Glastonbury Festival fell silent for a minute on Friday in memory of recent terror attacks in the UK and the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in London, before Hacienda Classical eased revellers into the first day of music at the world’s biggest greenfield festival.
Peter Hook, the bass player from Manchester bands Joy Division and New Order, led the crowd on the Pyramid Stage in reflecting on “our hopes and our prayers for life, love and freedom, the things we are here to celebrate”.
Security has been stepped up at Worthy Farm in Somerset, south-west England after a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester killed 22 last month and three recent attacks in London.
Undeterred revellers were excited to explore everything one of the world’s most recognisable festivals has to offer.
‘I have been to a lot of other festivals but nothing compares it’s huge there’s so much to do.’ 28-year-old Naomi Fitzgibbons said. She and her friends wore matching tie-dye outfits and were carrying a blow-up doll dressed as one of their friends who couldn’t make the festival.
Friday’s afternoon line-up on the biggest of more than 12 stages includes 81-year Kris Kristofferson, rock duo Royal Blood, who formed in 2013, and The XX before the highly anticipated return of Radiohead to the festival.
Twenty years ago, Radiohead took to the stage at one of the wettest years in the festivals’ history, lifting a drenched crowd with tracks from their groundbreaking album OK Computer.
“I have grown up my whole life listening to them with my old man, he’s never seen them live (…) so I am definitely going to go and see them live,” said 28-year-old Chris Glackin from Surrey.
Across the weekend other headline acts include the Foo Fighters, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran.
Meanwhile, for some it’s being away from the city and able to relax and camp with friends that makes their festival experience:
‘Yeah, nice to get away from the office … (and to be with) the guys from uni, so yeah it’s cool.’
Glastonbury runs until Sunday June 25th.
