Britpop legends Blur are now widely rumoured for a slot on the Glastonbury 2023 line-up after announcing a show at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8th July 2023 – less than two weeks after the festival.
While the Wembley Stadium gig was announced as a one-off show, it has tonight been confirmed Blur will also be playing festivals next summer. They’ve just been confirmed as part of the line-up for France’s Beauregard Festival on Thursday 6th July.
Formed of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree, the band’s first major shows since 2015 are suspiciously close to Glasto weekend – which next year runs from Wednesday 21st to Sunday 25th June.
Blur have four previous Glastonbury appearances under their belt, including Pyramid Stage sets in 2009 and 1998. Before that, they appeared on the NME Stage (now known as the Other Stage) in 1992 and 1994. Their 2009 show has since been released on DVD.*
Social media is awash with fans hopeful Blur will feature when the Glastonbury line-up is officially confirmed – and reminiscing on previous appearances.
Some even think the band could be in line to headline the Pyramid next summer. The odds have shorted to 5/1 since their London show was announced with Sky Bet now ranking Blur in the top 10 most likely headliners. Arctic Monkeys remain firmly in first place, with Elton John, Guns n Roses, Eminem and Harry Styles also coming in above Blur.
In a similar scenario, The 1975 are now strongly rumoured to appear at Glastonbury next summer after the long-expected band confirmed tour dates which leave them free over the weekend of the festival.
Their currently announced dates contain nothing between Southside Festival the weekend before Glasto and TRSNSMT on July 9th. Glastonbury is set to take place from Wednesday 21st to Sunday 25 June.
It would be The 1975’s fourth time at Worthy Farm, having previously played sets in 2013, 2014 and 2016, and while they’ve been rumoured most years since they now haven’t been on the line-up for five years, despite countless comments from band members and crew that they want to return.
Pulp are also strongly rumoured to appear on the Glastonbury 2023 line-up after announcing details of a reunion tour next summer – which includes space for a potential Glasto slot. The band were already deemed a likely contender by bookmakers, who in September were offering odds of 9/1 on Pulp headlining the iconic Pyramid Stage.
In other Glastonbury news, Victoria Beckham has ruled out a Worthy Farm appearance as part of a Spice Girls reunion in a US TV interview – following years of speculation fuelled by her former band mates.
She told Watch What Happens Live: “I had so much fun being in the Spice Girls – but now, with everything else that I have got going on with my fashion and my beauty line, four children, I couldn’t commit to that. love the girls. I really, really enjoy singing Spice Girls when I’m doing karaoke, but I think I’d better leave it there.”
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Guns N Roses are also rumoured, with bookmakers ranking the band as one of the favourites to headline the iconic Pyramid Stage next summer.
In an interview with Metal Hammer last year, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis was asked : “Who’s the heaviest band you would book for the Festival?”
She replied: “We had Napalm Death in 2017, and it doesn’t get much heavier than that! But I think Guns N’ Roses need to play here at some point don’t they?”
The American rapper has never played at the festival before, but a ‘festival insider’ claimed the organisers think the deal for June 2023 will be successful.
They told The Sun: “Eminem is wanted for a huge slot at Glastonbury and has been in talks for yonks. His dates all line-up and if they can get him on board, it will be the first time he has ever played at the festival. Eminem is one of the greatest rappers on the planet and to have him down on the farm would be incredible.”
While reports suggest he would be headlining the Pyramid Stage, and this would certainly be the most fitting slot if Eminem did appear at Glastonbury, organiser Emily Eavis said previously that all headliners for 2023 had already been booked. For The Sun’s sources to be correct, he would have to be played a “huge slot” elsewhere at the festival – unless of course, a previously booked headliner has dropped out.
Despite the Sun’s insider claiming Eminem’s tour dates line up with a potential Glastonbury appearance, the rapper has not currently announced any upcoming gigs, suggesting the source either has access to unreleased information or is mistaken.
Arctic Monkeys were also rumoured to have signed a deal to headline Glastonbury 2023 when their UK tour sold out in minutes earlier this month. A source told The Sun: “‘Alex Turner and the band are coming back to Glastonbury, and this time their set is going to be even bigger and better.
“The lads have signed on the dotted line and will return to the Pyramid Stage next June. It is really special for them to be doing a hat-trick on that stage and it is something they have wanted to do for a while.”
Glastonbury 2023 takes place from Wednesday 21st to Sunday 25th June 2023. Tickets sold out earlier this month, but resales of cancelled tickets will take place in the spring.
Image credits:
Kevin Westenberg
Anna Barclay
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