(Reuters) – The Rolling Stones will play Britain’s Glastonbury music festival for the first time, organizers announced on Wednesday, joining Arctic Monkeys and folk band Mumford & Sons as headliners at the three-day June event.
The appearance by the veteran British rock group follows weeks of rumors that the Stones, who in 2012 celebrated 50 years in the music business with a handful of concerts, finally would play at Glastonbury, one of Europe’s biggest music festivals.
“Can’t wait to play Glastonbury. I have my wellies and my yurt!” Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger wrote on Twitter on Wednesday, referring to rain boots and an elaborate tent.
The line-up also includes British rapper Dizzee Rascal, rock band Primal Scream, Australian rocker Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, singer Elvis Costello, veteran American country singer Kenny Rogers and British folk-rocker Billy Bragg among others.
Members of the Stones have been saying for weeks that they would like to play Glastonbury for the first time in their long careers.
The band played a series of mini-concerts in London and the United States in November and December that sold out quickly, as well as marking 50 years of hits like “Honky Tonk Women” and “Angie” with a documentary, photograph book and greatest hits album.
Speculation has also been rife that the Stones will launch a full world tour in 2013, which would be the band’s first since their 2005-2007 “A Bigger Bang” tour.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles; Editing by Will Dunham)
