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Glastonbury Festival awaits U2 debut | Glastonbury Festival awaits U2 debut |
(40 minutes later) | |
By Kev Geoghegan Entertainment reporter, BBC News, Glastonbury | By Kev Geoghegan Entertainment reporter, BBC News, Glastonbury |
U2 will make their first UK festival appearance since the early 1980s later when they headline Glastonbury. | U2 will make their first UK festival appearance since the early 1980s later when they headline Glastonbury. |
The Irish stars had been due to play last year but were forced to cancel after singer Bono injured his back. | The Irish stars had been due to play last year but were forced to cancel after singer Bono injured his back. |
Coldplay will headline the Pyramid Stage on Saturday. Beyonce follows in husband Jay-Z's footsteps on Sunday. | Coldplay will headline the Pyramid Stage on Saturday. Beyonce follows in husband Jay-Z's footsteps on Sunday. |
Emma Coupland, from Boston, Lincs, at a muddy Glastonbury with friend Holly Wilson, said: "As we're under 30, we don't really like U2." | Emma Coupland, from Boston, Lincs, at a muddy Glastonbury with friend Holly Wilson, said: "As we're under 30, we don't really like U2." |
Ms Wilson added: "They may play some of the old classic songs but we're not really excited about U2, and I haven't heard from anyone that is to be honest." | Ms Wilson added: "They may play some of the old classic songs but we're not really excited about U2, and I haven't heard from anyone that is to be honest." |
Rock veterans U2, who have interrupted a tour of the US to fly in for their performance, face protests during their set by a group who have accused the band of a "tax dodge" in Ireland. | |
But the band's manager Paul McGuinness has said the band is "fully compliant" with Irish tax rules and that U2 "is a global business and it pays taxes globally". | |
Beyonce, also making her festival debut, will be the first woman to headline the main Pyramid Stage - three years after Jay-Z became the first hip-hop artist to top the bill. | Beyonce, also making her festival debut, will be the first woman to headline the main Pyramid Stage - three years after Jay-Z became the first hip-hop artist to top the bill. |
With the majority of the 170,000 ticket-holders now on site, performances on the main stages at the festival got under way. | With the majority of the 170,000 ticket-holders now on site, performances on the main stages at the festival got under way. |
Wet conditions have left the site in Somerset muddy, with predictions of more rain to come. | Wet conditions have left the site in Somerset muddy, with predictions of more rain to come. |
Trucks carrying large bales of hay have been laying down straw over some of the worst-affected areas. | Trucks carrying large bales of hay have been laying down straw over some of the worst-affected areas. |
Tom Dods, from London, said: "We arrived on Wednesday, it was pretty torrential. | Tom Dods, from London, said: "We arrived on Wednesday, it was pretty torrential. |
"We did get a window to put up our tent but it was a bit of a grumpy start." | "We did get a window to put up our tent but it was a bit of a grumpy start." |
More rain is expected later and on Saturday but sunshine is forecast for Sunday. | More rain is expected later and on Saturday but sunshine is forecast for Sunday. |
Last year's event saw some of the hottest and driest conditions in Glastonbury's history. | Last year's event saw some of the hottest and driest conditions in Glastonbury's history. |
Police made more than 30 arrests in the days leading up to the start of the festival, the majority drug related. | Police made more than 30 arrests in the days leading up to the start of the festival, the majority drug related. |