Glastonbury

“Rock star” Beyonce closes Glastonbury

The ‘If I Were A Boy’ singer stunned revellers by playing a number of covers during her energetic set at the world-famous music event in Somerset, South West England, as well as a collection of songs by her girl group Destiny’s Child.

As she began her performance on the Pyramid stage, Beyonce told the 170,000-strong crowd: “I want you to know right now you are witnessing my dream.

“I always wanted to be a rock star and tonight we are all rock stars.”

Beyonce – the first female solo headliner at the event in 25 years – sang Prince’s ‘The Beautiful Ones’, Kings of Leon’s ‘Sex on Fire’ and a rendition of the Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’, as well as a Destiny’s Child medley, but her former bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams did not appear alongside her as had been rumoured.

The singer wore a low-cut gold sequinned jacket and black hotpants throughout her 90-minute set, which saw rapper husband Jay-Z and friend Gwyneth Paltrow looking on from the VIP area.

She opened with ‘Crazy in Love’ and wowed the crowds with ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), as well as latest single ‘Run The World (Girls)’ before closing the festival with ‘Halo’.

Beyonce spent most of the weekend at the festival with her husband, and revealed before her performance she had sought advice from her fellow headliners Coldplay and U2.

She told the BBC: “I’m the biggest fan of U2 and I’m the biggest fan of Coldplay, they are genius, so I’ve spoken to both of them about my setlist. I’m so excited to share the stage with them.

“For Glastonbury to recognise that women have the power to headline, that’s amazing, and I’m proud that I am the chosen woman. I am going to rock!”

Radiohead confirmed for Glastonbury

The ‘There There’ band will play on festival’s Park stage at 8pm tonight (24.06.11), a spokesperson for the band has confirmed.

Last year, at the festival’s 40th Anniversary, singer Thom Yorke and guitarist Johnny Greenwood played a surprise set on the same stage.

Other secretly booked acts are expected over the weekend and festival co-organiser Emily Eavis said even she isn’t completely sure of all the groups who will be appearing.

She told NME.com: “We are still unsure of exactly who is turning up, mainly because it’s unconfirmed at the moment! I swear I have heard every rumour ‘ even that Led Zeppelin are playing!”

Radiohead will be making one of their first performances since releasing eighth album ‘The King of Limbs’ in February, and it will be their fourth time at the festival as a full band.

The group played in 1994, and have headlined twice, in 1997 ‘ which is regarded as one of the best performances in the festival’s history ‘ and again in 2003

Arctic Monkeys prompt Glastonbury rumours

Arctic Monkeys

The ‘Brick by Brick’ rockers are not on the bill for the festival, but rumoured to be one of the acts putting in surprise performances, and their arrival onsite all but confirms this.

Dance pop star Example – who was much delayed getting into the festival ‘ tweeted: “I’m not allowed to park my bus behind the stage I’m playing because the Arctic Monkeys have taken our space. And they’re not even playing.”

Although he later added: “I’m actually a massive fan of Arctic Monkeys, so that’s reduced my anger.”

Other surprise performances will include Pulp, who were confirmed this afternoon (24.06.11) to play tomorrow, and Radiohead who stared a surprise set on the Park stage at 20.00 today.

Fans at the show tweeted the set list, which ran ‘Lotus Flower’, ’15 Step’, ‘Magpie’, ‘Little by Little’, ‘All I Need’, ‘Separator’, ‘Give up the Ghost’, ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’, ‘Staircase’, ‘I Might Be Wrong’, ‘Bloom’, ‘Reckoner’, ‘Daily Mail’ and as an encore ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’.

The band told the BBC, who are filming most of the festival, that they didn’t want them to broadcast their set, as they wanted it to be special for the fans who are there.