Rianne Downey joined The Housemartins legend Paul Heaton onstage at Glastonbury 2024 – watch footage below.
During his set at the Pyramid Stage yesterday (June 28), Heaton was joined by Downey, who later took to X/Twitter to express her gratitude.
“I just played the Pyramid Stage 
with the incredible @PaulHeatonSolo,” she wrote underneath a clip of them singing The Beautiful South‘s track, ‘Rotterdam’. “thank you @glastonbury 
”
Elsewhere in the set, Heaton shocked fans by bringing out his former Housemartins bandmate Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) to perform their 1986 hit ‘Happy Hour’.
Originally formed in 1983, The Housemartins began as a busking duo composed of Heaton and guitarist Stan Cullimore.
Cook replaced their original bassist Ted Key, but the band disbanded in 1988 – with each member going on to pursue solo projects. Two years before they split, the band played Glastonbury, which Heaton recently recalled as “mind-blowing”.
'We haven't performed together since 1988'
Norman Cook, better known as 'Fatboy Slim', spoke to #BBCBreakfast after performing 'Happy Hour' with former Housemartins bandmate Paul Heaton at Glastonburyhttps://t.co/9WGelQ5oRK pic.twitter.com/hgRbeyABzx
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) June 29, 2024
As Glastonbury collaborations go, Paul Heaton reunited with Norman Cook is right up there.
Half the Housemartins, complete with the dance routine from the video? It’s Happy Hour again on BBC Four!#Glastonbury pic.twitter.com/3r7RdPcAWw
— Sue Charles (@Sue_Charles) June 28, 2024
The frontman spoke to The Glastonbury Free Press after the gates opened for this years edition, saying: “Even though I’d read about it, I had no idea how massive it was until I got there.
“We were about to have our first hit with ‘Happy Hour’, so the only people who knew about us were people who had heard us on John Peel and Janice Long’s shows. We played around midday I think.”
He continued: “You could see people waking up and coming down the hill towards the stage while we were on. It was dead exciting.”
Following her appearance alongside Heaton at Worthy farm, Downey will act as a special guest on Heaton’s upcoming Ian Broudie-produced album, ‘The Mighty Several’, and will join him on a 2024 UK tour. Check out a full list of tour dates below and visit here for tickets.
Paul Heaton 2024 UK tour dates are:
NOVEMBER
29 – Bridlington, Spa
30 – Leeds, First Direct Arena
DECEMBER
1 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
3 – Brighton, Centre
4 – Wolverhampton, Civic Halls
6 – Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
7 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
9 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
10 – London, Eventim Apollo
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.
The post Rianne Downey joins Paul Heaton on stage at Glastonbury appeared first on NME.
