The Guide #145: Performers on their must-watch Glastonbury sets, from Charli XCX to Yard Act

Hello from Glastonbury! Today’s newsletter is coming to you from a small cabin perched behind the Pyramid stage at Worthy Farm, where this year’s festival is slowly grinding into gear.

It’s a curious year for Glastonbury, having to compete for eyeballs not only with the Euros, but also the watch-between-your-fingers, slow-motion car crash that is the UK general election. Still, as the world’s biggest and best music festival, Glasto always deserves your attention, and this year’s lineup is packed to the rafters with huge names, exciting new acts and a surprising number of Hollywood A-listers: Florence Pugh, Paul Mescal and Tilda Swinton are among those doing Q&As in the festival’s famed Pilton Palais cinema. And Russell Crowe, taking a break from the exorcising, brings his Indoor Garden Party to the Acoustic stage (Saturday 6.30pm).

As ever, the Guardian will be providing exhaustive coverage of the festival. In fact, we’re already at it: here’s a news report of the big opening, here’s a guide of who to catch, here are interviews with The Last Dinner Party, Mike Skinner of The Streets, Tanzanian performers the Zawose Queens, and marvellously monikered DJ Fish56Octagon, and here’s a rather lovely illustrated ode to Glasto from cartoonist Edith Pritchett. And head over to the Guardian website all weekend for news, reviews, features and our ever-rumbling live blog, which should be kicking off right about now. Then, on Monday, there’s the G2 supplement’s annual roundup of the festival, with interviews, reviews and plenty more besides.

Of course, Glastonbury is as much a festival for those watching it on the sofa as those watching on the farm itself (and getting bitten by all manner of little nasties in the process – I’m speaking from bitter, bitter experience here). As ever, the BBC has extensive coverage of the main stages on TV and iPlayer – and for the first time, international audiences can also livestream Pyramid headline sets, for Dua Lipa (Friday 10pm) and Coldplay (Saturday 9.45pm). There’s so much to channel-hop between, you might not know where to start. So to aid you, we’ve asked some of this year’s performers to share the one act they’re most excited to see at this year’s festival …

Paul Heaton

The Housemartins and The Beautiful South balladeer

My recommendation would be Soft Play. They’re on at 1.45pm on the Other stage on Sunday. I love them, particularly the track Punk’s Dead and they’ve got a new song called Act Violently. They’re just one of those bands who have got so much energy to them that I think they’d be worth seeing, especially if you’re a bit hungover – they’ll wake you up without a doubt because they’re very, very lively. I think they’re a good Sunday afternoon band to just get out of bed to watch.

Paul plays the Pyramid stage, 4.15pm Friday

Nia Archives

Thrilling drum’n’bass and jungle revivalist

Brat summer 2024 is confirmed and I cannot wait to see Charli XCX (DJ set, Levels, Friday, 12.30am). She’s a party girl and real junglist energy, and I can’t wait to be skanking out and jumping up and down in a field – back to my fave place on earth: Glastonbury!

Nia plays West Holts 8pm, Sunday

Maisie Adam

Exuberant Yorkshire standup comic

If, like me, you keep frantically rearranging your itinerary for the Friday night, struggling with the fact you can’t be in two places at once so must choose to see either Fontaines DC on the Park stage or Idles on the Other stage, rest assured there’s a clash-free opportunity for post-punk perfection the next day. Leeds band Yard Act grace the Woodsies tent with their belting energy and brilliant lyrics at a very well-behaved 7.30pm. If you haven’t listened to their track Fixer Upper yet, get it in your ears. I can only dream of writing something that funny.

Maisie performs on the Cabaret stage, 2.05pm Saturday and 4.10pm Sunday

Hi Vis

Swaggering hardcore punks, from London via Merseyside

I’m excited to see Kneecap (11.30am) who we’re sharing the Woodsies stage with. I fully rate their uncompromising approach and I’m looking forward to seeing them live for the first time. Across the whole fest, it’s boss to see so many people being recognised who’ve built their world from the ground up, like Sports Banger, Hak Baker, Mannequin Pussy, Ell Murphy, Eliza Rose and Nia Archives.

High Vis play Woodsies, 12.45pm, Saturday

Eliza Rose

Chart-topping house DJ and singer

I’m really looking forward to seeing my mate’s band, Jeanie and the White Boys. They are quite new and have only done a couple of shows in east London. But Jeanie Crystal, the lead singer, is giving X-Ray Spex meets Eartha Kitt vibes. It’s proper rock’n’roll with a bit of punk in there, and she’s just fabulous, her energy is meteoric! It’s like watching a little fireball, you just want to get up on stage with her! They are playing at Strummerville on Saturday night(6pm) – a small hidden-away stage I love because there are many amazing musicians that play up there.”

Eliza plays Genosys, midnight, Thursday, and Lonely Hearts Club, 8.30pm, Friday

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