Headliners: The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo
Festival dates: Wednesday, June 25 - Sunday, June 29
UK coverage - free on BBC iPlayer
Watch iPlayer anywhere: Unblock iPlayer with Nord VPN's 30-day trial + get an Amazon Gift Card.
In a just world, Biffy Clyro would be ironed-on Glasto headliners; few British rock bands have so effortlessly blended the anthemic with the angular, the emotional with the straight-up eccentric. And yet, despite number one albums and a passionate UK following, it feels like the mainstream never quite fully embraced their unwieldy brand of hook-laden alt-rock.
Still, those that have flocked to the Pyramid Stage don’t give a shit: you could do a lot worse than an hour of Biffy bangers on a Friday evening and everyone here is ready to sing their arses off. Kilmarnock’s finest have amassed a hell of a greatest hits war chest across their three-decade career, and you can’t envision this being anything other than a knockout 60 minutes.
That war chest isn’t getting popped open quite yet, though - first up is beautifully bittersweet new single A Little Love, which gets a decent enough response for something that’s only been out for a couple of weeks. It’s what follows that really kicks things off, though.
That Golden Rule, Biblical and a full-hearted Mountains is a hell of an early triple-header, pyro, fireworks and duel violinists bringing visuals fit enough to match those colossal choruses.
“We want some singing, some dancing, some clapping, some shagging,” chuckles Simon Neil. We can confirm at least three of those things are happening for everything that follows.
Tiny Indoor Fireworks and Black Chandelier are big highlights and a snippet of God Only Knows during Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies offers a typically Biffy off-kilter tribute to the late Brian Wilson. Unsurprisingly, however, it’s the two other Only Revolutions songs aired that spark the most raucous scenes; by the time Bubbles and Many Of Horror bring us home, flares are lit, people are on shoulders and lungs are getting screams out of their cases.
“We’ve played this festival seven or eight times and each time is our favourite,” Simon says with a smile. You can believe it: Biffy might not be Glasto headliners, but you worry for anyone that has to follow them.
