Glastonbury 2023: As fans speculate that The Churnups are actually Pulp, a look at other secret sets

The full list of Glastonbury line-up has been revealed with the likes of Guns N' Roses, Arctic Monkeys and Elton John confirmed. Also on the list to play the iconic Pyramid stage on the Friday (June 23) is a band called The Churnups. The band is set to play ahead of Royal Blood and the Arctic Monkeys.

Don’t be worried if you are a huge Glastonbury music fan and feel like you have never heard of them, festival goers think that this may be the band Pulp under a pseudonym. 

Foo Fighters who are known for going under secret names have also been thrown into the list of potentials plus when lead singer Dave Grohl was a teenager he used to play in a band called Churn. Hmmmm could this be a tell-tale sign? Another band fans speculate it could be is Brit pop group Blur although this seems to be a bit more wishful thinking.

Pulp recently reunited this year after the death of bass guitarist Steve Mackey. The band's reunion tour which started earlier this month has a free slot on the Friday which has raised even more suspicions. Fans are convinced this cryptic name may be a clue that it is actually indie band Pulp that will be playing at this year's festival. 

Eagle-eyed fans have searched the internet and come up with a theory that kind of makes sense. The name Churnups comes from the idea that when you put something in a blender it ‘churns’ it up and leaves you with what we call pulp. 

'Secret sets' are nothing new at Glastonbury, Pulp have even done this before. Back in 2011 the reformed band Jarvis Cocker came on stage and said “You didn’t think we’d disappoint you, did you?”

Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos shouted ‘Surprise’ as he walked on The Park stage in 2008. The band played to a small group of fans on a much smaller stage than what you would’ve expected from them at that point in their career. 

It’s not just indie bands that like to surprise their fans, just hours after her Glasto debut in 2009 Lady Gaga performed to a crowd of just 400 people in a secret surprise set.