Glastonbury Festival 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts
took place in Pilton
, Somerset
, England
in June 2010.
The festival was headlined by Gorillaz
, Muse
, and Stevie Wonder
. U2
were initially announced as headliners, but withdrew on 25 May 2010 citing Bono
's recent back surgery. Gorillaz were announced as the replacement.
The festival was totally rain-free for the first time since 2002, and experienced the hottest average temperatures since the early 1990s. The total attendance of the event was 177,500.
ing. Tickets went on sale on 4 October and sold out within 12 hours of going on sale; quicker than the past two festivals. The general resale commenced on 11 April at 9:00 am, with all tickets selling out within 2 hours.
would be headlining the Friday evening of the festival. Other acts confirmed by organisers include Jack Johnson
, the early winners of the Emerging Talent Competition, My Luminaries
and eventual final winners Ellen and the Escapades
.
At the 2010 Event Production Show, Michael Eavis
confirmed the booking of Muse
and said that a headline appearance by Stevie Wonder
was "probable", with the BBC
confirming his appearance the following week.
On 14 April 2010, the full lineup of the event was announced.
On 25 May 2010, it was announced that U2 had cancelled their appearance at the festival to allow Bono
's recovery from recent back surgery. Bono issued a special message of his heartbreak to the fans - "I'm heartbroken" - and said "we even wrote a song especially for the festival".
The following day it was announced that Gorillaz
would fill in for U2.
In early June, Keane announced a surprise slot at the Avalon stage.
Radiohead
singer Thom Yorke
and guitarist Jonny Greenwood
, billed simply as "Special Guests", performed on the Park Stage on the Friday, introduced by Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis
, who called them "two superstars" and "the biggest surprise of the weekend". They played Radiohead hits such as Karma Police
, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
and Pyramid Song
as well as some of Yorke's solo material.
The other secret gig on the Park Stage was by Scottish
trio Biffy Clyro
who announced on Twitter
that they would perform at the Park Stage on Saturday. The trio had left a series of visual clues about their performance.
Kylie Minogue
performed with the Scissor Sisters
on the Pyramid Stage, and Lou Reed
, Snoop Dogg
, Mark E. Smith
and Shaun Ryder
joined the Gorillaz
for various songs during their headlining set. Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine
, sang "You Got the Love" with The XX
and You Got the Dirtee Love with Dizzee Rascal
during his Pyramid Stage set. On the Pyramid Stage on Friday, during Snoop Dogg's set, Tinie Tempah
came on stage and performed Pass Out
.
To make up for U2 cancelling their appearance, The Edge
joined Muse during their Saturday headlining slot for a cover of "Where the Streets Have No Name
".
On the Sunday, Matt Smith, who plays the Eleventh Doctor
, performed with Orbital
and Michael Eavis
appeared on the main stage with Stevie Wonder, to sing the chorus of the latter's Happy Birthday, marking the festival's 40th year.
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
took place in Pilton
Pilton, Somerset
Pilton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road in the Mendip district, 3 miles south-west of Shepton Mallet and 6 miles east of Glastonbury. The village has a population of 935...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in June 2010.
The festival was headlined by Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
. U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
were initially announced as headliners, but withdrew on 25 May 2010 citing Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
's recent back surgery. Gorillaz were announced as the replacement.
The festival was totally rain-free for the first time since 2002, and experienced the hottest average temperatures since the early 1990s. The total attendance of the event was 177,500.
Tickets
Similar to previous years, ticket buyers were required to pre-register to buy tickets with photographic identification, a measure employed to avoid reselling and toutTout
In British English, a tout is any person who solicits business or employment in a persistent and annoying manner...
ing. Tickets went on sale on 4 October and sold out within 12 hours of going on sale; quicker than the past two festivals. The general resale commenced on 11 April at 9:00 am, with all tickets selling out within 2 hours.
Line up
On 23 November 2009, it was announced that U2U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
would be headlining the Friday evening of the festival. Other acts confirmed by organisers include Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
, the early winners of the Emerging Talent Competition, My Luminaries
My Luminaries
My Luminaries are a British alternative rock band, formed in London in 2004.-Biography:My Luminaries were formed at Kingston University in 2004. Their first releases were an EP, a live album, and two singles; "Jumping the Great White" and "The Outsider Steps Inside", released on Grönland Records...
and eventual final winners Ellen and the Escapades
Ellen and the Escapades
Ellen and the Escapades are a folk-pop band from Leeds, UK.In 2009, the band were chosen by BBC Introducing to perform at Reading Festival and Leeds Festival...
.
At the 2010 Event Production Show, Michael Eavis
Michael Eavis
Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis, CBE , is an English dairy farmer and the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place on his farm.-Personal life:...
confirmed the booking of Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
and said that a headline appearance by Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
was "probable", with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
confirming his appearance the following week.
On 14 April 2010, the full lineup of the event was announced.
On 25 May 2010, it was announced that U2 had cancelled their appearance at the festival to allow Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
's recovery from recent back surgery. Bono issued a special message of his heartbreak to the fans - "I'm heartbroken" - and said "we even wrote a song especially for the festival".
The following day it was announced that Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
would fill in for U2.
Special guest appearances
A number of artists made special or unannounced appearances at the festival, including many on smaller stages such as the Park Stage or the Avalon Stage.In early June, Keane announced a surprise slot at the Avalon stage.
Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
singer Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
and guitarist Jonny Greenwood
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood is an English musician and composer, best known as a member of the English rock band Radiohead. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist, but serves mainly as lead guitarist and keyboard player. In addition to guitar and keyboard, he plays viola, harmonica,...
, billed simply as "Special Guests", performed on the Park Stage on the Friday, introduced by Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis
Michael Eavis
Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis, CBE , is an English dairy farmer and the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place on his farm.-Personal life:...
, who called them "two superstars" and "the biggest surprise of the weekend". They played Radiohead hits such as Karma Police
Karma Police
"Karma Police" is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead from their 1997 third studio album OK Computer. The song's title and lyrics derive from an in-joke among the band, referring to the Hindu theory of retributive enforcement, known as karma....
, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Street Spirit (Fade Out)
"Street Spirit " is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead, featured on their second studio album The Bends, which was released in 1995...
and Pyramid Song
Pyramid Song
"Pyramid Song" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead. It was the first single from their 2001 album Amnesiac and the first Radiohead single released in over three years, after none were taken from their previous album Kid A....
as well as some of Yorke's solo material.
The other secret gig on the Park Stage was by Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
trio Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
who announced on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that they would perform at the Park Stage on Saturday. The trio had left a series of visual clues about their performance.
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
performed with the Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
on the Pyramid Stage, and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Mark E. Smith
Mark E. Smith
Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
and Shaun Ryder
Shaun Ryder
Shaun William Ryder, aka X, is an English musician, occasional newspaper columnist, actor, author, singer-songwriter and television personality, best known as lead singer for Happy Mondays and Black Grape – and more recently as the runner-up of the 2010 version of the British TV Show I'm a...
joined the Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
for various songs during their headlining set. Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
, sang "You Got the Love" with The XX
The xx
The xx are an English indie pop band, formed in London in 2005. The band's members met while studying at Elliott School, the same school that produced Hot Chip, Burial and Four Tet. They became a trio when their second guitarist and keyboardist, Baria Qureshi, departed in late 2009. In September...
and You Got the Dirtee Love with Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal
Dylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a Ghanaian British rapper, songwriter and record producer. His music is a blend of garage, hip hop, grime, ragga, pop and electronic music, with eclectic samples and more exotic styles...
during his Pyramid Stage set. On the Pyramid Stage on Friday, during Snoop Dogg's set, Tinie Tempah
Tinie Tempah
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu , better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit...
came on stage and performed Pass Out
Pass Out (Tinie Tempah song)
"Pass Out" is the debut single of English rapper Tinie Tempah. It is the first single from his debut album Disc-Overy and his debut single on Parlophone. The song was a digital-only release and was available to download in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2010. Producer and writer Labrinth...
.
To make up for U2 cancelling their appearance, The Edge
The Edge
David Howell Evans , more widely known by his stage name The Edge , is a musician best known as the guitarist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist of the Irish rock band U2. A member of the group since its inception, he has recorded 12 studio albums with the band and has released one solo record...
joined Muse during their Saturday headlining slot for a cover of "Where the Streets Have No Name
Where the Streets Have No Name
"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's third single in August 1987. The song's hook is a repeating guitar arpeggio using a delay effect, played during the song's introduction and...
".
On the Sunday, Matt Smith, who plays the Eleventh Doctor
Eleventh Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor is the eleventh incarnation of the protagonist of the BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. Matt Smith plays this incarnation, replacing David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in the 2010 episode "The End of Time, Part Two"...
, performed with Orbital
Orbital (band)
Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...
and Michael Eavis
Michael Eavis
Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis, CBE , is an English dairy farmer and the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place on his farm.-Personal life:...
appeared on the main stage with Stevie Wonder, to sing the chorus of the latter's Happy Birthday, marking the festival's 40th year.