Editor Stwephen Hill 29th June 2025
Noel Gallagher, 58, has candidly described Glastonbury as "kind of preachy and a bit virtue-signaling," despite the festival's rich legacy of advocating for left-wing political causes over its remarkable 50-year history. In a revealing podcast interview held months before this year’s festival, the Oasis guitarist remarked,
"It’s becoming a bit woke, that place—preachy and heavily into virtue-signaling. It frustrates me in music; you see little idiots waving flags, making political statements, while bands leap on stage to chant, 'Hey guys, isn’t war terrible? Let’s all boo war. F**k the Tories, man.' It’s like, come on—play your f**king tunes and get off." Despite his criticism, Noel has been a consistent attendee and made his solo debut at the festival in 2022 with his band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. He continued, "If you really care, donate all your money to the cause—just stop yapping about it."
He added, "Let’s consider this: if the world is in a bit of a f**ked-up state, what are all the kids in a field at Glastonbury going to do about it? Everyone knows what’s happening; you have a phone in your pocket that keeps you informed anyway. So what’s the point of all this virtue-signaling?" Journalist Peter Lloyd took to X to share his thoughts following several controversial moments throughout the day. One user echoed Noel’s sentiments, saying, "The way Ricky Gervais speaks to actors, Noel does to musicians." Another praised, "Thank God for some sense. Music should unite and uplift, not call for destruction and violence. What message does this send to young people?
This country is in real trouble." A third user quipped, "Well said, Noel Gallagher. (Never thought I’d say that!)." The Glastonbury organizers themselves expressed outrage at statements made by Bobby Vylan, of the punk duo Bob Vylan, during their performance on Saturday. The performer led the audience on the West Holts Stage in chants of "death, death to the IDF." Moreover, police are reportedly investigating Kneecap's performance after an explicit outburst directed at Sir Keir Starmer, along with crowds chanting "F**k Starmer." In a statement released the following morning, the organizers declared, "With nearly 4,000 performances slated for Glastonbury 2025, it's inevitable that artists and speakers will appear on our stages with whom we do not share views.
A performer’s presence should never be misconstrued as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs. However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. Their chants crossed a line, and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the festival’s production that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech, or incitement to violence."
Glastonbury Festival can be streamed on BBC iPlayer and listened to on BBC Sounds
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