Artic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses will headline this year’s Glastonbury Festival, according to festival organizers. The rock bands will perform with previously-announced headliner Sir Elton John at Worthy Farm in June.
The lineup also includes Blondie, Lizzo, Lana Del Rey, Lil Nas X, Manic Street Preachers, and Wizkid.
Cat Stevens, better known as Yusuf, will perform in the “legend slot” once occupied by Kylie and Dolly Parton.
Diana Ross drew an estimated 80,000 people to her Sunday afternoon performance at the festival last year, which is one of the festival’s largest audiences.
Blondie will immediately follow Stevens on the Pyramid stage, thereby creating a “double legend” time.
When he lowers the curtain on six decades of live performances, Sir Elton is set to be the year’s biggest draw.
Emily Eavis, the festival’s organizer, told the BBC,
“It’s a huge, huge coup for us to be able to have him here at the end of his tour.”
“And he’s quite enthusiastic. He’s been on the phone with a plethora of wonderful ideas and he’s ecstatic.”
The celebrity has never been a regular festival participant, and Eavis disclosed that she had to take additional measures to encourage him to perform.
“We have desired Elton for decades. This is something we’ve discussed on multiple occasions, and I was wondering, what’s the best method to reach Elton?
“Finally, I wrote him a letter in which I stated, ‘If this never occurs, it would be such a collective failure. I’m aware that you’ve accomplished everything else possible. I’m aware you’ve completed all of your obligations, but could you please perform at Glastonbury?
And he just said yes over the phone. Next year’s headliners are already scheduled.
On Friday, more than fifty bands were announced for the 2023 lineup, with hundreds more to be released before the festival opens on Wednesday, 21 June.
Wizkid, a Nigerian sensation, will headline the Other Stage on Friday night, while Lana Del Rey, an American torch singer, will perform opposite Guns N’ Roses on Saturday.
Christine and the Queens will headline the Woodsies Stage, which was originally known as the John Peel stage.
Eavis states that the change is not in response to a petition filed last year denouncing that the Radio 1 DJ had married a 15-year-old girl when he was 25. (the marriage was legal at the time in Texas, where they wed).
Eurovision winners Mneskin, pop maverick Rina Sawayama, American country singers The Chicks, and BBC Music of 2023 winners Flo will all make their festival debuts.
In accordance with Glastonbury’s goal to provide gender-balanced festival lineups, there is a nearly 50:50 mix between male and female bands.
But, this year’s headliners on the main stage are all men.
“We do our best and definitely aim for a 50/50 split,” Eavis added. “Some years it is greater, and some years it is less.
This year, we did have a female headliner, but she was forced to cancel… It is constantly changing.
Next year, though, we may have two female headliners, so let’s cross our fingers.
Can tickets for Glastonbury still be obtained?
The festival’s tickets sold out just 61 minutes after being on sale in November, despite the price increase to £340.
Tickets that have been returned or canceled will be resold closer to the event, often in late March or early April.
Entries are accepted until March 8 for a raffle of ten pairs of tickets to benefit the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal.
Five days remain, and we’re near £800,000, which is astounding, added Eavis. “Hopefully, we’ll make some significant progress in the next few days.”
She is still in the process of confirming other performers for the lineup. She stated that she cannot wait till June to once again open the gates of her family’s farm.
“When we returned [last year] after two years of pandemic lockdowns, there was an incredible spirit,” she said.
“People exhibited divergent conduct. They were very enthusiastic. They did not cease. AlsoThey desired to be everywhere. Love and happiness were palpable, and they renewed my faith.
“I believe Glastonbury is still a light of optimism, love, and other great qualities. And that is how it must remain.”
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