FEATURE:
We ARE Worthy
IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/PHOTO CREDIT: Carl Timpone/BFA/Rex/Shutterstock
Who Might We Expect to Headline Glastonbury Festival 2019?
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SEEING as the nation’s biggest festival…
IN THIS PHOTO: Sir Paul McCartney/PHOTO CREDIT: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images
has had a year off – giving the land a chance to recover and replenish – we have had an additional year to prepare the Glastonbury Festival rumour mill. There have been reports as to who might headline or appear on their somewhere on the bill.
“Emily Eavis has just given two huge clues for Glastonbury 2019 and said the "first draft of the Pyramid Stage" is complete.
Speaking to the BBC, the festival organiser spilled the artist playing the Sunday legends slot will be a "non-British female" and that Paul McCartney is always on the top their list to headline the whole festival
Queen of Pop Madonna has previously been thrown into the mix, with bookies offering odds on her headlining the Somerset festival.
According to The Sun, The Like A Virgin icon is being lined-up to top the bill at the Pyramid Stage next year in a bid to provide the festival with more female headliners.
A Glastonbury insider said: “Preparations are already well under way after they’ve taken this year off, and Michael and his daughter Emily Eavis want to make it better than ever.
"They have always been massive fans of Madonna and know she would put on an unforgettable show.“It was really important that they had a diverse line-up for the 2019 festival after criticism of previous ones.
"And with this being a fallow year they want to secure a really big name to drive ticket sales.
“Thanks to all her huge hits, they are convinced that she would be a real crowd pleaser on the Pyramid Stage”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash
It seems like, in that classic way there is always a bit of tease; we have an idea of who MIGHT appear at the event next year. I think a Paul McCartney headline slot is long overdue. With his album, Egypt Station, out very soon; it would be a perfect opportunity for the legendary Beatle to do a career-spanning set and seduce the Pyramid Stage. Radiohead appeared last year and mixed older material with the stuff from A Moon Shaped Pool – the recent L.P. from the group. Last year, we suffered a bit from predictability and fatigue. I realise there are younger artists coming through who might not be ready for a headline slot: booking Ed Sheeran and Foo Fighters lacked inventiveness and it was a rather tepid line-up. With calls for festivals to have a more gender-balanced line-up – especially when it comes to headliners – we cannot repeat the same mistakes as 2017. There were female artists further down the bill but it was a missed opportunity – names do leap to mind that could have headlined. I am pleased there are two guaranteed crowd-pullers among the names…one female, too! It is a definite improvement from the Eavis’ but I wonder whether two ‘older’ icons is a good idea for a headline – maybe popping in a couple of ‘newer’ artists would provide a bit of balance.
IN THIS PHOTO: Emily and Michael Eavis/PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
I have always put Beyoncé’s name out there as I saw her Coachella set earlier in the year and was blown away by the choreography and energy she put out! I feel she could replicate that at Glastonbury Festival and, with a new album out (with Jay-Z as ‘The Carters’), one feels she would be a great fit. I suspect there will be a solo album out by this time next year, too. I could see her as the perfect Friday night headliners. Florence + the Machine might seem like an easy and obvious headliner but, considering the love High as Hope (the new album) is getting; is the time right for another Pyramid Stage inclusion?! I feel Beyoncé should be a lock-in and, if she were to join Paul McCartney (Saturday night?) that would be amazing. I feel Madonna, then, would work on the Sunday. Even though that still has two ‘older’ (no kind way of breaking it) icons headlining; it would see a younger, more energised performer in the middle. Many might see that prospective line-up and assume we need a male band or a female clan – they would have a point. The usual, ridiculous names have been suggested (Oasis and Led Zeppelin!) but Fleetwood Mac was mooted – again, they have had their day and you cannot have another decades-lasting act as a headliner.
IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images For Parkwood Entert
If you are going to band well then I would be reluctant to suggest obvious names: Coldplay, Muse and Foo Fighters seem like natural choices. They have all played enough and, to be fair, would not differ too much from their last outing. Queens of the Stone Age, again, would be a good fit but I wonder whether they, too, would be obvious?! I feel you need one female as an absolute minimum – whether it is Madonna or Beyoncé, I am not sure. One can debate a second female – I feel it would be a good move... – but, if you were going for possible bands; Wolf Alice (female-led) might be a good selection. If you want a harder, meatier sound – that doesn’t have to be a band – then Courtney Barnett and Janelle Monáe would get the crowds in and produce epic sets. I feel, though, there will be calls for Arctic Monkeys to fill a slot. Considering their latest album, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino differs from their earlier work; that might be an interesting set. If you had Arctic Monkeys, Paul McCartney and Beyoncé/Madonna; how would that look? There is a lot of competition and choice but, so long as the Eavis’ avoid an all-male, all-band/mostly-band headlining trio then it will avert potential criticism and formulaic weariness. You never know which artists will release albums between now and then: we could have an instant headline-grabber who could fill a position.
IN THIS PHOTO: IDLES/PHOTO CREDIT: Lindsay Melbourne
I am also looking at Jack White as a possible Arctic Monkeys replacement and, hell, IDLES are ready to take to the big stages. Having them alongside icons like Paul McCartney – that sounds awesome, right?! Not to put suggestions in the ears of the organisers but there is a need for more female headliners and some young, raw blood. I don’t think there will be too many hard choices when it comes to filling the rest of the festival out but you need to make sure there is a good mix of male/female (fifty-fifty at least!) and have a mix of Urban artists with Pop/Rock. I can throw names around – such as Barnett, Florence + the Machine with Cardi B, Sigrid; Kacey Musgraves and Goat Girl – and there are great male artists such as Anderson .Paak and Hookworms; Years & Years and Nine Inch Nails (who I didn’t even consider for headliners!). Let’s Eat Grandma are a great duo to include and you could have Kamasi Washington and Sophie appear. In any case; there are ample choices that would mix nationalities, genders and genders into an awesome festival! It is vital to ensure female artists are included higher up the bill and it is not entirely Pop/Rock. Maybe it is like teaching the organisers how to suck eggs but Glastonbury Festival is the biggest event in the music calendar and sets an example to all the other festivals.
IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images
If they had a brilliant balance and some original choices for headliners; that would set the trend for future years – fewer male headliners and artists who haven’t headlined getting to do it! This is all idle pitching and speculation. The teasing wink Emily Eavis gave regarding Macca and Madonna – you have to bet your savings at least ONE of them will headline! I would love to see Paul McCartney own Glastonbury and Madonna, who has not released material since 2015’s Rebel Heart, again, might have a new album out. She could do a 1980s-today set that brought plenty of attitude, dance and Pop magic to the hungry crowd! I, like most, would not object to Madonna and McCartney headlining Glastonbury Festival 2019. You would have a record-level of attendees and, if you threw a big name like Beyoncé in – if the budget allowed for it – then that would be insane. I feel, though, that ‘other’ headline slot could be an interesting choice. Do you go male/band like IDLES or go with another solo artist? One of the criticisms from last year’s festival was the inclusion of an acoustic artist like Ed Sheeran. Changes are good but, if you wanted to do the same next year; someone like Laura Marling might be a savvier choice! I feel next year needs to mix Pop majesty with some grittier, gutsy sounds that brings together the people and satisfies the masses. There is always going to be descent and grumbling but that is to be expected.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
No matter who sets the crowds alight on Worthy Farm next year; it will be a big test for a festival which has had a fallow year. People have been pining for Glastonbury’s warm embrace and will have their pennies saved up – they’ll be a mad rush for tickets and it will be, weather-permitting, a rager. I know the festival is in safe hands and, the fact some juicy names are being hinted-at suggests the Eavis’ are not messing around. Gender-balance is a vital concern and I hope a more equal-minded balance is struck next year. I haven’t even mentioned names like Björk – another artist who could produce a bewitching set! I think Glastonbury 2019 is going to be the most-hyped and important event in the past decade. Not only because there is that tantalising prospect of having a couple of legends playing but because we all need some unity during these tough times. The more divided the country gets; the more we all need music to come in and provide direction: because of that, Glastonbury will bring the party and make us proud. It is a long way off but, every month, we are going to see new names put into the press – those who could headline and make an appearance. My worry is around all-male headliners and too few lessons learned. If that can be remedied, and parity created; I, for one, will be clambering for a ticket! At the very least; let’s all cross our fingers extra-hard and hope a certain Sir Paul…
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
GIVES his trademark double thumbs-up!