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It's that time of year — Glastonbury is officially back. Whether you're heading to brave the mud and the crowds at Worthy Farm, or you're planning on tuning into the BBC's coverage of the festival from the comfort of your sofa, we're willing to bet you're excited. This year's lineup is full of exciting acts — from Dua Lipa's headlining slot on Friday to the likes of Jessie Ware, Jungle, James Blake and London Grammar, there are a lot of excellent sets to look forward to.
But although the festival has released its full schedule, there are still a couple of potential surprises heading our way. There is, of course, the infamous 6pm TBA slot on the Woodies stage on Saturday night. There is also the chance that other surprise, unannounced acts will rock up to perform on other stages throughout the festival.
So… who will be surprising us with their unexpected presence at Glasto this year? We don't know for sure, but here are some of the acts that are rumoured to be quietly making their way to Somerset.
Kasabian
Kasabian is currently the number one pick for the TBA slot — at least according to the bookies. In fact, William Hill actually suspended bets on Kasabian appearing, which led many music fans to believe that they may know something we don't.
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This wouldn't be Kasabian's first time at Glasto. The noughties rock band previously peformed on the Pyramid Stage in 2007 and returned to headline on the same stage on the festival's final night in 2014.
The Killers
The Killers, another noughties nostalgia band, are also a top pick for the secret slot — according to betting agencies, the odds of them making an appearance are pretty high.
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The Killers are no strangers to Glastonbury, having played at the festival in 2004, 2005 and 2007, before surprising festival-goers with a 2017 appearance and, in 2019, taking the Saturday evening headliner slot on the Pyramid stage.
So, who knows — if you are heading to Glastonbury, you might just find yourself bellowing out “Mr. Brightside” after all.
Kings of Leon
Yes, there is a common theme of 2000s nostalgia here — Kings of Leon are also predicted to appear at this year's festival.
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It kind of makes sense — Kings of Leon are kicking off a UK tour in London's Hyde Park on June 30th, so they could easily start things a few days earlier with a surprise pit stop at Worthy Farm.
Green Day
Yes, the band famous for Boulevard of Broken Dreams and American Idiot are also rumoured to be planning a trip to Glasto this year. The band are currently in the UK on tour, with shows planned in Dublin on June 27 and in London on June 29, they could hypothetically stop by Worthy Farm on Friday, June 28.
The XX
British indie rock band The XX first appeared at Glastonbury in 2010 when they played the John Peele stage. In 2017, they returned to play the Pyramid. Another seven years has passed since then and some fans believe they could be planning their third Glastonbury appearance for 2024.
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Glass Animals
Indie rock band Glass Animals are also contenders. They currently have a couple of UK shows planned in July in Oxford and Bristol. They've previously performed at Glasto in 2017 and 2022.
Tame Impala
Psychedelic fan-favourites Tame Impala are also thought to be returning to Glastonbury this year. However, some fans noted that they may actually appear alongside headliner Dua Lipa on Friday evening, as the band's frontman, Kevin Parker, co-produced her latest album, Radical Optimism.
Troye Sivan
Up-and-coming pop sensation Troye Sivan is rumoured to be one of the secret acts this year. He's currently in the middle of touring the UK, with shows lined up in London on June 27 and in Birmingham on June 28. This, of course, leaves Saturday June 29 free.
Vampire Weekend
Indie rock band Vampire Weekend almost certainly provided the soundtrack for your uni days — and they might just be making a surprise appearance at this year's Glastonbury Festival. They are currently on tour in the US, which would make things a little difficult. However, they were a surprise act back in 2019, so there's definitely a chance they could do it again.
Pulp
Britpop icons Pulp have been a keystone of the British music scene for decades — and they'd certainly be a welcome surprise at this year's festival. They aren't currently on tour, but they do have a couple of European dates lined up in August, which makes them contenders.
Blur
Blur, another staple of the Britpop movement, are also potential surprise guests. They last appeared at Worthy Farm back in 2009 — plus, they did the tour circuit last year alongside the release of their album The Ballad of Darren, so it would certainly be a big surprise to see them this year.
From Glastonbury to All Points East.
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When might we see these surprise guests?
Ok, we've got the who covered. Now what about the when? Aside from the official “TBA” slot at 6pm on Saturday evening at the Woodies stage, there are a number of other suspiciously empty slots that could prove to be a perfect opportunity for a surprise appearance — after all, it's happened before. Here are the empty time slots to keep an eye on:
- Wednesday, June 26 – Greenpeace Stage – 12pm
- Friday, June 28 – Wishing Well – 8.45pm
- Friday, June 28 – Firmly Rooted – 1am
- Saturday, June 29 – BBC Introducing Stage – 4.30pm
- Saturday, June 29 – Woodies Stage – 6pm
- Saturday, June 29 – Levels – 12am
- Sunday, June 30 – BBC Introducing Stage – 7.30pm
- Sunday, June 30 – Wishing Well – 9pm
