Arctic Monkeys are set for their Glastonbury headline slot tonight (23.06.23), after a few days of it being touch-and-go if they’d perform due to frontman Alex Turner’s acute laryngitis.
Festival organiser Emily Eavis admitted it was getting “a little bit close there for a minute”, after the indie veterans cancelled a show earlier in the week due to the singer’s sore throat, but he’s recovered in time to top the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm and they no longer need to rely on a “backup plan”.
Emily told ‘The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show’ on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, hours before their set: “He’s definitely – they’re on.”
A relieved Zoe replied: “Yes! The Arctic Monkeys are a go people! Thank goodness.”
Emily continued: “It was a little bit close there for a minute and we were thinking about whether we should have a serious backup plan in place but no, thankfully they’re on so that is great.”
The rockers had to cancel their show at Dublin’s Marley Park on Tuesday night (20.06.23).
The ‘Mardy Bum’ hitmakers said sorry to fans after pulling out of their Irish gig.
A social media statement posted on Sunday (19.06.23) read: “We are extremely sorry to announce the cancellation of Arctic Monkeys’ show at Marley Park in Dublin Tomorrow.
“Alex and the band apologise for the huge disappointment this will inevitably cause to all their Irish fans. Full refunds will be credited back to the ticket purchaser’s account by Ticketmaster within the next six working days.”
Meanwhile, Sir Elton John is reportedly planning to bring Taron Egerton onstage during his Glastonbury performance.
The ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ singer, 76, headlines on Sunday (25.06.23) and Taron, 33, who portrayed Elton in the 2019 biopic ‘Rocketman’ is said to be one of four special guests who will pop up in the show.
A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Elton is going to give the performance of a lifetime at Glastonbury and has lined up some surprises for his fans at Worthy Farm. “Taron will be coming out to sing alongside Elton after befriending him while making the film.
“The final plans are being kept a closely guarded secret but rehearsals are taking place and Elton has planned an entirely new set, different from the one on his tour, for the show.”
Elton’s husband and manager David Furnish, 60, teased the performance by telling Sky New: “Four collaborators of (Elton’s) choosing. People he just thought, ‘I’d really like to do something with these artists at Glastonbury’.
“And that’s all I’m going to say. This one is very special. It’s not just another day in the office. It’s a different set-list, it’s a huge outdoor live festival.
“He’s got four different collaborators joining him on stage at different times, who I won’t name, sorry.
“So he’s done a lot of changes. (He has) a lot on his plate, so I think he’s anxious. But I think good anxious, healthy anxious.”
Elton has collaborated with Rina Sawayama, 32, and Years and Years in recent years, and Lady Gaga is godmother to his and David’s two sons – Zachary, 12, and 10-year-old Elijah – but it is not known who the other three guests are.
The Sun added that it won’t include Dua Lipa, 27, who sang with Elton on hit single ‘Cold Heart’.
Britney Spears also teamed up with the music legend on ‘Hold Me Closer’.