Glastonbury’s most controversial moments from stage invasion to shooting spree

Jay-Z opens 2008 Glastonbury set singing Wonderwall by Oasis

Glastonbury 2023 is officially underway, with 210,000 people descending on the town in Somerset for the UK’s biggest music festival of the year.

Headliners this year include Elton John, Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses, while other huge acts like Lizzo, Lana Del Ray and Lil Nas X will also perform.

While the event is enduringly popular, Glastonbury has faced its fair share of controversies.

Whether it’s the erection of a huge steel super fence or a bizarre, last-minute cover of a Queen classic, there have been some truly memorable stunts pulled over the years.

From shooting sprees to stage invasions, Express.co.uk looks back at some of the festival’s wildest moments.

1984: Storming of the Pyramid Stage during The Smiths’ performance 

 

Fans who attended Glastonbury Festival in 1984 will likely remember the iconic set performed by The Smiths that got fans so hyped up they started to storm the stage.

Festival organisers already sparked controversy when they announced the band as a headline act, with the event’s hippy crowd complaining the indie rock act would be too “heavy” for the festival.

However, the British indie band won over the crowds that weekend – so much so that a tidal wave of fans broke out onto the Pyramid Stage, climbing the structure as they performed.

It was the only time the stage was stormed en masse and – given today’s health and safety rules – it probably never will be again.

1994: The year of the shooting spree and the first deadly drug overdose 

 

The darkest time in Glastonbury’s history came in 1994 when the festival experienced both its first mass shooting and drug-related death in the same weekend.

On the Saturday night, a man began firing indiscriminately into the crowd in what was later described as a “drug-related” incident.

During the gunfire, five people were hit, with two women and three men being taken to hospital.

Luckily all victims escaped without serious injury armed police later arrived on the scene.

However, the drama wasn’t over, as the festival saw its first-ever death as the result of a drug overdose when a 23-year-old died in the early hours of the Sunday morning.

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2002: The infamous £1million ‘ring of steel’ super-fence goes up

 

Festival organisers stirred up some controversy in 2002 when they decided to erect an enormous fence costing an eye-watering £1 million.

The call was made after a massive influx of gatecrashes in 2000 prompted Glastonbury bosses to put up a “ring of steel” in order to deter non-ticket-holders from trying to get in.

While the fence ultimately worked in keeping gate-crashers out, some argued that the idea went against the spirit of the festival, as Glastonbury co-founder Michael Eavis had previously admitted he was never bothered by people sneaking in.

However, he later said things “had to change for the good” in reaction to the decision, as the fence had ultimately been put in place for safety reasons.

2008: Jay-Z becomes the first rapper to headline

 

Legendary rapper Jay-Z made Glastonbury history in 2008 after becoming the first-ever rapper to headline the festival.

The musician and record producer would pave the way for future rap artists on the Pyramid stage with his iconic performance.

Most people agreed that the change was a progressive move forward for the festival, but one high-profile artist wasn’t afraid to voice his disapproval of the decision.

Oasis co-founder Noel Gallagher claimed it was “wrong” for a rapper to front Glastonbury, as the festival was typically headlined by rock acts.

Jay-Z didn’t hold back in response to the star’s badmouthing, as he later strode onto the Pyramid Stage with an electric guitar, before launching into a highly-ironic cover of Wonderwall.

Since his performance, other rap artists like Stormzy and Kendrick Lamar have also headlined the festival.

2015: The petition against Kanye West and his chaotic performance 

 

Rapper Kanye West’s headline performance at Glastonbury 2015 was dubbed a messy but memorable affair by critics.

During his set, the artist re-started his song Black Skinhead and also burst into an impromptu version of Bohemian Rhapsody before forgetting the lyrics.

He ended the bizarre spectacle by repeatedly yelling: “I am the greatest living rock star on the planet.”

Before he set foot on the Pyramid Stage, a petition was launched to stop him from headlining – and it reached over 55,000 signatures.

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