Prince And David Bowie Sculpture And Music Tributes Will Be Glastonbury Festival Centrepieces
Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis has revealed the festival will pay tribute to David Bowie and Prince next month.
She said 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 in honour of the Purple Rain singer, below in his prime.
Eavis added: “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.”
The daughter of Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, together with her father below, added there will also be a second “intimate” homage to Bowie at The Park Stage where Philip Glass’ Symphony No 4, based on the singer’s Heroes album, will be performed.
She said: “We’re doing Philip Glass’ 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, from Friday June 24 to Sunday June 26.
Bowie, below, who lost his battle with cancer in December, last headlined the prestigious event in 2000.
But organisers were very disappointed they never managed to book Prince, although Eavis insisted it was “so close” to happening on several occasions.
She told the BBC: “It’s gutting to be honest. We were so shocked and sad. There was no-one else like him on the planet.”
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