, girl band co-ordinated outfits and sexy-as-hell dance moves.
Also treated us to a cover of Jamelia’s “Superstar” and some retro chairography, which is always a win in my eyes – bring back chairography!
ICYMI: Gatecrashers have been digging tunnels to enter Glastonbury festival illegally
You can’t get into Glastonbury without a ticket – but the demand to be a part of the Worthy Farm fun is so high that some people are trying to get in by sneakier means.
While some people have been digging “Great Escape-style” tunnels, others have been using grappling hooks to enter the festival without paying.
Peony Hirwani has the full story:
Gatecrashers have been digging tunnels to enter Glastonbury Festival illegally
‘We’ve had to chase people down who bolted through the gates with their bags on’
FLO take on the Woodsies stage
Oh hey FLO! The three-piece R&B group, made of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer, are currently on the Woodsies stage, marking their Glastonbury debut.
We’re back with Flag Watch 2023 – spotted by Adam White, here’s a flag emblazoned with the McLovin ID card from Superbad.
And just underneath, there’s a second flag with the phrase “Flags Sold Here” – a flag and a savvy piece of marketing all in one.
REVIEW: Alabaster de Plume on the Park Stage
Over at the Park Stage, jazz shaman Alabaster de Plume begins with a strong missive that involves thanking the audience and inviting them to leave their ego behind.
“Here you are and I see you and I get the f**k over myself…,” says the saxophonist, whose angular spiritual explorations are a necessary and often intense balm for Friday afternoon. “I love that you’re here and you’re exactly who you are… it’s a tough world to live in and you are living.”
That sort of hippie talk may raise eyebrows but if you choose to go along with him, his radical acceptance rituals of drums, chunky bass, existential intoning, and sometimes romantic, sometimes squalling sax can be more than rewarding, as it is the beating sunshine today.
Carly Rae Jepsen set to make her Glastonbury debut: ‘This is in the elite class’
For most music artists, there’s no stage more coveted than one at Glastonbury.
Carly Rae Jepsen will make her debut there on the Other Stage this afternoon, and she has spoken out about her excitement for the gig.
Speaking ahead of her set at 3.45pm, the “Call Me Maybe” hitmaker said the opportunity to perform at Glastonbury is “one of those bucket list, lifetime experiences”.
Maanya Sachdeva has the full story:
Carly Rae Jepsen calls Glastonbury debut ‘bucket list’ moment
Jepsen, 37, is headed to Worthy Farm for her inaugural show on Friday 23 June
REVIEW: Maisie Peters on the Pyramid Stage
“This song is about my terrible terrible terrible taste in men,” Peters laments at the midpoint of her Pyramid Stage set, which gets by on pure pop-punk bravado. “Who’s the rock star now?” she yells to the crowd at the climax of pretentious artiste kiss-off “Not Another Rockstar”.
The teens in the crowd go wild. Peters is still only 23, and her banter is a bit of a tell (“Who here is already wasted!?”), but there’s a sweetness to her energy — like a high school prom queen who would never dare shove a geek in their locker.”
Peters’ second album, The Good Witch, is out today – you can read The Independent’s four-star review here.
If you’re reading this, drink some water
Glastonbury’s official Twitter page has shared a reminder for everyone on the site to keep drinking water, available at more than 800 points around the festival.
“A reminder that all of our water is drinking water, and we have 800+ taps with the same quality water as your taps at home,” a tweet reads, adding: “Please refill your bottles for free throughout the Festival to stay hydrated!”
And if you’re not at Worthy Farm and reading this from elsewhere, consider this your reminder to get some water in you anyway – it’s good for you!