Glastonbury is back in action, and all anticipation is focused on big stars set to grace the stage.
But the Somerset festival is not just about music; it has actually had its share of drama over the years. You wouldn’t think so, but the hippy haven was even once at the forefront of a terrifying shooting amid festival goers.
Some of the event’s biggest names were involved in the controversies, from The Smiths to Adele to Jay-Z. Between unexpected stage invasions to untamed language, we examine some of Glastonbury’s most momentous controversies.
Scroll on to check out the wildest scandals that have ever happened at the festival.
The Smiths stage invasion
In terms of stage invasions, the one in 1984 takes the cake. The Smiths were performing and despite their participation sparking controversy (as some attendees deemed their genre ill-suited for the event), they proved a hit with the crowd.
Fans, however, got overly enthusiastic, causing a flurry towards the Pyramid Stage. At a time when reaching the front was probably easier, some determined fans managed to scale the structure itself.
Jay-Z backlash
(Image: WireImage)
2008 saw massive protest when Jay-Z was announced as the headline act, with critics arguing rap didn’t align with Glasto’s vibe. Noel Gallagher from Oasis was one of the vivid voices against this decision, claiming hip-hop was “wrong” for the venue.
Emily Eavis, daughter of organiser Michael Eavis, said it was “probably the most controversial booking we have ever made”. “It just felt like an out of control storm that I was just never going to get out of,” she spilled on BBC Radio 4 a few years back.
But Jay-Z had the last laugh when he smashed his set and even cheekily belted out Oasis’s Wonderwall, much to everyone’s amusement.
1994 Shooting
(Image: BBC)
The festival was marred by a shocking shooting incident that sent several people to hospital. Revellers were soaking up the tunes on the Saturday night when suddenly shots rang out.
Back in the day, a gobsmacked witness told the press the gunman was blasting away “indiscriminately”. Five victims – three blokes and two women were rushed off to hospital following the horror show and miraculously, they all dodged serious harm.
On-Stage Swearing
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
The Rolling In The Deep songstress absolutely owned the stage back in 2016, leaving fans buzzing over her pipes. Despite being warned about her “potty mouth”, Adele couldn’t help but let rip with the swear words as she sang, with some punters reckoning they clocked over 30 curses.
She meant no harm, though, telling the crowd they were “f****** amazing” and the like, but it still got a few noses out of joint.
Fence Fiasco
(Image: Matt Cardy)
Who’d have thought a fence could kick up such a fuss? That’s exactly what happened with the infamous Glastonbury fence.
Over the years, Glasto has seen its fair share of cheeky fence-hoppers, with Michael Eavis himself reckoning that “at one stage we had more who hadn’t paid than had”. But in 2002, the game changed big time a massive perimeter fence went up.
Some old-school festival-goers kicked up a fuss, saying it was a sell-out move and a far cry from the free-for-all vibes of the original 1970 bash.
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