ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

R.E.M. To Premiere Complete BBC Broadcast Of 1999 Glastonbury Headliner

Michael Stipe said of R.E.M.’s performance, “we pulled ourselves back to the front of the line and proved what we’re capable of. It was a great show for us!”

Published on

R.E.M.-Glastonbury---GettyImages-84857576
Photo: Jon Super/Redferns

Continuing celebrations around the 50th anniversary of Glastonbury Festival this year, R.E.M.’s historic headline set from the Pyramid Stage in 1999 will be released globally next Thursday, August 6. Fans can tune in for the YouTube premiere at 8:00pm BST/3:00pm EST via R.E.M.’s official YouTube channel.

On June 25, 1999, shortly into their European Summer tour and at the end of a long, sunny day in Somerset, England, R.E.M. took to Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage around 10:30 pm following earlier performances from Blondie, Bush and Hole, amongst others. Michael Stipe recalls, “Hole did such a great set, I was like—I’ve got to ramp this up, I’ve got to be great. I think it was maybe a moment for R.E.M. and the UK where we had kind of been forgotten or pushed aside by younger bands, and that was a particular moment at Glastonbury where I think we pulled ourselves back to the front of the line and actually proved, this is what we’re capable of. It was a great show for us!”

Backed by simple flashing neon signs, the band presented a well-balanced selection of old and new songs, including “Daysleeper,” “The One I Love,” “Losing My Religion,” “Everybody Hurts,” “Man On The Moon” and “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).”

R.E.M - Losing My Religion (Glastonbury 1999)

Click to load video

Glastonbury Festival co-organizer Emily Eavis said the recent UK-specific airing of the show at the end of June “brought back so many memories and emotions – it was a great, great gig. What a band!” “I felt triumphant every time we played Glastonbury. The band really stepped up. It’s such a beloved and legendary event that, y’know, whatever stars are aligned for us personally and as a group; we managed to show the best of ourselves at each of the shows we played there,” Stipe adds.

Audio from this headline set was recently released as part of the band’s R.E.M. At The BBC collection. Fans globally can now experience the entire BBC broadcast of R.E.M.’s 1999 Glastonbury performance—beginning Thursday, August 6 at 8:00pm BST? 3:00pm EST and remaining live for a limited 72 hour window only.

Listen to the best of R.E.M. on Apple Music and Spotify.

Click to comment
Comments are temporarily disabled and will return shortly.
Rihanna - Unapologetic
Rihanna
Unapologetic
Opaque Fruit Punch Limited Edition 2LP
ORDER NOW
Rihanna - Rated R
Rihanna
Rated R
Translucent Black Ice Limited Edition 2LP
ORDER NOW
Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad
Rihanna
Good Girl Gone Bad
Crystal Clear Limited Edition 2LP
ORDER NOW
Rihanna - Loud
Rihanna
Loud
Pink Limited Edition 2LP
ORDER NOW
Rihanna - Talk That Talk
Rihanna
Talk That Talk
Translucent Emerald Green Limited Edition LP
ORDER NOW
Rihanna - A Girl Like Me
Rihanna
A Girl Like Me
Sea Glass Limited Edition 2LP
ORDER NOW
uDiscover Music - Back To Top
uDiscover Music - Back To Top