Damon Albarn made a surprise appearance during Bombay Bicycle Club’s set at Glastonbury 2024 on Friday (June 28th), and took the opportunity to express his support for Palestine. Watch his speech below.

Directly addressing the crowd, Albarn asked the festivalgoers to cheer if they are “pro-Palestine” and agree that there is an “unfair war” going on in Gaza. He then emphasized “the importance of voting next week” in the upcoming UK general election, acknowledging he doesn’t “blame” anyone for being “ambivalent.”

From there, Albarn called for new blood in politics. “Maybe it’s time we stop putting octogenarians in control of the whole world,” he said. Particularly after last night’s US presidential debate, that sounds like a great idea to us.

In addition to the speech, Albarn played the collaboration “Heaven” with Bombay Bicycle Club and Blur’s “Tender.” Watch footage below.

Albarn wasn’t the only performer to make a political statement on day one of the festival: Serbian artist Marina Abramović led seven minutes of silence as a way to reflect on the current state of the world.

Earlier this year, Albarn teased that Blur’s Coachella set was “probably” the band’s “last gig.” The group reunited for their first album in eight years, The Ballad of Darren, last summer. Read our cover story coinciding with its release.

Go on Damon #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 #glastonbury2024 pic.twitter.com/aZONLpWjmh

— Sean (@shornKOOMINS) June 28, 2024

🎥 Damon Albarn joins Bombay Bicycle Club on The Other Stage for ‘Heaven’ #Glastonbury #GlastonburyFestival pic.twitter.com/yt0sUJiLBe

— Far Out Magazine #Glastonbury2024 (@FarOutMag) June 28, 2024