Glastonbury 2025: Rod Stewart to play festival's legends slot
Rod Stewart, the legendary rock star, is set to perform in the legends slot at Glastonbury in 2025—23 years since his last time at the festival.
As one of the top-selling musicians in history, he will join the ranks of Dolly Parton, Barry Gibb, Shania Twain, and Kylie Minogue by taking on the popular Sunday afternoon performance slot.
The announcement follows closely behind the celebrity's declaration that he plans to cease "extensive world tours" by the end of 2025.
The 79-year-old expressed that he feels "proud, prepared, and more than capable of entertaining and exciting my friends at Glastonbury" next June.
The Sunday afternoon time is always one of the most popular parts of the festival, and Sir Rod will be the first artist to headline the event and receive the prestigious legends title.
Stewart was the main act at the festival back in 2002, performing alongside Coldplay and Stereophonics.
During that year, the organizers implemented a five-mile "superfence" designed to prevent uninvited guests from entering, and it proved to be effective.
"The Scottish singer addressed the audience during his Sunday night performance, saying, 'You've received great coverage nationwide because everything has been so calm and in control.'"
"I'm not sure if that's positive or negative, but at least we can be certain that Glastonbury will continue for the next three decades."
Initially, the audience was cautious about the musician, who seemed to be quite focused on himself, according to a review of the performance by Ian Youngs from the BBC.
"But those who were uncertain were convinced after hearing 'Maggie May' and 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?' about half an hour into his performance. At that moment, the audience understood that he truly had the kind of playful cheesiness that earned him a spot in the Glastonbury Hall of Fame."
Stewart entertained the crowd, showcasing his charm and flair as he performed his popular songs. He went through multiple outfit changes, culminating in a striking white shirt with ruffles, unbuttoned nearly down to his chest.
He wrapped up the evening with the song "Sailing," igniting a collective singalong among the crowd as fireworks lit up the sky above the Pyramid Stage.
Stewart has been officially announced as the first performer for Glastonbury 2025.
The festival is scheduled to occur at Worthy Farm in Somerset from June 25 to June 29. There are whispers about possible headliners such as Sam Fender, Olivia Rodrigo, Stevie Wonder, Eminem, and Charli XCX.
This year's event featured Dua Lipa and SZA headlining for the first time, while Coldplay made history by performing as the main act for an impressive sixth time.
Tickets priced at £373.50, with an additional £5 booking fee, have already sold out. The last time Stewart performed, tickets were only £97, marking that instance as the last occasion the festival was under £100.
A small quantity of resale tickets for next year's event will be available for purchase in the New Year.
