Robert Plant To Play Glastonbury?

Glastonbury organizer Michael Eavis has said he was inspired to launch what has now become the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world after sneaking into a 1970 festival to see Led Zeppelin. The frontman of the band that ultimately started it all might be taking the stage at next year’s 40th anniversary event as Robert Plant recently said he’s been talking with Eavis about performing.

“I’ve just been talking to Michael. There’s place for me there, but I have no idea who with.” Plant told BBC 6 Music at the Q Awards where he took home the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.

Photo: John Davisson

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, San Francisco.

Plant repeated that he was interested in performing with another artist or two.

“There is a chance yeah, but I don’t know with who,” he added.

Maybe bluegrass-country singer/fiddler Alison Krauss, who he toured North America and Europe with last year in support of their Grammy-winning 2007 album Raising Sand, is also talking with Eavis about joining Plant on stage. Or maybe Plant had decided that he really does want to team up with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones for one more reunion show?

After the BBC said that Plant could handle a performance slot by himself Plant coyly replied, “Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m good at card tricks.”

Photo: David Leyes

Toronto’s Molson Amphitheatre gets a whole lotta love from Robert Plant.

Plant most recently performed Sept. 11 at London’s O2 as part of the “Rockwell” – Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Benefit Concert. The O2 was also the setting for Led Zepplin’s Dec. 10, 2007 reunion show as Plant, Page and Jones reunited along with deceased drummer John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham, for the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert.

Glastonbury sold out its 137,500 capacity in 12 hours when tickets went on sale at the beginning of October. Next year’s Glastonbury is June 23-27.

Glastonbury’s 40th anniversary takes place June 23-27 at Worthy Farm in Pilton, U.K. All 137,500 tickets to the fest sold out within 12 hours after tickets went on sale in early October.

The fest’s headliners are yet to be announced but the BBC reported that fans can most likely count Sonic Youth out.

“We’re not really big on festivals because you don’t sound check, you just go out, which can be quite fun when you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Sonic Youth guitarist/bassist Kim Gordon told the BBC.

“The last time we played there we had Bob Dylan’s audience or something. It wasn’t that much fun.”

Last month the BBC reported that Andy Williams said Eavis had invited the 81-year-old singer to play the fest.

Last year’s Glastonbury featured Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Neil Young, Blur, Lady GaGa, N.E.R.D., Lily Allen, Black Eyed Peas, Tom Jones, Jarvis Cocker, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Dizzee Rascal, The Specials, Fleet Foxes, Regina Spektor, Bloc party, The Ting Tings, Friendly Fires, Doves, Jason Mraz,Animal Collective, The Blockheads, Yeah Yeah Yeahs,Cold War Kids, Madness and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

Click here for Glastonbury’s website.

Click here for the BBC article.