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Ever wondered what happens at Glastonbury when the headliners have left the Pyramid and the BBC cameras are switched off? Well, there’s an underbelly of genre-pushing programming in one specific corner of Worthy Farm. It’s a part of the festival that you won’t necessarily see on BBC Breakfast come June 26, a space where art installations, underground music, queer culture and alternative performances all converge.
Named Block9, this is a not-so-secret hub of protest, party and counterculture. ‘Block9 is a living artwork, an amazing temporary alternative reality that only happens once a year and only exists for five days’, says co-founder Stephen Gallagher. ‘That’s what makes it so special. It is fleeting yet powerful.’
What is Block9?
Block9 is a corner of Glastonbury that’s famed for its immersive stage design, multi-genre performances and focus on LGBTQIA+ culture and inclusivity. It’s made up of legendary venues The NYC Downlow, The Meat Rack, IICON and Genosys. And, for 2025, it will host an all-new Daytime Block Party across both Genosys and The NYC Downlow, featuring Derrick Carter, Jayda G, Don Letts, Fatboy Slim, Hot Chip, Luke Solomon and Melle Brown.
‘Part by design and part by chance, Block9 has organically formed over the last 18 years into something that now has a pretty unique network of likeminded collaborators, its own exacting musical flavour and its own extensive family ecosystem,’ co-founder Gideon Berger says. ‘It’s managed to platform and frame a cultural space in where queerness, political activism, social responsibility and “conscious” house music amplify each other and make sense in a historical context. Block9 is her own beast now.’
Who is performing at Block9 at Glastonbury 2025?
At the centre of proceedings in The NYC Downlow. It’s a film set-inspired replica of a New York bathhouse-cum-meatpacking warehouse circa 1982, where celebs (like Cyndi Lauper last year) can anonymously rub shoulders with festival-goers in a dim and dirty setting. Resident Advisor calls the stage ‘categorically one of the best clubs in the world’, so it’s safe to say you can set expectations high for its late-night antics.
Highlights include Washington’s Deep Dish’s classic house set, the Classic Music Company 30-year special, Chicago OG Derrick Carter and the Grammy-winning Beyoncé collaborator Luke Solomon. Plus, Jonny Woo’s resident drag troupe, Maude Adams & All Those Children, will host themed nightly performances that include: The Underwear Party, One Million Years BD (Before Drag) and A Night of 1000 Divines / A Celebration of John Waters.
It’s not just the NYC Downlow to get hyped about. Described as a ‘pseudo-religious monument’, IICON boasts an immersive sculptural artwork and a state-of-the-art stage for House of Xtravaganza’s THOG (Rush Davis), Pearson Sound, Cybotron, Juan Atkins and Two Shell. There’s also a drum ’n’ bass finale with Sub Focus, Nia Archives and DJ Storm.
Genosys takes over Block9 West, featuring collabs like Peach x Saoirse x Moxie, Colombia’s Confidential Recipe b2b Leeon, Leonce, ISAbella, EMA and Hannah Holland. Meanwhile, the cheekily-named Meat Rack will host Seth Troxler, Nabihah Iqbal, Andy Cato (Groove Armada), Deptford Northern Soul Club among others.
Who runs Block9 Glastonbury?
Block9 is the brainchild of Gideon Berger and Stephen Gallagher, who are both longstanding members of the UK’s nightlife community. The area has nurtured emerging talent through partnerships with organisations and institutions to deliver mentoring and educational programmes, including experience design, technical theatre, video art, film-making, drama and creative production.
This year, Block9 is working with charities such as the London-based HIV prevention activists PrEPster, MAP (Medical Aid For Palestinians), Crisis, Human Dignity Trust and Freedom from Torture. They’ve also raised money for charities through the ‘moustaches save lives’ campaign, where proceeds from the sale of moustaches at Glastonbury get donated to Refugee Community Kitchen, Freedom From Torture, Disasters Emergency Committee (Ukraine), and Human Dignity Trust
‘The NYC Downlow started back in 2007 under the slogan “moustaches save lives” and over the last 17 years Block9 has raised £150k for various charities, it’s an integral part of our identity,’ Stephen Gallagher says. ‘I love the idea that community building on these temporary dancefloors can have a much wider reach and provide direct help to underrepresented or marginalised communities.’
Full Block9 lineup for 2025
Here’s the full lineup for 2025 at Block9.
DAY PARTY
- Fatboy Slim
- Derrick Carter
- Luke Solomon
- Melle Brown
- Don Letts
- Jayda G
- Hot Chip
GENOSYS
- Craig Richards
- Isabella
- Peach
- Fatboy Slim
- Partok
- Midland
- Hot Chip
- Saoirse
- Lance DeSardi (Live)
- Justin Strauss
- Leonce
- Artwork
- Demi Riquísimo
- Garrett David (Live)
- Michelle Manetti
- Confidential Recipe
- Imogen
- Ouissam
- Felix Dickinson
- Hannah Holland
- Chapter 10
- Heidi Lawden
- Aaron Clark
- Leeon
- Moxie
- Placid
- L-Vis 1990
- Tai Lokun
- Don Letts
- Anil Aras
- Mina Galán
- Jayda G
IICON
- Nia Archives (Live)
- Shyboi
- Adam Shelton
- Tash LC
- Paranoid London (Live)
- Sub Focus
- Benji B
- Bushbby
- DJ Storm
- Sippin’ T
- Freakenstein
- Blawan (DJ Set)
- Thog
- Ema
- Cybotron
- Makadsi
- Pearson Sound
- Modeselektor (DJ Set)
- Raggs
- Two Shell
MEAT RACK
- Nabihah Iqbal
- T. Jacques
- Scarlett O’Malley
- Niks
- Seth Troxler
- Mr. Redley
- Mark Hume
- Maclo
- Chris Curse
- Guy Williamns
- J. Aria
- Nicolas Matar
- Smokin Jo
- Nature Boy
- Mandel Turner
- Enzo Siragusa
- Eats Everything
- Dan Shake
- Shay Malt
- Andy Cato (Groove Armada)
- Seb Odyssey
- Ninebob
- Sugarbear
- Husband
- Dave Harvey
- Sophie Joy
- Ryan Hope (The Gabriels)
- Deptford Northern Soul Club
- Shanti Celeste
THE NYC DOWNLOW
- Danilo Plessow (AKA MCDE)
- Colored Craig
- Toribio
- Prosumer
- Maze
- Dungeon Meat
- Grace Sands
- Mr Mulatto
- Crackazat
- Gideön
- Scott Diaz
- Luke Solomon
- DJ Disciple
- Melle Brown
- Derrick Carter
- Luke Howard
- Victor Rodriguez (Bears in Space)
- Heléna Star
- Greg Belson
- Bashkka
- Jackie Gritness (Live)
- Deep Dish (Classic House Set)
- Gerd Janson
- Biggy C (Bootylicious)
- Panty Soaker Sound System
- Dee Diggs
- James Hillard
When is Glastonbury 2025?
The festival will take place from June 25-29, 2025.
Who are the Glastonbury 2025 headliners?
This year’s headliners are Neil Young, The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo and Rod Stewart. Find out more here.
What’s the lineup this year?
The rest of the line-up is pretty massive. Charli xcx, Raye, Doechii, Ezra Collective, Rod Stewart, Snow Patrol and Loyle Carner are just a few of the big names descending on Worthy Farm for the weekend. Here’s who else has been announced so far – keep an eye out for more ahead of the festival.
Time Out at Glastonbury
Going to Glasto but not sure what to expect? As well as our frequent info posts, we’ll be on-the-ground reporting from the various stages, such as Block9. Read our reviews of last year’s festival below if you fancy reminiscing.
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