The massive lineup for Glastonbury 2013 has now been revealed, and topping the bill is none other than The Rolling Stones, following on from their series of 50th Anniversary shows in November last year, with two dates at London’s O2 Arena, two at New Jersey’s Prudential Center, and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Mid-last year rumours started spinning that rock’s longest running institution, The Rolling Stones, would be splitting and that they would be using UK’s iconic Glastonbury Festival as their final farewell. The band denied reports of any split, and in turn a Glastonbury appearance… those sneaky devils.
For their 50th Anniversary shows last November, the band reportedly received US$25 million from promoters Virgin Music, the then newly-formed partnership between Australian promoter Paul Dainty and Richard Branson; the first live shows from the Stones since 2007.
While a world tour, with expected Australian dates in the works, is expected to be announced by the Stones, but their Glastonbury headline slot comes as a bit of surprise. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have never been that fond of festivals – possibly triggered by the Altamont tragedy of 1969, where Hells Angels bikers were hired as security, and one punter was brutally murdered.
Who can blame them for avoiding festivals since? Besides they’ve never really needed the money, but with them entering what is, by nature, the final phase of their career, it’d be hard to turn down a headline slot at one of England’s most iconic and longest running festivals.
The Stones will finally join the list of artists that have headlined the Pyramid Stage over the years; a list that contains some of music’s biggest and most influential, including Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, U2, REM, Oasis, Radiohead, and Blur.
The Rolling Stones also lead a genuinely enormous bill of bands headed to Worthy Farm, with Australia being represented by the likes of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Tame Impala, Jagwar Ma, and Xavier Rudd.
Other acts include Arctic Monkeys, Mumford & Sons, Elvis Costello, Primal Scream, Vampire Weekend, Billy Bragg and Kenny Rogers (!) on the main Pyramid Stage, while The Other Stage has a decidedly more alternative view with Portishead leading the likes of Chase & Status, The xx, Foals, The Smashing Pumpkins, Alt-J, Two Door Cinema Club, Alabama Shakes, Azealia Banks, and Of Monsters And Men; The West Holts Stage features Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, Public Enemy, Major Lazer, and The Weeknd.
Also playing are (*deep breath*) Nas, Cat Power, Crystal Castles, SBTRKT, Disclosure, Tyler, the Creator, Local Natives, Frightened Rabbit, Jessie Ware, Dinosaur Jr., Simian Mobile Disco, Toro Y Moi, Haim, The Horrors, AlunaGeorge, Savages, Palma Violets, Daughter, Fuck Buttons, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Matthew E. White, The Lumineers, Rodriguez, Rufus Wainwright, Deendra Banhart, Sinead O’Connor, Glen Hansard, Robyn Hitchock, Steve Winwood, Amanda Palmer, Tom Tom Club, Jake Bugg, Django Django, and The Vaccines.
The list, of course, goes on (and on – and can be viewed below), and with such a large and eclectic mix, it really does suit the ‘something for everyone’ cliche; but come the weekend of June 28th, one thing is guaranteed, those clashes are going to be just as much as a nightmare to navigate as the mud of Worthy Farm.
Tickets to the UK festival are already sold out, with many purchasing tickets to the event long before the lineup is even announced, but a resale for the event will take place on Sunday 21st April, if you want to keep your fingers severely crossed, and is only open to those who have previously registered for tickets.
Glastonbury Festival 2013 Lineup
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