Who are Glastonbury punk duo Bob Vylan who sparked mass anger and controversy
The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, led crowds at the West Holts Stage
Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts Stage
(Image: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved )
Footage of punk duo Bob Vylan's Glastonbury Festival performance is being assessed by Avon and Somerset Police to see whether any offences may have been committed.
The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, led crowds at the West Holts Stage in a chant of "death, death to the IDF" as they performed before Irish rap trio Kneecap.
But who are Bob Vylan?
Formed in Ipswich in 2017, both members of Bob Vylan keep their real names secret to maintain their privacy.
The band's musical style is an innovative mix of grime, punk and hard rock, and they have released four albums, Dread (2019), We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and Humble as the Sun (2024).
They won best alternative music act at the Mobo Awards in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang awards in 2022 for Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life.
They have collaborated with Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent and rock band Kid Kapichi.
Article continues below
What do their performances entail?
Bob Vylan perform a high energy set of sampled guitar tracks mixed with live drumming from Bobbie, and the band often see their audiences pogoing and moshing, but they make an effort to ensure the crowd acts safely.
The band's songs often speak out against 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".
In their early days Bobby would sometimes wield a baseball bat, thrashing it in the direction of the crowd, and carry out other provocative actions such as wearing the football shirt of the rivals of the town or city in which they were playing.
Recently the band has become less confrontational, and Bobbie regularly performs a drum solo to the late Roy Ayers' chilled out Everybody Loves The Sunshine.
During their Glastonbury set, Bobby brought out his daughter to sing with him on Dream Bigger.
Have they been in the news before?
In 2021, the Norwich Evening News reported that one fan was on the end of a tirade from Bobby, after he was hit by an ice cube while performing in an Ipswich Town shirt, and the gig was said to have been halted while the singer ranted.
Bobby is also said to have wielded a baseball bat at the gig, and the news article was headlined "the frost and the fury".
Sarah Corbett, from Norwich, who was on the receiving end of the alleged tirade, told the newspaper: "We were all having fun on the dance floor. I'd put an ice cube down my friend's top for a laugh.
"Another girl then threw it at her friend, but it missed and landed at his feet.
"At that point he stopped the gig and demanded to know who had thrown it.
"Seeing the girl's face drop, I decided to take the flak and announced it was me. He started abusing me through the microphone.
"As I tried to leave, one of his fans tried to grab me by the throat."
Article continues below
A band spokesman told the paper after the incident that they "completely refute any wrongdoing" and that Bobby "did not want to engage".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Oasis Croke Park set list in full and performance times confirmed for night two
Oasis are gearing up for their second concert at Dublin's Croke Park later tonight, and they've confirmed the set list for their historic Irish concerts as part of the mammoth tour Oasis will be back on stage in Dublin later tonight, and the set list will undoubtedly get fans hyped up. Once warring brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher had been at loggerheads for 16 years after the band split in 2009. Older brother Noel said he couldn't work a day longer with his little brother, leaving them engaged in a sibling war. Since the split, they exchanged tense words in interviews and on social media. But last year, things changed, just hours after Liam headlined Reading Festival, it was announced that the great wait was over and Oasis were back. They announced a handful of dates across the UK before adding dozens more, as well as performances across the world. Tickets sold out almost instantly, despite Ticketmaster using dynamic pricing, which saw the cost of tickets rocket, although the band had no say in this. It comes after Noel's daughter Anaïs shared an eight-word message to Oasis fans in Dublin. Gates for Croke Park will open at 5pm, with fans rushing to get their front row place in the standing crowd. First support act, Cast, will take to the stage at 6pm, followed by Richard Ashcroft at 7pm. Oasis, will walk out at 8.15pm on the dot, with the concert finishing at 10:15pm. But what will they be performing? Well look no further because we have you covered! Set list Hello Acquiesce Morning Glory Some Might Say Bring It On Down Cigarettes & Alcohol Fade Away Supersonic Roll With It (dedicated to Charlestown, County Mayo, birthplace of Peggy Gallagher) Talk Tonight Half the World Away Little by Little D'You Know What I Mean? Stand by Me (dedicated to Peggy Gallagher) Cast No Shadow (dedicated to "The Duleek Posse", a reference to the Gallaghers' extended paternal family) Slide Away Whatever (with a snippet of The Beatles' "Octopus's Garden") Live Forever Rock 'n' Roll Star Encore: The Masterplan (preceded by band introductions) Don't Look Back in Anger Wonderwall Champagne Supernova Last night, their concert also marked the first time that Noel and Liam's beloved mum, Peggy, had seen her two sons on stage together since their split. As the band performed Stand By Me, Liam could be heard saying: "This one I want to dedicate to my mum, my mum is here tonight." There were big cheers from the fans at Croke Park in response. Liam also dedicated Roll With It to the people of Charlestown, Co Mayo – where his mother hails from. Mid-song, he also turned to the upper tiers where she was expected to have been sitting and blew kisses as he mouthed: "I love you." Peggy, 92, had previously spoken about planning to see them on the Oasis Live'25 tour and still lives in Manchester, where she brought up her three sons in Burnage. But Peggy avoided the all-standing Manchester shows so she could see them in comfort in a box when they played in Dublin. In an interview in June, Peggy was asked if she had anything to do with the reunion between Noel and Liam. She said: "I was the instigator, yes. But sure, wasn't it always going to happen at some time or other? It was their choice, of course. Look, you can't force them to do things they don't want to do." She confessed she was relieved to see her sons working together again, following a years-long rift between the two. "It's great, because nobody wants their kids falling out, do they?" she said, although she admitted to being nervous about the shows and would be "glad when it's all just over because it makes me get too stressed." Peggy has been spending time with both Noel and Liam in the run-up to the live tour, and was on holiday with Liam and his partner Debbie in the South of France earlier in the year when Liam was on vocal rest. Speaking in the Sunday Times in 2019, Liam said: "Any good that comes out of me is all from Peggy and all her sisters and brothers. Oasis: What's Their Story? An unofficial celebration magazine on sale now! A few simple words on social media on August 27 in 2024 were enough to spark pandemonium among Oasis fans and were the catalyst for the most eagerly awaited UK gigs of all time. This special unofficial magazine, available to order here, marks the reunion and honours the band both now and down the years with our incredible archive of photos and interviews - and with exclusive reviews and photographs of their first show!
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Jade Thirlwall admits 'daily battle' to not take Ozempic after cruel comments
Singer Jade Thirlwall has revealed that in the past, she has considered taking Ozempic after some social media users shared cruel comments about her weight Jade Thirlwall has revealed she's facing a 'daily battle' to not take Ozempic after receiving comments on social media about her weight. The 32-year-old has previously been open about her years of struggling with eating disorders, and despite being the healthiest she's ever been, she's still having to deal with scrutiny about her weight. But in a heartfelt admission, the Plastic Box songstress has revealed that she's considered medication in the past to deal with her weight. Speaking in a new interview, former Little Mix singer Jade said: 'I have a daily battle with myself not to go on Ozempic. 'I don't judge people that do, but because I have a history of eating disorders, I don't know where taking something like that would end for me. 'Now I'm in my 30s and the healthiest I've ever been, but every time I post a picture, there are comments saying, 'She must be pregnant.'' It comes after one TV star admitted she sleeps in separate bed to partner as she fumes over pregnancy. Jade added to The Guardian: 'The sad thing is that it's usually women. But people are used to seeing me in a group environment five or 10 years ago when I was stick-thin because I was in my early 20s with an eating disorder.' Although some people use Ozempic to aid weight loss, it is not licensed for this and should only be used by people with diabetes to aid their symptoms. This isn't the first time the ITV star has opened up about her weight struggles and the constant scrutiny about whether she's pregnant. Her Little Mix bandmates Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock have gone on to have children, and fans are constantly asking her when she'll become a mum. The singer, who has been dating Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens for five years, said she finds the speculation about her being pregnant 'invasive'. She starred on ITV's The Assembly earlier this year and expressed: 'The thing that annoys me the most is 'Am I going to have children, am I pregnant? 'I find it weird that people ask that, as they don't know what my circumstances are. You don't know if someone can't have children, they don't want to or aren't ready yet." She shot to fame on The X Factor in 2011, where she and the rest of Little Mix became the first female group to win the show and went on to have a successful career before the band went on a hiatus in 2021. Jade launched her own solo career last year with hit single Angel of My Dreams, which won best song at this year's Brit Awards. This year alone she's performed at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend Liverpool, Capital's Summertime Ball, Glastonbury and BBC Proms. During her Glastonbury set in June, Jade took the opportunity to give a shoutout to her former bandmates Perrie and Leigh-Anne as she got emotional. Jesy Nelson was also part of the group originally, before her departure in 2020. While performing at the music festival, the singer said: "Firstly, shout out to Little Mix. I can't begin to explain how grateful I am to those girls for literally changing my life and who would have thought then that we would have a Little Mix girlie up here on the Glastonbury stage. But I can't lie, it feels good doing my own songs that I've written from my heart." She continued: "That was the old me, now it's time for something new." She then told the crowd she would bring out some special guests, as she welcomed Confidence Man to the stage. Jade also used her performance to boldly express her disdain for Reform UK while delivering a rousing rendition of her hit FUFN. The track, an acronym for 'F*** you for now', features a segment where JADE reels off a list of things she'd like to give the middle finger to. During her set, she chanted: "Reform! Transphobia! Selling arms! Genocide!", with the crowd echoing back a resounding "F*** you."
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
My Cultural Awakening: Years & Years helped me accept my bisexual identity
I first discovered Olly Alexander, of Years & Years, by accident. I was teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea, and I showed a video of a BBC Glastonbury roundup on the projector as part of the lesson. I remember glimpsing an incredibly cute blond guy on stage, and being transfixed. I knew immediately that he was gay because the way he moved was unashamedly fluid and graceful. He was doing a pirouette. The clip was so short there wasn't even a mention of the name of the band, so I had to do some detective work. I Googled something ridiculous like 'bleached hair gay man Glastonbury 2015' and trawled through hundreds of search results until I found him. I was 24 and out as bisexual, but I had never done more than kiss a man. I grew up on the west coast of Ireland, and while my area was relatively liberal, we still used the F-slur regularly and referred to anything remotely crap or weak as 'gay'. At school, I liked girls enough to distract myself from the fact that I also liked boys – but by the time I was in my final year of university, I wasn't able to ignore my feelings for men any more. I told friends and family I was bisexual, but I did it in an almost aggressive way. My attitude was: 'I'm bisexual and if you have a problem with that, I don't want to hear about it.' Looking back, I think I was being defensive: I didn't want to discuss my sexuality because I wasn't entirely comfortable with it yet. It made me feel vulnerable to accept that I was interested in men because it messed with my sense of masculinity. I am still often perceived by strangers as straight. When I did develop a crush on a boy, growing up, it would be a macho lad who liked football and girls. Discovering Olly Alexander was seismic for me because it was the first time I fancied a man who was openly gay in his presentation. In the weeks after I found Olly online, I listened to Years & Years' debut album, Communion, on repeat. In a few songs, Olly refers to his love interest as 'boy', and I remember listening out for that word and feeling electrified by it. I was taking taekwondo lessons in my spare time, and I suggested to my instructor that we put Communion on in the background while we trained. Because it's a form of combat, taekwondo is a hypermasculine sport, but it is also elegant and feminine in the sense that it is like a dance. Listening to that music while doing those moves made me feel as if I was pulling together the two parts of my own nature, and finding some balance between the masculine and the feminine. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion At the point in the session when we were doing a particularly high-intensity kicking routine, the song King would start playing on the record – which is all about being desired by another man on a night out. My instructor loved the record too, although he was a very traditional South Korean man, and from small comments he had made I could tell he was casually homophobic. He had no idea that he was enjoying an album about gay men in the club. The music unlocked something in me. I began to pursue boys and go to gay first sexual experiences with men happened at precisely the same time as I was discovering Communion. When I listen to Shine now – which is about the magnetic feeling between two men – I still get this feeling in my stomach. It's difficult for me to disentangle the feeling of desire from the excitement I feel when I hear the opening bars. I started dating my first boyfriend around the time Years & Years' second album, Palo Santo, came out, so Olly Alexander's music doesn't just sound like lust to me. It also sounds like love. Anonymous Did a cultural moment prompt you to make a major life change? Email us at You can tell us how a cultural moment has prompted you to make a major life change by filling in the form below or emailing us on Please include as much detail as possible Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first.
