Glastonbury Festival will pay tribute to David Bowie and Prince next month.
Organiser Emily Eavis has revealed plans are in motion to honour the late icons on the 46th anniversary of the music extravaganza, with a giant metal lightning bolt to be erected above the Pyramid Stage inspired by the sleeve of Bowie’s 1973 ‘Aladdin Sane’ album, and a series of "late-night Prince parties" to be held across the four-day event.
Emily said: "The Pyramid Stage is going to have a tribute to David Bowie – the ‘Aladdin Sane’ lightning flash, in metal, which will be designed by Joe Rush … We’re also looking at a few Prince tributes. There’s talk of late-night Prince parties and things."
Emily – who is the daughter of Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis – added there will be a second "intimate" homage to Bowie at The Park Stage where Philip Glass’s Symphony No 4, based on Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ LP, will be performed.
She said: "We’re doing Philip Glass’s Heroes Symphony on the Park Stage on Saturday night, which is going to be a really intimate tribute to Bowie. It’s being conducted by Charles Hazlewood with members of the Paraorchestra. And we’re going to do an incredible light show which will go on for the whole show and beyond, into the night."
The huge lightning bolt is set to hang above the heads of Muse, Adele and Coldplay when they perform on the Pyramid Stage in Somerset, South West England, on Friday, 24 June, Saturday 25 June, and Sunday 26 June respectively.
Bowie – who tragically lost his battle with cancer in December – last headlined the prestigious event in 2000, however, Emily and her father Michael are very disappointed they never managed to book Prince, although she insisted it was "so close" to happening on several occasions.
Speaking about their regret, she told the BBC: "It’s gutting to be honest. We were so shocked and sad. It’s been so close to happening for the last three years. A couple of times it’s been confirmed and then not happened. It’s really disappointing that he hasn’t played here but it’s also, obviously, a huge loss to music because he was an incredible force. Just phenomenal. There was no-one else like him on the planet."
Glastonbury Festival to honour David Bowie and Prince
