Since 1970, Glastonbury Festival crowds have witnessed legendary performances by everyone from David Bowie to Jay-Z, though Noel Gallagher was famously unhappy with Jay-Z’s booking. Beyoncé rocked a crowd of 175,000 people in 2011, and in 2004, Paul McCartney’s set included John Lennon singing along via a giant screen during “I’ve Got A Feeling”.
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But if you are a fan of guitar bands, the 1990s offered some of Glastonbury’s most unforgettable performances, witnessed in the epic sets below. The first one came about, literally, by accident.
Pulp (1995)
While Oasis and Blur grabbed most of the headlines in a hyped battle for U.K. chart dominance in the 90s, Pulp had already released one of Britpop’s greatest anthems, “Common People”. Singer Jarvis Cocker may have felt like an outsider in the lad-centric culture of the time, but watching 100,000 people at Glastonbury sing every word to “Common People” proved he wasn’t alone after all. But Pulp only filled in for The Stone Roses, who had to cancel after guitarist John Squire broke his collarbone and shoulder while mountain biking in San Francisco. Three others, including Rod Stewart and Primal Scream, turned down the slot.
Oasis (1995)
Oasis first performed at Glastonbury on the NME stage in 1994. But the following year, the Gallagher brothers headlined after landing their first number-one U.K. single, “Some Might Say”. The year also happened to be the 25th anniversary of the festival, as Oasis were riding the wave of the fastest-selling debut in U.K. history, Definitely Maybe. “Some Might Say” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” were among the tracks the band performed live from the then-upcoming (What’s The Story) Morning Glory.
Radiohead (1997)
Following the release of OK Computer, Radiohead headlined the iconic Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 1997. However, the legendary performance was also riddled with technical issues, and Thom Yorke nearly walked off the stage mid-performance. He told the BBC in 2017, “At one point I just went over to Ed [O’Brien, guitarist]. I tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘I’m off, mate, see you later.’” Thankfully, Yorke stayed. The included clip of “Karma Police” remains one of the band’s best live renditions of the song.
The Cure (1990)
The Cure’s 1990 Glastonbury set is legendary for multiple reasons. First, the band was supporting its masterpiece Disintegration. Secondly, as The Cure played “Fascination Street”, a helicopter interrupted the gig. While waiting for it to come and go, Robert Smith read the results of a World Cup match: Cameroon 2, Colombia 1. But, soon enough, Smith began strumming the modulated notes of “Fascination Street”, and The Cure continued a legendary set of classic tunes that also included deep dives into its back catalog.
Photo by Roger Sargent/Shutterstock
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