June 29th 2024.
During Idles' set at the Glastonbury festival, a shocking and thought-provoking stunt took place. An inflatable life raft filled with models wearing life jackets, representing migrants, was suddenly launched into the crowd. The band's lyrics for their song, which pleads for empathy for immigrants and criticizes the government, made it seem like it was part of their performance. However, it was later revealed that the mastermind behind this stunt was none other than the anonymous street and performance artist, Banksy.
The band members themselves were not aware of the planned stunt until after their headline set on the Other Stage. The Guardian reported that they were only informed about it after launching into their song "Danny Nedelko" and seeing the boat being released into the audience. The frontman, Joe Talbot, sang passionately about unity and the struggles of immigrants, while the crowd was moved by the powerful message.
The stunt caused quite a stir among fans on social media, with some praising Banksy for his brilliant piece of "agit prop" and others expressing discomfort with the atmosphere surrounding the message. Despite the controversy, the scenes were broadcast live on the BBC and can still be seen in the highlights coverage of the set on BBC iPlayer.
While some fans hailed Banksy for never failing to make a statement, others criticized the stunt as a "big, clunky political art misstep." One fan even pointed out that most of the crowd may not have fully understood the message behind the boat and the lyrics, as they were caught up in the festival atmosphere. However, a respectful exchange on social media saw some fans defending the stunt and acknowledging that Idles' fans would have understood the message.
It was revealed that the band was not aware of the stunt beforehand, but they quickly caught on and made sure it was captured on camera. Talbot even instructed their bandmate, Mark Bowen, who was crowdsurfing at the time, to make sure he got close to the boat so it could be seen on TV. This was not the first time Banksy, who is also from Bristol, had a presence at Glastonbury. In 2019, he designed Stormzy's Union Jack-emblazoned stab-proof vest for his headline set on the Pyramid Stage.
The Agency reached out to representatives for both Banksy and Idles for comment on the stunt. Whether you loved it or hated it, one thing is for sure, it sparked a conversation and made a powerful statement about the current state of immigration and empathy towards others.
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