Måneskin live at Glastonbury: Gen Z’s favourite rock band wins over Worthy Farm

For the fans who’ve been paying attention, Måneskin’s brilliant third album ‘Rush!’ hammered the final nail into any and all conversations about the Italian group being defined by Eurovision. Pulling influence from the likes of Radiohead to Queens Of The Stone Age via Idles, the sprawling 17 tracks saw the band confidently evolving at their own pace. Today at Glastonbury, they’ve got something of a challenge on their hands that’s only amplified by the fact Måneskin have only played headline shows in the UK after their unlikely Eurovision win. You’re either a die hard fan, or you haven’t seen them live yet. 

“For everyone who doesn’t know who the fuck we are, we’re about to play a song that’ll make you say ‘I know you motherfuckers’,” grins vocalist Damiano David before Måneskin launch into their mega-viral reworking of The Four Seasons’ ‘Beggin’. Of course the packed Woodsies tent erupts.

Don’t be fooled though, the entire hour-long set is one non-stop rock & roll party. The group take to the stage one by one, slowing building the crunching ‘Don’t Wanna Sleep’ before David roars “let’s fucking go” and the crowd responds in time.  The rapid fire ‘Gossip’ quickly follows as the group try and make the most of their time onstage before they launch into their Eurovision-winning breakout single ‘Zitti e buoni.’

It’s a bold move to play it third, especially when there’s so much else on offer elsewhere at the business end of a stacked Saturday but the band knows they’re bigger than that one song. The audience has clearly caught on as well, as the tent only gets more full throughout the evening. The electro-punk sneer of ‘Bla Bla Bla’, the polished pop of ‘Baby Said’ and the absolutely ferocious ‘Gasoline’ all sound incredible, with Måneskin effortlessly switching between lanes while the likes of ‘I Wanna Be Your Slave’ and ‘MammaMia’ are already undeniable anthems. 

Sharing a stage with forward thinking rock mavericks from The Last Dinner Party and Working Men’s Club to alt-popstars Rina Sawayama and Christine And The Queens, there was a risk Måneskin’s take on classic rock and roll might feel a little dated today, but there’s something about the energy, the enthusiasm and the zero fucks attitude than keeps things constantly exciting. 

The band are fine doing things their own way as well. There’s no better example of that than today’s snotty closing track ‘Kool Kids’. Turns out Glastonbury is one of a handful of shows that’s banned Måneskin from inciting a stage invasion from fans. No problem though. “We’ll come to you” shrugs David, before hopping the barrier. It isn’t long before guitarist Thomas Raggi follows suit while drummer Ethan Torchio and bassist Victoria De Angelis hold down the chaos onstage. It’s absolute pandemonium, but things never get sloppy. 

Speaking to Rolling Stone UK earlier this year, Måneskin revealed their love of Arctic Monkeys and Guns n’ Roses, both of which headlined Glastonbury this year. It feels obvious to call Måneskin future festival headliners when they’ve already smashed any and all expectations at least three times over, but tonight’s set is a potent reminder of just how powerful Måneskin are. Bigger stages are calling…