Undertones & Outkast for Glastonbury 2005 - DEFINITELY!

Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis has told the Bristol Evening Post that both The Undertones and Outkast will be appearing at next summer's Festival.

Following the sad death of John Peel last week, and the announcement that the New Tent is to be renamed the John Peel Stage, The Undertones are particularly apt. They contacted Michael after hearing that the stage was to be renamed, and they're now expected to headline the John Peel Stage on the Saturday.

One other band name was dropped - Razorlight - but these were mentioned as a band that will be asked to appear, not a band that will definitely appear.

He also again mentioned that U2 won't be able to play next year as hoped. We've been carrying out our own investigations, to see if Michael was perhaps telling porkies to reduce demand for tickets, but each investigative angle we've taken with this does seem to imply that Michael is being truthful.

The article says that he's looking at headline acts "just as big" as U2 (are there any bands "just as big"?), contradicting published comments by his daughter Emily that next year would have smaller headliners. Michael has exclusively told eFestivals in the past that he has no wish to down-size the Festival in any way - and that includes bands - and so it's no surprise to hear that he's determined to get the very best that he can. However, he says that he's still trying to secure a headliner.

Amongst bands that eFestivals expects to appear in 2005 are Faithless, which - following their superb 2002 performance - we're sure will be one of those 'Glastonbury moments'. We're aware that they were approached to play this year, but they asked if they could play in 2005 instead.

Glastonbury Festival 2005 will take place from Friday 24th June until Sunday 26th June, subject to the granting of a suitable Public Entertainments Licence. The licence application will be heard on Monday 6th December, and as the only website that has reported the PEL hearings live for years, we'll again bring you as-it-happens updates of the process. Another festivals website has in the past ripped-off the eFestivals reports as their own: as ever, get the best information - and first - from eFestivals.

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