Glastonbury 2023; Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder returns with Mantra of the Cosmos - who are they?

Happy Mondays’ and Black Grape frontman Shaun Ryder makes his return to Worth Farm this weekend, with the Britpop supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos set to perform at Glastonbury 2023 having dropped their first single, “Gorilla Guerilla,” earlier this month. 

The group has brought together former members of other hallowed Britpop acts, including former Oasis members Zak Starkey and Andy Bell, along with Bez - because it wouldn’t be a band with Shaun Ryder without Bez lurking and dancing in the background. 

Although the use of the term “supergroup” is one that the band have been keen to distance themselves from. Talking to Rolling Stone UK, Ryder explained “Zak [Starkey] doesn’t like that word. He says we’re not super. We’re a fantastic group!” 

Described as a combination between The Who and Happy Mondays, two of Zak Starkey’s favourite bands in an admission made during the same Rolling Stone UK interview, the group’s debut is a nod to both the psychedelia scene from the ‘70s with the baggy/Hacienda era of the late ‘80s to early ‘90s - itself informed by the beatnik movement.

Speaking about how the band came together, Ryder quipped “I met Zak at TFI Friday back in 2015 when all my f****ing dental implants had to come out and I was wearing these fake gnashers that could’ve fallen out at any minute! But this is the first time we’ve actually come together and done something,”

“Part of this band, too, is knowing that with everything going on, we really just need to chill out. Everybody is taking everything so f**king damn serious, so we’re here to say that we all just need to have a joke and chill out.”

How many times has Shaun Ryder performed at Glastonbury Festival?

Shaun Ryder’s performance at this year’s Glastonbury Festival 2023 will mark his fifth time playing at Worthy Farm. 

During his time with Happy Mondays, Ryder performed at the festival three times, in 1990, 2000 and then in 2019. He also guested with Gorillaz at Glastonbury 2010 - appearing on stage during the group’s performance of “D.A.R.E.”

Surprisingly, despite being considered part of the wider reaching Cool Britannia movement, Black Grape did not perform at Glastonbury Festival.

When are Manta of the Cosmos playing Glastonbury Festival 2023?

Mantra of the Cosmos will be performing at the Glade Stage at Glastonbury on Sunday, with a set time of 8:20pm to 9:30pm.

How can I watch Glastonbury Festival 2023 at home?

According to the BBC, Glastonbury Festival 2023 can be watched on BBC iPlayer, which is the primary platform for viewing the festival. Continuous live streams from the five main stages—Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Park, and Woodsies—will be available on BBC iPlayer. Sets from the Pyramid Stage will be shown live in Ultra High Definition on specific days, along with presenter-led coverage and highlights from the performances.

BBC iPlayer is also introducing a new live stream called Pyramid Stage - Signed, featuring every performance on the Pyramid Stage in British Sign Language. Additionally, the festival's famous Glastonbury Webcam will have its own stream called Glasto-Cam Live, offering live coverage from sunrise to sunset each day, providing viewers with a glimpse of the festival grounds. 

Glastonbury's Greatest Hits is another new addition, featuring a selection of major performances from previous years, streaming on BBC iPlayer for 24 hours a day, with on-demand access for 30 days.

After the festival weekend, The Glastonbury BBC iPlayer Channel will continue for an additional week, showcasing standout performances for those who want to relive the festival or catch up on missed shows. 

A wide selection of sets, key tracks, and themed performance compilations will be available on demand on BBC iPlayer throughout the weekend and for 30 days after broadcast, including selected Pyramid Stage performances in Ultra High Definition.