Are Foo Fighters ‘The Churnups’?

There’s a mystery band on this year’s Glastonbury timetable called The ChurnUps, and they’re scheduled to perform a 75-minute set before Royal Blood and then Arctic Monkeys close the stage on Friday, 23 June.

Each act on the line-up has a link to their website, as well as a blurb when hovering over the name, besides The ChurnUps. Speculation has led to punters thinking it’s either Pulp or Foo Fighters making a surprise appearance on the Pyramid Stage. 

Source: Glastonbury website

At first, keen Glastonbury fans thought The ChurnUps were Pulp. Fans are led by the theory: if you churn something up, it becomes pulp, per The Independent. It’s not totally outside the realm of possibility when the band’s reunion tour began last month and they’re free that day.

However, drummer Nick Banks denied the rumours, writing on Twitter, “Though it’s very tempting to tease you lot again. I know nothing of the ‘ChurnUps’ band. Ok?” Could he just be keeping up the surprise? Who knows. At the time of writing, no other members of Pulp have commented on the speculation.

Other fans have pointed to Foo Fighters. The ChurnUps’ Twitter account has a white header image – But Here We Are? – and a profile photo that features a snippet of Foo Fighters’ well-known logo.

Source: Twitter

The ChurnUps have also been tweeting, “IS THIS HAPPENING NOW”, “BUT HERE WE ARE”, “YOU MUST RELEASE WHAT YOU HOLD DEAR” (which Foo Fighters also tweeted), and a potential setlist teaser, “MONKEY WRENCH ALONE + EASY TARGET BIG ME I’LL STICK AROUND THIS IS A CALL ENOUGH SPACE EVERLONG”.

Could this entire Twitter account and the obvious nature of the tweets be a red herring for another surprise band? Or, instead of Foo Fighters, will it be a supergroup involving Dave Grohl in some fashion? Foo Fighters also recently stated that they’ll be announcing UK tour dates soon.

Elsewhere on the Glastonbury line-up, two acts are “TBA” on the Woodsies (previously known as John Peel) stage. There’s another “TBA” slot on The Park stage on Saturday, 24 June. Coincidentally, that’s where Pulp performed a secret set in 2011. You can view the full timetable here.

Today, Foo Fighters drop their first album since the passing of Taylor Hawkins, But Here We Are. You can read The Music’s album review here.