Glastonbury 2015: The Libertines Showcase New Tracks In Nostalgia-Fuelled Surprise Set (REVIEW)

The Libertines' Surprise Set Steals The Show On Day One Of Glastonbury
|

Everyone from Taylor Swift to Bastille was namechecked on Friday afternoon, as festival-goers at Glastonbury tried to determined who’d be replace Florence And The Machine, following the group’s promotion to headliners.

For once, the secret addition to the bill was (mostly) kept under wraps, and fans got a pleasant surprise when Carl Barat , Pete Doherty, Gary Powell and John Hassell stepped onto the stage.

Open Image Modal

Pete Doherty and Carl Barat

Fresh from recording their first album in over 10 years, the group were on top form, and took the chance to showcase new track ‘Handsome’, after smashing through classics including ‘Time For Heroes’, ‘Horrorshow’ and ‘What Katie Did’.

Set highlights included ‘Music When The Lights Go Out’, which unsurprisingly inspired a huge, early evening singalong, and a riotous rendition of ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’, though the gig had a tamer feel, compared to their 2014 Alexandra Palace performances.

New trank ‘Gunga Gin’ was a hit with the crowds, and there was little sign of the synths, which will apparently make a noteworthy appearance on their upcoming third release.

Pete and Carl’s famously tempestuous relationship looks to be well on the road to recovery again, and the pair shared plenty of lingering looks, gazing into each other’s eyes and sharing a microphone for ‘What A Waster’, before closing with ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’.

Other highlights from day one included Mary J Blige, who managed to hold a crowd at the Pyramid Stage, despite the heavy rain, and Everything Everything, who powered through a high-energy set that would have been worthy of a slot far further up the bill.

See all the snaps from the first day of Glastonbury below...

Glastonbury 2015: Day One
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(01 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Florence Welch of Florence And The Machine performs headlining the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(02 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Florence Welch of Florence And The Machine performs headlining the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(03 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Pete Doherty of The Libertines performs live on the Pyramid stage during the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) (credit:Jim Dyson via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(04 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Pete Doherty and Carl Barat of the Libertines perform as surprise act on the Pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(05 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: James Bay performs live on the Pyramid stage during the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) (credit:Jim Dyson via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(06 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: James Bay performs at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(07 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: (L-R) Phil Campbell and Lemmy of Motorhead perform at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(08 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Lemmy from Motorhead performs on The Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. Now its 45th year the festival is one largest music festivals in the world and this year features headline acts Florence and the Machine, Kanye West and The Who. The Festival, which Michael Eavis started in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just ã1, now attracts more than 175,000 people. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) (credit:Ian Gavan via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(09 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Mark Ronson performs on the Other stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(10 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Mark Ronson performs on the Other stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(11 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Mary J Blige performs live on the Pyramid stage during the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) (credit:Jim Dyson via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(12 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Mary J Blige performs at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(13 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Alex Robertshaw and Jonathan Higgs of Everything Everything performs on the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(14 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Jonathan Higgs and Jeremy Pritchard of Everything Everything perform live on the Other stage during the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) (credit:Jim Dyson via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(15 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: (L-R) Martin Blunt and Tim Burgess of The Charlatans performs as special guest on the Other Stage to commence the live on music day 1 at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(16 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Van McCann of Catfish And The Bottlemen performs at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(17 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Van McCann of Catfish And The Bottlemen performs at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(18 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: (L-R) Rou Reynolds and Chris Batten of Enter Shikari performs on the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(19 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: (L-R) Rou Reynolds and Chris Batten of Enter Shikari performs on the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images) (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(20 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Liam Fray of The Courteeners performs at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(21 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Mark Cuppello of The Courteeners performs at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage) (credit:Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival 2015 - Day 1(22 of23)
Open Image Modal
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Justin Young of The Vaccines performs on the Other stage during the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) (credit:Jim Dyson via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-ENTERTAINMENT-MUSIC-GLASTONBURY(23 of23)
Open Image Modal
US singer Brittany Howard (C) of Alabama Shakes performs on the Pyramid Stage on the first official date of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, south west England, on June 26, 2015. AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OLI SCARFF via Getty Images)