• This year, The Libertines performed at Glastonbury Festival on the final day, Sunday, June 29th.
• They played the Pryramid Stage just before Rod Stewart's Legends slot.
• The festival lineup included other notable acts like Olivia Rodrigo, Neil Young, and The 1975.
• Pete Doherty and Carl Barât were interviewed backstage after their set, reflecting on the experience and hinting at plans for new music.
• We connected with another fan, via the community LibsForLovers, who generously offered to provide a first-hand account of the event.

[Special thanks to Deej Jones for his contributions! Please find his experience share below (in "details").]

by Deej Jones

Following Celeste, there was a buzz in the air for the Libertines at the Pyramid Stage in the baking heat. The seated crowd became a collective of standers and the gaps from outstretched legs were filled with shuffling fans weaving in and around to get as close as they could to the Likely Lads. 

In 2015, my brother turned up to the secret set the Libertines played on Pyramid Stage, I'd seen the earlier reunion at Leeds festival back in 2010 and it was a nice full circle moment to be stood where my brother was 10 years later. 

The band started with some early classics, getting the crowd immediately moving with Up The Bracket and The Delaney before What Became of the Likely Lads got the whole of the Pyramid Stage, from the front row to the top of the hill, singing. 

What I think is really impressive about the well oiled machine that is the Libertines, is how easily the new songs from 2024's All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade fit into the well trodden earlier hits. Night of the Hunter, Shiver and Merry Old England felt like a great warm up for Death On The Stairs and Music When The Lights Go Out, rather than a lull in proceedings because a band had 'played a new one'. So when Run Run Run blasted through the speakers it was no surprise that this erupted within the crowd. A song that has been a recent favourite from the band (and my Dad!) to start a set could quite easily have done an equally impressive job at closing this one too...

But then you realise the Libertines have the iconic Time For Heroes, Can't Stand Me Now and Don't Look Back into the Sun just sitting in their locker. A band would dream to have one let alone all 3. As a result, the last 4 songs (yes, including Run Run Run) were a crescendo starting at an already very high point. As Can't Stand Me Now kicked off as the penultimate song the words of the band were echoing in the crowd - "an ending fitting for the start...".

Don't Look Back into the Sun saw the band sign off that they have a deserved place on the Pyramid Stage any year and the new music is only making their set stronger. As the music closed and Gary stepped forward with a Palestine flag to get the crowd chanting, the mics were cut off and the set was done. Another job well done by the Boys in the Band. 

The Libertines played:

Up The Bracket

The Delaney

What Became of the Likely Lads

Boys in the Band

Night of the Hunter

What Katie Did

Shiver

Merry Old England

Death On The Stairs

Music When The Lights Go Out

The Good Old Days

Run Run Run

Time For Heroes

Can't Stand Me Now

Don't Look Back Into The Sun

Politics - 

Before their performance, a video message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was played. It called on the crowd to spread truth about the war with Russia and share Glastonbury's inclusive spirit (according to The Independent). 

Fashion -

Pete Doherty: long hooded coat and wellies

Carl Barât: snakeskin boots, pinstripe trousers and a vest

Setlist -

Up The Bracket

Vertigo

The Ha Ha Wall

Gunga Din

What Katie Did

You're My Waterloo

Boys in the Band

Can't Stand Me Now

Music When the Lights Go Out

Horrorshow

What Became of the Likely Lads

Death on the Stairs

The Good Old Days" (with a chant of "Danny Zelensky")

Time for Heroes

Don't Look Back Into the Sun

(according to Setlist.fm.)

Last Min Gig - 

The Libertines filled a slot on Friday, June 26th, which was originally for Florence + the Machine.

The Machine was moved to headliner status after Foo Fighters cancelled due to Dave Grohl's broken leg.

Setlist -

The Delaney

Vertigo

Time for Heroes

Horrorshow

Can't Stand Me Now

The Ha Ha Wall

Gunga Din

Music When the Lights Go Out

What Katie Did

The Boy Looked at Johnny

Boys in the Band

You're My Waterloo

Anthem for Doomed Youth (live debut)

Death on the Stairs

The Good Old Days

Tell the King

I Get Along

What a Waster

Don't Look Back Into the Sun 

Highlights -

Despite their famously fractious relationship, the band members shared microphones and appeared at ease.

New material was debuted, detailing the strained relationship between Doherty and Barât

After the performance, The Libertines left Glastonbury by helicopter for another festival in Russia.

(They played at the Ahmad Tea Music Festival in Moscow, Russia on June 27, 2015. They were the headlining act for the festival, which took place at Muzeon Park.)

No Show -

The Libertines did not make it to Glastonbury in 2004.

They were scheduled to perform on the Pyramid Stage on Sunday but were replaced by Supergrass. 

The reason for the cancellation was that lead singer, Pete Doherty, was ill and recuperating at a Buddhist monastery in Thailand at the time. - source