“Knowing there are people in the audience who possibly don’t even like my music at all and are just there to sort of see – that excites me.” Ed Sheeran
As Glastonbury 2017 draws to a close, we have one final day of music ahead of us – and what a day! The nicest man in music, Ed Sheeran, is set to headline the Pyramid Stage tonight as the curtain comes down on the illustrious music festival. Having broken records left, right and center with his latest album ÷ (Divide), and every single track making it into the Top 20, Ed has become the fastest selling male solo artist ever. From ‘Thinking Out Loud’ to ‘Shape Of You’, get ready for one man and his guitar to completely captivate the main stage. Speaking with Annie Mac ahead of his headliner set, Ed commented on his excitement of closing out Glastonbury. So, for one last time, check out my Glastonbury Top 5 Picks.
1) BBK: Other Stage (22.15:23.15)
We’re in for something really special tonight! BBK, AKA the Grime collective, Boy Better Know, are set to close out The Other Stage Tonight. Made up of Producers, DJ’s and MC’s such as Skepta, JME, Jammer, Frisco, Shorty, Maximum and Godfather of Grime, Wiley, this is sure to be a momentous moment for the Grime scene. Formed in 2005 by brothers Jamie and Joseph Adenuga (Jme and Skepta), the Grime collective have gone from strength to strength, both as a unit and as solo breakout artists, with Skepta entering the charts at No 2 with his 2015 album Konnichiwa, followed by scooping the coveted Mercury prize and an Ivor Novello awards. The Grime collective will power their way through much-loved tracks such as Solo 45’s ‘Feed ’Em to the Lions’ and Skepta’s ‘Too Many Man’ and ‘Shutdown’ – the latter of which BBK is certainly going to do tonight! In the lead up to the General Election, JME encouraged his young fanbase to register and vote, and sat down with with Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn for a Q&A, further promoting the social media campaign, #Grime4Corbyn. With support from the likes of Kanye West, who invited them to join his performances at the 2015 Brits, Canadian rapper Drake, who’s since signed to the BBK label, and a BBK takeover this August in the O2 London; the future of Grime looks pretty damn good!
2) HAIM: Other Stage (17.35-18.25)
Californian sister act, HAIM, made up of Danielle, Alana and Este, are set to bring their charmingly, nostalgic vibes to the Other Stage this evening. With the success of their 2013 debut album, Days Are Gone, bringing us much loved tracks such as ‘Falling’, ‘Forever’ and ‘The Wire’, the girls have since unveiled new material from their forthcoming sophomore album, Something To Tell You. With their trademark Fleetwood Mac influences, lush harmonies, breezy acoustic guitar licks and a perfect mix of soft-rock and 90’s r&b, expect a charming set spanning fan-favourites to new singles such as ‘Right Now’, and ‘I Want You Back’. With their new album produced by Ariel Rechtshaid (Adele, Madonna, Beyonce), the girls have a busy Summer of touring and promoting ahead. In the meantime, make sure you get down to the Other Stage for some ambient, soft rock, and more importantly, Este’s ‘bass face’!
3) Sampha: The Park Stage (19.30-20.30) and The Beat Hotel (22.30-23.30, DJ Set)
British Singer/songwriter and producer Sampha, (Sampha Sisay) is set to bring his achingly beautiful vocals to the Park Stage tonight. Having recently unveiled new material such as the breathtakingly beautiful ‘(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano’ and his most recent collaboration with Richard Russell, (AKA Everything Is Recorded) on ‘Close But Not Quite’, Sampha knows how to immediately captivate an audience with his heartfelt vocals. The multi-talented producer and songwriter has lent his talents to a whole host of artists over the years such as SBTRKT (‘Hold On‘), Drake (‘Too Much‘), Jessie Ware (‘Valentine‘), and Kanye West (‘Saint Pablo‘); but now it’s Sampha’s turn to take center stage with the release of his debut album Process. If one performance isn’t enough, be sure to catch Sampha for his second performance of the day, when he joins Jamie xx & Friends at The Beat Hotel for a DJ set.
4) London Grammar: John Peel Stage (20.30 -21.30)
Fresh from the success of their number 1 sophomore album, Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, London Grammar are set to captivate audiences on the John Peel Stage tonight. With the release of recent singles ‘Big Picture’, ‘Rooting For You’, ‘Truth Is a Beautiful Thing’ and ‘Oh Woman Oh Man’, get ready to witness Hannah Reid’s lush vocals, Dan Rothman’s hazy guitars and Dot Major’s ethereal synth and percussive work. The new material marks the long awaited return for the Ivor Novello-winning band, whose 2013 debut album If You Wait brought us the mesmerising ‘Wasting My Young Years’, ‘Strong‘, ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ and ‘Sights‘. Having produced a string of cinematic videos of late, expect to see some impressive visuals and mesmerizing colours on display tonight. With a string of festival performances on the cards this Summer, including a headline performance at London’s Eventim Apollo (Oct 21) and O2 Academy Brixton (Oct 30), it’s going to be one busy year for the dynamic trio.
5) Barry Gibb: Pyramid Stage (16.00-17.15)
The Sunday afternoon set on The Pyramid stage is known as the ‘The Legend Slot’, where an established, well respected and much-loved artist, takes to the stage for a set filled with nostalgia and feel good vibes. The legends slot, has fast become one of the most coveted and popular acts of the weekend, with previous legends such as Tony Bennett, Shirley Bassey, Lionel Richie, Tom Jones and Dolly Parton, pulling in some of the biggest crowds of the weekend. This year, legendary Bee Gee, Barry Gibb, has the task of lifting spirits this afternoon. The 70-year-old music veteran, who not only defined the disco era along with his brothers Robin and Maurice, has sold over 220 million records worldwide, and released the most successful film soundtrack ever with Saturday Night Fever selling more than 40 million copies worldwide. With 2017 marking the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever, expect plenty of celebrations this afternoon and much loved classics including ‘How Deep Is Your Love’, ‘Night Fever’, ‘Tragedy’ and this year’s official flashmob, ‘Stayin Alive‘. To top things off, Barry will be joined by none other than Chic legend Nile Rodgers.
As always, notable mentions have to go to a whole host of other incredible acts playing today, including Justice, Rex Orange County, Emeli Sande, Biffy Clyro, Slaves, Declan McKenna, GotSome, Blaenavon and Jamie XX & Friends. Also, there’s still a TBA for the John Peel Stage at 17.30. Might we see The Maccabees as part of their farewell tour? What better way to say goodbye than at Glastonbury. Update: The Killers have been confirmed as the 17.30 secret act on the John Peel Stage.
Check out the playlist below for all of today’s top picks. Don’t forget to catch all the live TV coverage across BBC 2, BBC 4 and the red button, as well as the BBC’s dedicated Glastonbury site for live streams across 6 stages. BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 3 and 6 Music will all be broadcasting live from the festival site all weekend too.
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