The Rolling Stones were certainly a coup – but it's the inclusivity of the event, which manages to cater for absolutely everyone, that's really impressive
Glastonbury has announced the lineup for this year, and about bloody time. As the other festivals spent the past few months carving up this year's headliners, it seemed Michael Eavis would be left begging for scraps. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem, the Kings Of Leon, the Killers, the Stone Roses, Justin Timberlake and My Bloody Valentine and Elton John had all been booked in exclusive deals that would prevent them stepping foot on Worthy Farm.
In the end, things didn't turn out too badly. No Fleetwood Mac, as had been rumoured (ahem), but Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons are eight very safe pairs of hands when it comes to headline slots, and the Rolling Stones, who Eavis was presumably able to afford using a Groupon voucher, do seem to represent a coup.
Nonetheless, it's the inclusivity of the event, rather than the headliners, that most impresses. A few years ago Eavis appeared on the BBC News channel's interview programme Hardtalk. The presenter, Stephen Sackur, comfortable with taking politicians to task on corruption and hypocrisy, looked ridiculous on the farm porch trying to apply the same tactics. He demanded, with Paxman-esque persistence, to know why Eavis thought such a lineup of mixed messages was appropriate. Kylie and U2? Surely you can't please everyone? Eavis just chuckled.
What Glastonbury excels at is pleasing everyone. It may not be the anti-establishment hotbed of yore, but Britain's unfashionable subcultures do get taken care of. The tent's not only big enough for twentysomething indie fans and the old hippies but all the weirdos in between. For instance, turn-of-the-century underground ravers get to enjoy cult garage DJ Maurice Fulton, while survivors of acid house's second wave will be treated to a set from originator of hip house Tyree Cooper.
As Britain swings towards US-style ID stringency, the festival is also one of the few places where children are afforded the same good times as adults – 13-year olds are free to roam through the fire-pits of Arcadia at 5am with no one checking what they're swigging on. And UK garage obsessives Disclosure, baby-faced troubadour King Krule and Odd Future head honchos Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, all of whom were born in the 90s, will provide some high-quality children's entertainment.
Then, as the bill expands, you'll see the music of enviromental protestors represented on the solar-powered Croissant Neuf stage, with nu-folky Sixth Formers added to the lineup of the Strummerville campfire. And if that makes you a bit sick in your mouth, good. Having something for everyone doesn't mean you have to like everything.
That said, some musical genres are notable by their absence: reformed Britpop also-rans; Vegas-playing brostep DJs; either of the Gallagher brothers. Glastonbury has taken the right tack by leaving that sort of thing to the V festival.
What makes me think Glastonbury still stands up for the counterculture, however, isn't so much who's on the bill, but the sight of the bill itself. There was no orchestrated social media countdown to the announcement, no flashy YouTube video of the acts who had been announced. Instead, just a single image listing all the bands who have so far confirmed chucked up on the Glastonbury website. It was a mess: about nine different fonts, some pointless clip-art down the side and the Rolling Stones' name printed the same size as I Am Kloot's. To those that fear Glastonbury has become a corporate husk, this sponsorship-free low-resolution jpeg should be of some comfort. Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.
Glastonbury has announced the lineup for this year, and about bloody time. As the other festivals spent the past few months carving up this year's headliners, it seemed Michael Eavis would be left begging for scraps. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem, the Kings Of Leon, the Killers, the Stone Roses, Justin Timberlake and My Bloody Valentine and Elton John had all been booked in exclusive deals that would prevent them stepping foot on Worthy Farm.
In the end, things didn't turn out too badly. No Fleetwood Mac, as had been rumoured (ahem), but Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons are eight very safe pairs of hands when it comes to headline slots, and the Rolling Stones, who Eavis was presumably able to afford using a Groupon voucher, do seem to represent a coup.
Nonetheless, it's the inclusivity of the event, rather than the headliners, that most impresses. A few years ago Eavis appeared on the BBC News channel's interview programme Hardtalk. The presenter, Stephen Sackur, comfortable with taking politicians to task on corruption and hypocrisy, looked ridiculous on the farm porch trying to apply the same tactics. He demanded, with Paxman-esque persistence, to know why Eavis thought such a lineup of mixed messages was appropriate. Kylie and U2? Surely you can't please everyone? Eavis just chuckled.
What Glastonbury excels at is pleasing everyone. It may not be the anti-establishment hotbed of yore, but Britain's unfashionable subcultures do get taken care of. The tent's not only big enough for twentysomething indie fans and the old hippies but all the weirdos in between. For instance, turn-of-the-century underground ravers get to enjoy cult garage DJ Maurice Fulton, while survivors of acid house's second wave will be treated to a set from originator of hip house Tyree Cooper.
As Britain swings towards US-style ID stringency, the festival is also one of the few places where children are afforded the same good times as adults – 13-year olds are free to roam through the fire-pits of Arcadia at 5am with no one checking what they're swigging on. And UK garage obsessives Disclosure, baby-faced troubadour King Krule and Odd Future head honchos Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, all of whom were born in the 90s, will provide some high-quality children's entertainment.
Then, as the bill expands, you'll see the music of enviromental protestors represented on the solar-powered Croissant Neuf stage, with nu-folky Sixth Formers added to the lineup of the Strummerville campfire. And if that makes you a bit sick in your mouth, good. Having something for everyone doesn't mean you have to like everything.
That said, some musical genres are notable by their absence: reformed Britpop also-rans; Vegas-playing brostep DJs; either of the Gallagher brothers. Glastonbury has taken the right tack by leaving that sort of thing to the V festival.
What makes me think Glastonbury still stands up for the counterculture, however, isn't so much who's on the bill, but the sight of the bill itself. There was no orchestrated social media countdown to the announcement, no flashy YouTube video of the acts who had been announced. Instead, just a single image listing all the bands who have so far confirmed chucked up on the Glastonbury website. It was a mess: about nine different fonts, some pointless clip-art down the side and the Rolling Stones' name printed the same size as I Am Kloot's. To those that fear Glastonbury has become a corporate husk, this sponsorship-free low-resolution jpeg should be of some comfort. Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.