Glastonbury: Belfast band Problem Patterns land coveted festival slot
- Published
Problem Patterns are heading to Worthy Farm this June as they secure a slot at Glastonbury
Belfast band Problem Patterns are living the Glastonbury dream.
More accustomed to playing in dozens or hundreds, the self-described queer-punks have landed the gig of a lifetime at one of the world's biggest music festivals.
They are one of eight emerging talents chosen to take to one of Worthy Farm's world famous stages later this year.
And getting to perform for some of the 210,000 or so Glasto goers is beyond the four-piece's wildest dreams.
"I don't think Glastonbury was ever in our foresight before we started," Problem Patterns member Alanah Smith told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
It was an emotional moment when BBC 6 Music's Huw Stephens announced they would be off to Glastonbury.
"We immediately cried," Alanah said.
"All four of us were in the audience and broke into tears, because that was the main goal after all."
Problem Pattern's Alanah Smith says the band were "overwhelmed" at the news
The festival's Emerging Talent Competition aims to "help acts get a foot on the ladder" in the music industry, co-organiser Emily Eavis said.
And it was Problem Pattern who managed to blast through the other 90 artists featured on the original longlist.
This eventually led to the band performing in the live finals in the festival's hometown of Pilton near Somerset.
While Jamaican-Irish rapper JayaHadADream scooped the top prize - and £5,000 from the PRS Foundation - BBC 6 Music's Huw Stephen revealed on the night that all eight acts would be given Glastonbury slots.
Quartet Problem Patterns have secured a slot at this year's Glastonbury Festival
Alanah said the band couldn't believe it.
"They said the voting was so tight they made the decision for the top three, but they said everyone deserved a spot.
"It was such an amazing night, we were all just completely blown away watching everyone else that we were kind of getting imposter syndrome."
Who are Problem Patterns?
The band, which features Alanah Smith alongside Beverley Boal, Bethany Crooks and Ciara King, formed at the tailend of 2018, and have been using their ever-growing platform to bring their modern take on riot grrrl - a 1990s underground feminist punk movement - to the fore.
The band, whose debut album Blouse Club is due out later in 2024, don't have a front person, often swapping instruments and roles to make sure every member has a chance to shine.
And while mainstream success and money would be nice, it is not a key aim of the band.
"We've never been one that's kind of chasing fame, we just genuinely love performing," Alanah added.
"Anyone who comes to see us, even if it's 10 people in the room or less, we're the ones having the most fun in the room."
About 200,000 people attend the almost week-long festival on Worthy Farm near Somerset
Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA are set to headline Glastonbury this year, which is due to take place at the end of June.
Country star Shania Twain will also play the coveted "legend slot" on the Sunday afternoon.
Allow YouTube content?
This article contains content provided by Google YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Google’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
And soon, unbelievably to the band themselves, Problem Patterns will be joining them.
"I grew up in a really little town in Canada and the rest of the band are from here," Alanah said.
"I just saw so many videos over the years of the size of that crowd, I think 200,000... It's very overwhelming, but we're absolutely buzzing."
- Published14 March
- Published21 April
