Who is Patchwork? That’s the question everyone’s asking after Glastonbury dropped its full 2025 line-up this week. Alongside headliners Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975, Neil Young, and Rod Stewart, one particular name stood out, and not for its fame. Slotted into the iconic Pyramid Stage on Saturday at 6:15 PM, between John Fogerty and Raye, is a complete unknown: Patchwork.
For Glastonbury regulars, this isn’t just a random name. It’s a tradition. The festival is famous for surprise sets under mysterious aliases. Just last year, an act called The Churnups turned out to be none other than Foo Fighters. With 56 "TBA" listings across the line-up this year, fans are certain this is another big reveal waiting to happen.
The internet has ideas
Social media detectives are working overtime, and so far, the most popular theory is HAIM. The timing adds up since the trio just announced new music and a UK tour. One fan pointed out that “Patchwork” is the title of a novel by Sylvia Haim, a detail many believe is more than a coincidence. Their 27 June show in Margate leaves a perfect window for a surprise Glasto slot the next evening.
Crowd listening to ColdPlay perform during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2024 Getty Images
Another front-runner? Pulp. The Britpop legends are dropping a new album this summer and have a gap in their tour schedule. Jarvis Cocker previously said a Glasto return would only happen in a “life-or-death” scenario, but some fans think that was just misdirection.
And then there’s Timothée Chalamet. Yes, really. The actor, who plays Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic A Complete Unknown, was spotted buying one of Dylan’s patchwork jackets at auction earlier this year. Fans believe he might join the Dylan tribute band “Not Completely Unknown,” already confirmed for the Acoustic Stage. Could he double up on Pyramid?
A tradition of big surprises
Over the years, secret Glastonbury sets have featured everyone from Radiohead to Lady Gaga. Patchwork now joins that cryptic legacy. With just weeks to go until the festival kicks off at Worthy Farm, fans will be left guessing and hoping until that 6:15 Saturday slot reveals its true face. Whether it’s a popular artist or a once-in-a-lifetime reunion, Glastonbury’s latest mystery is doing exactly what it’s meant to, and that is to stir up the hype.
