FEATURE:
Worthy Rumours
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush received the Editors Award at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in the Palladium, London on 30th November, 2014/PHOTO CREDIT: Alan Davidson/Rex/Shutterstock
Would Kate Bush Playing Glastonbury Ever Be a Possibility?
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MAYBE that question…
IN THIS PHOTO: Emily Eavis/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
has quite an obvious answer. When we think about Glastonbury Festival and whether Kate Bush would ever appear, most people would say the same: absolutely not. In terms of logic, she is sixty-five, hasn’t performed live for nearly a decade. She has not released an album since 2011. In terms of Kate Bush and her live dynamics. She has her own set and confines. Bush does not play festivals. Aside from a Japanese song contest in 1978, Bush has not really performed to a huge crowd beyond her 1979 tour and 2014 residency. On both occasions, she chose the venues and there was this sense of her setting the parameters. Making sure she was comfortable in that space. The shows involved a sense of intimacy. Different sets and costume changes. Doing anything outside of that would have been a no-no years ago. Now, as we have not really heard anything new from Bush in so long, it would be an impossibility. I mention Glastonbury, not only because it is a matter of days away. One of its organisers, Emily Eavis, was asked which artist would be her dream headliner. She chose Kate Bush. This Louder article gives more details:
“Emily Eavis says her dream festival headliner for Glastonbury Festival is Kate Bush.
During a recent appearance on the BBC’s Sidetracked podcast to discuss this year's upcoming event, festival organiser Eavis was questioned by hosts Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw on who her dream booking would be.
In response, she says: "Do you know who I would like to get who haven’t had… Is Kate Bush. I’d love to have her. I’ve put it out there that I’d love to have her.I hope one day."
Unfortunately for Eavis, such a scenario is unlikely to happen, considering Kate Bush has only ever hit the stage for two official tours across her entire career - firstly in 1979 for the Tour of Life, followed by Before The Dawn, her 2014 residency at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.
In spite of this, Eavis remains optimistic and adds: "But you never know I mean Elton was a pipe dream and it happened.
"But I think you’ve also got to create these new headliners like Dua Lipa. We’re creating this moment for her and that’s really as exciting as anything.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the organiser revealed that Glastonbury Festival will most likely be taking a year off in 2026, stating: "We are due a fallow year. The fallow year is important because it gives the land a rest, and it gives the cows a chance to stay out for longer and reclaim their land.”
She continues, “I think it’s important, I think it gives everybody time to just switch off and the public as well. Then you kind of go away for a bit and it feels lovely when you come back. And I think it’s quite good not to be seen to be cashing in.”
Glastonbury Festival will return to Worthy Farm, Somerset this year on June 26-30, with Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and SZA headlining the Pyramid Stage”.
In the past, I have been dismissive about anyone suggesting Kate Bush would play Glastonbury. I know people who do not know her history and views might naturally assume a festival slot would maybe be a possibility. I guess those who know Bush a bit better realise that Glastonbury would be out of her comfort zone. Even so, the fact that she is so sough-after means that you can never rule anything out. When Elton John headlined Glastonbury last year, many thought Kate Bush would make a guest appearance. The two are friends and she covered John’s song, Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time), in the 1990s. The two duetted on Kate Bush’s most recent studio album, 2011’s 50 Words for Snow. Many would have loved to see them share a stage. Also, as there are more intimate stages and areas at Glastonbury, maybe a Pyramid Stage slot would not be the only option. Obviously nothing will happen this year. Emily Eavis announced 2026 will be a fallow year for Worthy Farm. Giving the land a chance to rest and recover. It does call into question next year. It will be forty years since Hounds of Love was released. Seeing this iconic artist take to the headline stage and performing from that album would be perfect. Even if you could not get the same atmosphere and sense of amazement you might see at Eventim Apollo, maybe something could be produced that would bring to mind 2014’s Before the Dawn. You wonder whether, as that residency was unique and she performed twenty-two dates, would Kate Bush want to repeat herself?
I am not sure how much of Kate Bush’s career Emily Eavis knows about. Interviews where Bush has talked about live performances. How it would be difficult for her to consider doing anything like headlining Glastonbury. Of course, she can always surprise us. Given how Before the Dawn seemed like a closing chapter regarding live work, I would say there are very long odds of her doing anything like it again. Also, as Bush was nervous performing in a relatively small space like the Eventim Apollo, it would be astronomically nerve-wracking playing Glastonbury. Unless she has a very special desire to play there and maybe bow out with a headline slot next year, I think we can safely assume that it will be a ‘no’ from her – were more offers to come from. Regardless, it got me thinking about the appreciation there is for her music. Of course, we would all love for Kate Bush to be announced headliner next year and conquer her nerves and opinions regarding festivals. She is not overly averse to them, it is the fact she doesn’t play them and is not that kind of live artist. It got me thinking at least about the upcoming tenth anniversary of Before the Dawn. That happens in August. It will get people nostalgic. Those who were not at one of the dates would love to see Kate Bush perform somewhere else. Can we really rule out any more live work?! Whether it is a one-off at Abbey Road Studios in a more stripped-back capacity or Kate Bush would ever go on another residency, there will be a lot of speculation and fantasies. Discussion around Glastonbury will be on people’s mind. Emily Eavis has made it clear how much she wants Kate Bush to play.
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush during 2014’s Before the Dawn/PHOTO CREDIT: Ken McKay/Noble and Brite/PA Wire
Undoubtably, as Emily Eavis has revealed Kate Bush is her dream headliner, fans like me are imagining possible setlists and how it would go. We are going to mark a decade of Before the Dawn in a couple of months. What comes next? There are no plans of new material or anything new. There has also not been any announcement or plan for footage of Before the Dawn to come to cinemas or DVD. It does leaver this hole. People who have never seen Kate Bush live. The big reason Bush returned to the stage – in terms of a big production – since 1979 was because of her son, Bertie. She needed a bit of convincing to get there. There would be even more reticence and hesitation doing anything massive like Glastonbury. Even if it was her final live performance. Bertie (Albert) is in his twenties now. There is a new generation of fans. That would be a push, I guess. Also, Kate Bush is always doing new things. In terms of between albums and the sound/themes. Her 1979 tour is very different to Before the Dawn. I guess there is always a slim bit of hope. It would be the most popular and perhaps best Glastonbury headline set ever. However, knowing so much about Kate Bush and the fact she has never played a U.K. festival, there would need to be this big incentive and reason. One cannot rule anything out in the next year. No doubt she will realise that Emily Eavis wants her to headline. People are very keen for Kate Bush to do something. Whether it is a live set or a new album. That tension and excitement. A new opportunity to hear from Bush. It may seem totally implausible and like he longest shot ever. That thought of Kate Bush stepping onto Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage next year for the Sunday headline slot. Maybe coming out as Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) plays. Ending with a song like Hounds of Love. It gets me thinking about all these concepts and possibilities. However remote, a Kate Bush Glastonbury headline set is…
WORTHY of consideration.