Bloc Party played a huge, fun-packed early evening set on the Other Stage at Glastonbury 2024 today (June 29), as well as airing new material. Check out what went down and the setlist below.
The band, who are currently celebrating 20 years together on the road to a huge show playing classic debut album ‘Silent Alarm’ in London in full next month, delivered a career-spanning set â including fan-favourite â00s indie bangers âBanquetâ, âMercuryâ, âFluxâ, âHelicopterâ and âSo Here We Areâ. They also introduced brand new single âFlirting Againâ, which singer Kele Okereke jokingly described as the latest release âfrom the hit factoryâ.
The London four-piece were the fourth band to perform on the stage, following Jamie Webster, The Staves, Tems and The Last Dinner Party.
After opening the with classic âSo Here We Areâ, the band launched into 2007 track âHunting For Witchesâ, which was one of a number of songs played today that appeared on their second album âA Weekend in the Cityâ.
Wearing a Bad Brains T-shirt, Okereke opened the track âMercuryâ with an a capella vocal, which he started again after an initial attempt because âthe people of Glastonbury deserve a song thatâs played properlyâ.
The frontman challenged the vast audience to âcome on, you sunburnt fuckers â jump!â before playing âBanquetâ. He was an upbeat figure throughout the performance, which signalled the late arrival of summer in all its glory. âItâs been a while since weâve seen you, Glastonbury,â he said, âand you look really beautiful today.â
He then introduced the band, alluding their well-documented rotating line-up when he joked âweâve changed quite a bit â no shade,â before shouting out original guitarist Russell Lissack, drummer Louise Bartle and bassist Harry Deacon.
The show was extremely well-received, though it was also noted that their clash with Kasabianâs secret set on the Woodsies stage was âcriminalâ. Check out responses below:
Bloc Party!!!
what a set!! #Glastonbury2024 #Glastonbury
— Ashley Fraser (@ashley_fraser) June 29, 2024
The nostalgia I feel whilst watching @BlocParty at @glastonbury is insane. Remember watching them at the Carling Academy in Brum when I was 16 – an incredible gig.
— Nik (@rabbitheart92) June 29, 2024
Bloc Party !!! What a band
— Hox leâcaux (@leeroycummins1) June 29, 2024
Putting kasabian and bloc party on the same time is fucking criminal by the way
— Michael (@Kelly77722) June 29, 2024
During the set, Okereke announced that âthe next song is for anyone whoâs been following us from back in the day,â before the four-piece played 2005âs âThis Modern Loveâ.
The crowd gave a panto âaww!â when Okereke noted that the group had almost reached the end of their performance, but then he teased: âWe have one more rocket in our pocket… Do you like bangers?” The band then performed âRatchetâ, which appeared on the 2013 album âFOURâ.
Bloc Party play London’s Gunnersbury Park on Sunday July 7 with Friendly Fires, The Hives, The Mysterines and Connie Constance. Visit here for tickets and more information.
Bloc Party’s Glastonbury 2024 setlist was:
‘So Here We Are’
‘Hunting for Witches’
‘Mercury’
‘Flirting Again’
‘Song for Clay (Disappear Here)’
‘Banquet’
‘Traps’
‘One More Chance’
‘Blue’
‘I Still Remember’
‘Helicopter’
‘Flux’
‘This Modern Love’
‘Ratchet’
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos, rumours and more from Glastonbury 2024. Check out the NME liveblog here for all the latest Glastonbury action as it happens.
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