Glastonbury 2025 live: Glastonbury 2025 live: Patchwork mystery ‘solved’ as Neil Young does headline set U-turn – UK Times

As the smooth riffs of evanescent ballad “Broken Horses” massage the senses of the hungover and overheated gatherers, it’s clear Brandi Carlile was a solid choice for an early main stage slot. The country star is chirpy, curious about being here, reporting that she’s always wanted to see what Glastonbury is all about, and her porch-sitting, liquor-swigging soft rock songs are totally inoffensive to the casual (and perhaps sunburned) listener.

It’s been a colourful few years for the Grammy award winning Americana songwriter. After forming the wonderful all-female supergroup of country artists, The Highwaywomen, around the turn of this decade, Carlile then partnered up with another LGBTQ star, Elton John, for their 2025 collaboration album, Who Believes In Angels?

“My wife tried to warn me, she told me this was a magical. magical place,”Carlile says, choked up. “It’s hard to fathom actually, so many peace loving people in one place.” If people know any of her songs, rousing alt-rock love song “The Story” would be it – violinists warble along gently as Carlile belts every word. What’s missing is a crowd more familiar with her rich, earnest body of work, but as she plays the greatest hits for anyone in the know, she wins over some stragglers; it’s a perfectly lovely start to Saturday.

The famous Twotter account purporting to know the identity of secret sets ahead of time appears to have cracked the case surrounding the mystery of the elusive act known as “Patchwork”.

Rumours ranged from Haim to Chappell Roan, but it’s being claimed the identity of the band are Pulp.

There is a Glastonbury-shaped hole in their touring schedule, so ready yourselves for some Jarvis Cocker action at 6pm this evening.

An official update in the Glastonbury app has issued overcrowding warnings for the following:

Kate Nash – 9pm, Leftfield

Scissor Sisters – 10.30pm, Woodsies

Charli xcx – Other Stage, 10.30pm

Organisers ensure there will be “plenty of space” to accommodate those wanting to see Neil Young on the Pyramid Stage .

The BBC has confirmed that Neil Young’s headline performance will be broadcast live after the singer previously requested it not be shown.

A spokesperson said on Saturday (28 June): “We are delighted to confirm that Neil Young’s headline set from Glastonbury on Saturday will be broadcast live to audiences across the UK on the BBC.”

Controversial Irish trio Kneecap have confirmed the BBC will add their set to iPlayer, but after they have performed live.

They said in a statement ahead of the 4.30pm performance: “The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us. They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure.”

The band added: “The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so you’ll need to be very early to catch us.”

The Irish trio’s appearance has, due to political interference, led to an unexpected referendum on the festival’s soul. But, writes Adam White, their anarchy feels historically in keeping with what Glastonbury represents.

The BBC is offering over 90 hours of live-streamed coverage including performances from all the biggest stars – on today’s agenda is Gary Numan, Amyl and the Sniffers, RAYE and Charli xcx.

Tonight’s headliner, Neil Young, will not be televised.

One of our reporters on the ground, Adam White, says that, if morning tent chatter is to be believed, Harry Styles was spotted last night in Shangri-La. But instead of dancing the night away to the NYC Downlow beats, he was “in deep conversation”. Take from that what you will.

It’s hard to find fault in Morissette’s pride here: her lyrics raised a generation, giving voice to feelings that many of us possess but tend to lay dormant.

Read Adam White’s review:

Some bands can take the hit of losing money to perform, but everyone else, from bookers to production staff to acts being asked to work bar shifts, is being short-changed, writes Oliver Keens, and it threatens to taint the reputation of a national institution.