Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new.
The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine – in 2025, it’s Kneecap and now Bob Vylan riling politicians.
But in the case of chants made by Bob Vylan on stage at Glastonbury, it is not just MPs. Festival organiser Emily Eavis has also condemned the comments despite the festival’s advocacy for free speech, saying they “very much crossed a line”.
Police are investigating footage of the performance, which has since been removed by the BBC, to see if any offences were committed.
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What’s the Glastonbury controversy?
So who are Bob Vylan?
The duo are Bobby Vylan, the frontman, and drummer Bobbie Vylan. They have not revealed their real names to protect their privacy.
They formed in Ipswich in 2017 and their musical style is a mix of punk, rap, and hard rock.
They have released three albums – We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and last year’s Humble As The Sun – and their music has won them awards including best alternative act at the MOBOs in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang Awards in the same year.
Their songs confront issues including racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and far-right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that “violence is the only language that some people understand”.
Gigs often include some crowd-surfing from the frontman, and they have collaborated with artists including Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent, and rock band Kid Kapichi.
In an interview with The Guardian last year, Bobby Vylan told how he attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15, escorted by a friend’s mother.
The duo have been outspoken on the war in Gaza and called out other acts seen as left-wing who haven’t been showing the same amount of public solidarity.
Bob Vylan on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury on Saturday. Pic: PA
The Glastonbury set
Before their appearance at the festival, the duo highlighted it to fans watching at home, posting on Facebook: “Turns out we’re finally at a point where the BBC trust us on live tv! Watch us live either in the field or in the comfort of your own home!”
On stage, they performed in front of a screen bearing several statements, including one which claimed Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to “genocide”.
Afterwards, as controversy over the set grew, they appeared to double down with statements shared on social media.
Their comments have drawn criticism from the Israeli embassy and MPs – and now Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, too.
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Festival performers criticise political interference
Bobby Vylan on stage. Pic: PA
Both members of the band, Bobbie and Bobby Vylan, posted on Instagram following their set on Saturday. Pic: Instagram/Bobby Vylan
Bob Vylan performed on stage ahead of Kneecap, kept on the bill despite calls for them to be axed.
Michael Eavis, the festival’s founder, said before the event that people who did not like the politics could “go somewhere else”.
However, Bob Vylan’s comments pushed things too far, a statement posted by the festival and Emily Eavis said on Sunday morning.
“As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism,” the statement said. “We will always believe in – and actively campaign for – hope, unity, peace and love.”
With almost 4,000 performances over the weekend, there will be artists and speakers appearing “whose views we do not share”, they continued, “and a performer’s presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs”.
But they described the statements by Bob Vylan as “appalling”.
“Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”
