BOB VYLAN SET GLASTONBURY 2025 ABLAZE WITH POLITICS AND PROTEST

Photo By: Scott van der Zanden

Bob Vylan didn’t just play Glastonbury 2025—they detonated it. The London punk-rap duo took the West Holts Stage by storm in a set that fused fury, rhythm, and radical politics into one of the most talked-about performances in the festival’s recent history. Known for their unapologetic activism and explosive genre-crossing sound, Bobby and Bobbie Vylan gave the Glastonbury crowd a show they’ll never forget—and one that’s currently echoing far beyond the festival grounds.

As the beat dropped and the mosh pits erupted, frontman Bobby Vylan grabbed the mic not just to perform, but to provoke. Against a backdrop of distorted riffs and breakneck drumming, he led the audience in chants of “Free, free Palestine,” quickly escalating into the now-infamous “Death, death to the IDF!” Projected visuals referenced the UN’s labeling of the Gaza conflict as genocide and took direct aim at media outlets, particularly the BBC, accusing them of minimizing atrocities. A Palestinian flag fluttered behind the band, making it clear that this wasn’t just a concert—it was a statement.

But Bob Vylan weren’t the only ones stirring the pot at Worthy Farm. Earlier in the day, Belfast-based rap trio Kneecap delivered their own pro-Palestinian firestorm. Waving flags and calling out colonialism, Kneecap’s politically charged set set the tone for a day that would push Glastonbury far outside the boundaries of escapism and into the heat of geopolitical reality. Together, Kneecap and Bob Vylan reshaped the narrative of this year’s festival—less peace-and-love, more boots-on-the-ground.

The backlash came fast and hard. UK police launched an investigation into both performances, citing potential breaches of public order and hate speech laws. Government officials, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, publicly condemned Bob Vylan’s chants as “appalling.” The BBC, which initially livestreamed the set, quickly removed the footage and issued an apology, admitting it “should not have aired.” The UK's media watchdog Ofcom is now reviewing whether broadcast guidelines were violated. Meanwhile, the U.S. government responded by revoking Bob Vylan’s visas, effectively pulling the plug on their upcoming North American tour.

And the fallout didn’t end there. Earlier today, United Talent Agency (UTA), Bob Vylan’s booking agency, officially dropped the band. In a brief statement, UTA cited a “breakdown in professional alignment” and confirmed the duo is no longer represented by the company. For an act that had recently been enjoying global momentum and critical acclaim, the severing of ties with one of the world’s most powerful agencies marks a major turning point—and a stark consequence of speaking out so defiantly on a global stage.

Still, Bob Vylan are holding the line. In the days following the show, Bobby Vylan took to social media with an unflinching message: “I said what I said.” No apologies. No backpedaling. Just a continuation of the same ethos that’s defined their work for years—art as resistance, sound as weaponry. Their 2024 record Humble as the Sun embodied that spirit, a sonic manifesto that tore into racism, economic injustice, and structural violence with both precision and fury.

Glastonbury 2025 may go down as a defining moment—not just for Bob Vylan, but for how political speech onstage is policed, commodified, and punished in the modern music industry. For some, their set was an act of solidarity and necessary truth-telling. For others, it was a dangerous display that crossed a moral line. But what can’t be denied is this: Bob Vylan shattered the illusion that music festivals are neutral ground.

In an age where festival stages are often used to promote brands as much as music, Bob Vylan reminded everyone that performance can still be punk—that it can still shake the system, burn bridges, and raise hard questions. Whether you agree with their methods or not, they succeeded in doing what many artists fail to do: forcing a global conversation.

And maybe, that was the point all along.