Hello from Worthy Farm, home of Glastonbury. As is now tradition, this week’s Guide comes from a small, dimly-lit cabin behind the Pyramid stage, where the Guardian will bring you its exhaustive coverage of the world’s greatest music festival. In fact, even ahead of Glasto opening, our writers have already been busy pumping out news and features: there’s the customary Glasto weather report, a lovely gallery of people arriving onsite, a round up of 30 acts to catch, Alexis Petridis’s ranking of the best ever sets at the festival, and a lovely interview with teenage band Askew, one of the youngest groups to ever play at the festival.
But things really get going today with our liveblog, which should be launching right as this newsletter drops into your inboxes (I’m first up on liveblogging duties – do come and say hi in the comments). All weekend, we’ll be bringing you news, reviews, photography, video and, of course, vox pops with people dressed as Elton John/zebras/the Go Compare opera man. And on Monday, the Guardian’s G2 supplement will publish their annual sum-up of the fest, with interviews, analysis and tons more besides.
Thankfully, for those of you at home, Glasto is as Fomo-proof as a festival gets. The BBC’s extensive coverage takes you as close to the action as you can get without having your foot trodden on by some annoying berk dancing to I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor. In fact, there’s so much to watch, you might be in danger of decision paralysis. So to help give you some pointers we’ve asked some of the acts appearing at this year’s festival – as well as some Guardian scribes on the ground at Worthy Farm – to tell us what they’ll be right at the front of the crash barriers for this year …
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Shaad D’Souza
Guardian writer
“It’s been four years since Lana Del Rey last performed in the UK, and in that time she’s released three of her best albums. Her Saturday night Other stage headline set (10.30pm) is basically the reason I’m here: to see a generation-defining talent take a victory lap after some of the most fruitful years of her career. Based on footage from her recent shows in Brazil, it’s going to be something special.”
CMAT
Dublin country-popper
“Obviously my number one recommendation for Glastonbury is the very talented CMAT (pictured above). But aside from that, I am most excited to see Sparks on Friday on the Park stage (9.15pm). I have counted, and on Friday I will be incorporating five different pieces of Sparks merchandise into my look. They are my favourite band.”
CMAT plays Woodsies, 12.30pm, Sunday
Ammar Kalia
Guardian writer
“I’m most excited to see Speakers Corner Quartet on Sunday on the West Holts stage (3.30pm). They’re a south London collective who started out as a house band for a hip-hop and spoken word night called Speakers Corner in Brixton, and they’ve been together for 16 years. They’ve built a really amazing network of collaborators in that time, including Sampha, Tirzah and Coby Sey. Their set is bound to feature a lot of special guests – and probably a lot of surprises.”
Jules Jackson
Singer with emotive indie-rockers The Big Moon
“Everybody should go and see CMAT. I saw her in London and it was the best show that I’ve seen this year, and definitely the only one with sparkly cactuses. She played It’s All Coming Back To Me Now by Céline Dion in full before walking on stage which I have massive respect for.”
The Big Moon play Woodsies, 2pm, Sunday
Nish Kumar
Comedian and Pod Save The UK host
“I’ll go with Loyle Carner (West Holts, 10.15pm, Saturday), a rapper fresh from producing his finest album to date, Hugo. It’s a record that deals with, among other things, how fatherhood has led him to evaluate his relationship with his own father, and it’s one that he has described as ‘a small story, but with some big topics’. It’s a lyrically complex, emotionally raw, sonically ambitious work, that he is performing with a live band on tour, and it’s a must see for me. I also could have chosen Weyes Blood, Thundercat or Young Fathers. But Loyle is from Croydon and so am I, so I am biased.”
Nish Kumar and James Acaster are in conversation at Cabaret, 3pm, Friday; Nish Kumar appears at Cabaret, 5.40pm, Sunday
Los Bitchos
Genre-defying psychedelic four-piece
“We highly recommend Nova Twins (Other stage, 1.45pm, Sunday). We saw them play last year and they literally blew our minds. They have a totally unique sound, heaps of energy and epic outfits. You won’t regret it!”
Los Bitchos play the Park stage, 2pm, Friday
Tobi Thomas
Guardian writer
“The Nigerian superstar Wizkid (pictured above), who is headlining the Other stage (Friday, 10.30pm), is a must for me – More Love, Less Ego and Made in Lagos are two of my most-played albums on Spotify”.
Plus, two bonus picks for those on the ground, in the form of a cultural recommendation and a place to party:
Katie Ailes
Glastonbury poet in residence for 2023
“Check out the Poetry&Words stage for some incredible spoken word: it features some of the UK’s most celebrated poets alongside brilliant newer voices. My can’t-miss recommendation is the inimitable Joelle Taylor (5.53pm, Saturday). Joelle is an icon in the UK live poetry scene for her searing, powerful work; she’s the best poet I’ve ever seen live. If you love poetry, you’ll be blown away by Joelle (pictured above), and if you’re a sceptic, her work is a fantastic introduction to today’s scene”.
Katie Ailes is at Poetry&Words, 4.23pm, Saturday
Travis Alabanza
Playwright and author
I recommend the Trans Pride x Chateau takeover at Nomad (12am, Saturday). Any night with Tom Rasmussen performing is a night I want to be at – this is the best place to dance and feel good on Saturday.
Travis Alabanza appears at Poetry&Words, 6.25pm, Saturday; their book None of The Above is out now
Glastonbury festival runs until Sunday; see BBC One, Two, Three, Four and iPlayer in the UK for live coverage and highlights across the weekend
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