The massive lineup for Glastonbury 2013 is about to descend into rural England, including The Rolling Stones, who are headlining the festival 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.
Jagger revealed earlier this year his intention to stay on site in a tent, although we’d say he’s used that term loosely. “I cannot wait to play Glastonbury. I have my boots and tents”, Jagger revealed on Twitter. “I have nothing else to do this weekend and I plan to spend some time with my family,” Jagger added in an interview with the magazine “Q”.
He explained that he will be looking to stay away from large crowds and find a quiet place, and organisers have found just that spot where the ageing rockstar has decided to take glamping to a whole new level.
While most of the 150,000 odd attendees will be slumming it barely erected tents amidst Glastonbury’s trademark mud piles, Mick Jagger and his bandmates will be living the life of luxury in yurts worth more than $5,000.
So what exactly does $5K get you in the world of luxury tents? The company building Jagger’s tent city told The Daily Mail that his digs feature a luxury king-size bed, sideboards, mirrors and candles, a world away from the likely mud that awaits the rest of the festival’s ticket holders.
The Rolling Stones will also have their own VIP section backstage called the Shangri La, as well as a luxury toilet and a shower block. There’s a dedicated chauffeur driven buggy available at all times for Jagger too should he need to nip off somewhere in the festival, although it probably won’t be to get food as there’s also an independent restaurant set up to cater to his every need.
“While I can’t reveal the identities of other celebrities staying in our yurts, what I can say is that he’ll be in good company and will have lots of fun I’m sure,” said Josephine Beavitt, director of luxury yurt company ‘sshh.’ “We provide the bespoke wooden floors, vintage chandeliers, five-star linen and contemporary interiors.”
Glastonbury, which was put on hold last year due to the Olympics and to recover from its 2011 edition, is expected to draw 135,000 ticket holders to this year’s event which includes a number of Australian bands flying at Worthy Farm, with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Tame Impala, Jagwar Ma, and Xavier Rudd representing their country in the enormous lineup.
Melbourne soul-certified nine-piece Saskwatch are also a late addition to the bill, after managing to raise the necessary finances needed through their “Get Saskwatch To Glasto” crowdfunding campaign, breaking the $20,000 goal set on their Pozible pledge page with just 25 hours left until deadline.
