After an eight-year hiatus, acclaimed British indie band The Maccabees made a highly anticipated return to the Glastonbury stage on Saturday, 29 June. Their performance marked a major moment in the band’s reunion, which was officially announced in October 2024.
The Maccabees initially disbanded in 2017, with members pursuing individual creative projects. At the time, the split was regarded as one of the most noteworthy in recent music memory. However, the group surprised fans with news of their reunion late last year, followed by their first live performance in over half a decade on 20 June at The Dome in London. The show was held in support of the MS Society and marked the start of a short run of intimate warm-up gigs across Europe.
The band made their full-scale festival return at Glastonbury 2025 with a headline set on the Park Stage, closing out the weekend. The appearance was their first at Glastonbury in a decade and their sixth time performing at Worthy Farm.
Their setlist featured fan favourites from across their discography, including “Pelican,” “Precious Time,” and “X-Ray.” They opened with early single “Latchmere,” immediately setting an energetic tone for the emotional and celebratory set.
A highlight of the evening came when Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine joined the band on stage for a rendition of “Love You Better.” In a surprise moment, The Maccabees then sang the backing vocals to Welch on her own hit “Dog Days Are Over,” sending the crowd into a frenzy.
In a five-star review, NME described the performance as “one of The Maccabees’ most euphoric shows,” praising the band’s energy and the evident joy on stage. “There are few things more joyful than witnessing White grinning ear to ear as he hypes up the crowd between songs” the review read, noting that “Frontman Orlando Weeks, meanwhile, looks happier than ever, joining his bandmate in some rare instances of geeing up the crowd and looking truly appreciative of the moment.
Following their Glastonbury comeback, The Maccabees will continue their reunion with a series of UK summer dates, culminating in a headline performance at All Points East Festival in Victoria Park later this year. Tickets to their upcoming shows can be accessed here.
