All the Glastonbury 2024 Highlights, From Banksy’s Protest Art to the Return of Paul Mescal’s Tiny Shorts

Paul was far from the only Irish A-lister on site. As well as Daisy Edgar-Jones, Mescal’s festival crew included his compatriots (and former co-stars) Saoirse Ronan and Andrew Scott. Ronan was later spied belting out “Paradise” from her boyfriend Jack Lowden’s shoulders during Coldplay’s Saturday night set.

The crowdsurfing was a work of art

Five years after Banksy made Stormzy a stab-proof vest for his stunning headline set on the Pyramid Stage, the guerrilla artist and activist put his always-potent stamp on the 2024 festival, launching an inflatable dinghy filled with dummies dressed as migrants into the crowd during Idles’ Saturday night set. The timing was carefully chosen: not only is the UK days out from an election in which immigration will be a key issue, but the life raft also appeared as the band played “Danny Nedelko,” a track that celebrates diversity and takes aim at the insidious rise of nationalism.

Palestine was a persistent theme

Amongst the usual peace signs and Pride banners, it was impossible to miss the Palestinian flags fluttering in the skies over Worthy Farm this year. Nine months into Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza, several acts felt compelled to make their feelings clear—some more directly than others. There was much to-ing and fro-ing on Twitter over whether Dua (who has publicly called for a ceasefire) did or didn’t deliberately position herself close to a Palestinian flag during her set in order to get it on camera, while Coldplay invited the Chilean-Palestinian singer Elyanna to join them on stage, along with Femi Kuti, for a rendition of their track “Arabesque.” The Irish band Lankum, meanwhile, sang “The Rocks of Palestine” on the Park Stage on Saturday afternoon, a reworking of the traditional folk song “The Rocks of Bawn,” with lyrics acknowledging the suffering in Gaza.

Charli XCX brought the Brat mood to Levels

Not sure if you’ve heard but… it’s a brat-girl summer. The mood’s progenitor, Charli XCX, duly pitched up to DJ at Levels in one of the most talked-about sets of the weekend. She even brought out Robyn herself when she played “With Every Heartbeat.” The only downside? It took place at 12:30 a.m. on a non-televised stage, so you can’t watch it back—which, let’s face it, is quite brat.

A Tom Cruise performance was not on the bill… but it did happen

From Tay Tay to Coldplay: Tom Cruise with Gillian Anderson and Simon Pegg at Glastonbury.

Photo: Getty Images