Glastonbury has definitely evolved over the years. These days, you’ll find everything from pop and hip-hop to R&B sharing the spotlight with more traditional sounds, making the festival a vibrant mix of styles for everyone to enjoy. Variety really is the spice of life!
But for the old-school rock fans, this shift can feel a bit strange. Take this year’s headliners, for example: Charli XCX, rapper Doechii, the disco-flavored Scissor Sisters, dance pioneers Leftfield—and then Neil Young, closing out the Pyramid Stage. Among such a diverse lineup, Neil Young really stands apart. Even after decades as a music legend, the “Godfather of Grunge” still feels like a true original and a genuine alternative.
The modest crowd gathered just before he took the stage showed that many festival-goers saw him as the odd one out. It’s surprising, considering his impact and legacy.
When Neil quietly appeared, guitar in hand, sitting on a stool bathed in a simple white spotlight, his opening song, a loose rendition of “Sugar Mountain,” felt modest compared to the festival’s usual fireworks, lasers, and dancers. At 79, could a man just strumming his guitar really headline Glastonbury?
Turns out, yes—if the songs are strong enough. Neil Young’s performance was simple, stripped-back, but utterly mesmerizing.
Of course, he’s no spring chicken, and his distinctive voice has never been about perfection. But with a stellar band behind him and a guitar tone that has inspired generations of musicians, the crowd of loyal fans was clearly thrilled.
He might have ended on the high note of “Rockin’ in the Free World,” instead of finishing with the less memorable “Throw Your Hatred Down,” but that’s a small quibble. Overall, it was a powerful tribute to a legendary artist likely playing his last Glastonbury.
Yes, the festival is changing, but its rock and roll roots are far from fading away quietly.
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