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Glastonbury 2013: who should perform with The Rolling Stones?
Indie | Monday 17th June 2013 | James
Since its inception in 1970, Glastonbury Festival has grown and grown in those 43 years to become a bastion of good music within the festival world and, indeed, British culture itself. It has become a national treasure with its organisers Michael and Emily Eavis now seemingly celebrities in their own right. Through those 43 years the British public has been treated to seminal moments and glorious days but now, gearing up for the 2013 festival in Somerset, Glastonbury organisers may feel that all their work for decades was leading up to this moment.
Whilst it would be churlish to suggest that one act is bigger than such a legendary festival, it is difficult to ignore the importance of The Rolling Stones' set at Worthy Farm next week. Having been at the summit of fans' wishlists since the festival's humble beginnings, Emily Eavis admitted that had The Rolling Stones not headlined this year it was probably never going to happen. The band were rumoured year in year out for nigh on twenty years. Since their booking, Glastonbury has taken on even greater significance. The BBC is to show highlights from the majority of stages in a constant live stream on its website, declaring it the first ever “interactive festival”. The festival will be attended by up to 130,000 people (many of whom snapped up tickets when the festival sold out in a record time of just 100 minutes back in October). This is all a long way from 2008 when tickets failed to shift after Jay-Z was announced as headliner and Michael Eavis admitted the festival was “close to bankruptcy”.
With many critics suggesting 2013 could prove the start of another Glastonbury boom before its next fallow year in five years' time, The Rolling Stones will undoubtedly deliver the festival's highlight on Saturday night when they top the Pyramid Stage. Whilst rumours circulate about secret sets (Atoms for Peace and The Last Shadow Puppets are muted), many people are also making judgements about which guests The Rolling Stones will incorporate into their celebratory and all-encompassing live set. Here's a few that could strut out and duet with Mick next week:
Win Butler
Arcade Fire's frontman recently performed with the band on their 50th anniversary show in Montreal. In truth, Butler can count himself a little unlucky that his band weren't given the call to perform at the festival. With a pregnancy in the band limiting live dates and the band being in the middle of recording their follow-up to 2010's Grammy and Brit-winning masterpieceThe Suburbs it is a little unlikely Butler can make the trip to appear. However, the Canadians are sure to headline sooner rather than later and it would grant Butler a chance to test his mettle on the most iconic stage in music.
Bruce Springsteen
The Boss played a mammoth headline show at Wembley Stadium last Saturday, running through a three-and-a-half-hour set which included tracks off his latest record Wrecking Ball. Having headlined the festival himself, Springsteen provides the perfect status of c-performer for The Rolling Stones and would fit the occasion perfectly. He has no other UK festival dates this summer so it is likely he will be plying his trade elsewhere next weekend, but it would be special to see.
Florence Welch
The pop singer featured during The Rolling Stones' O2 Arena shows in November, performing on the iconic 'Gimme Shelter'. Welch is a friend of Eavis and somewhat of a Glastonbury veteran already in her career. A powerful vocalist but perhaps a little underwhelming for an event of this magnitude.
David Bowie
Yeah, it probably won't happen. Actually, it definitely won't happen. Yet even imagining it just sends serotonin coursing through your body, doesn't it? Angie Bowie claimed in March that she walked in on her ex-husband and Jagger naked in bed together back in 1973. So it won't be the first time they've played together, then.
Marianna Faithfull
She may have been romantically linked with Jagger back in the 60s but Faithfull's career has come a long way since then. Having battled heroin addictions and anorexia, the iconic singer also attempted suicide in the 70s before getting herself back on track and releasing a fantastic back-catalogue of work. Having delved into acting, Faithfull's appearance at Glastonbury and the burying of the hatchet with Jagger would undoubtedly be the musical moment of the century.
A Brian Jones hologram
We have a twitter request from a fan to thank for this. A famous inductee of the 27 club, the founding member of The Rolling Stones (and original guitarist before Keef) died in his swimming pool back in 1969. If Glastonbury were going to go down the Coachella route, who else could they even think of hologramming? It's too much of a gimmick, though. We'd rather someone with flesh and bones.
One Direction
Taylor Swift recently performed with The Rolling Stones in America, so why would Britain's biggest pop exports do the same on these shores? Critics would by cynical, the public would have a meltdown and many purists would suggest that Harry Styles even looking at Jagger is an insult. Stranger things have happened, though.
Whatever happens at Worthy Farm next week, all eyes will be on the Saturday night. After 43 years, Glastonbury Festival is fast approaching what could be its definitive moment. The Rolling Stones, far from being an ongoing nostalgia machine, are rapidly nearing the winding-up of their 50th anniversary tour. As such, they may not be here for that much longer. If next week is to be one of their final shows on British soil, they will do everything they can to do the thing they have been doing since they began half a century ago: have fun.
By James Rodger @jamesdrodger
