Stones gearing up for Glastonbury debut

All eyes will be on the Pyramid Stage tonight as The Rolling Stones make their Glastonbury debut.

The veteran rockers are set to perform a 2hr 15m set at Worthy Farm, complete with pyrotechnics and a mechanical phoenix presiding over the field.

While fans who paid £205 to attend the three-day event will see the whole show, those watching at home will see just the first hour of the gig.

A deal was thrashed out with the BBC, who are providing coverage of the event, after initial fears that only a few songs would be televised.

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Sheffield rockers the Arctic Monkeys were the Friday night headliners on the Pyramid Stage, thrilling fans with classic songs including 'Crying Lightning', as well as tracks from their new album, such as 'She’s Thunderstorms'.

Festival goers have been stocking up on masks of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards’ faces, as well as Rolling Stones t-shirts ahead of the show tonight.

Hits including 'Sympathy For The Devil' and 'Satisfaction' have also been cropping up in DJ sets and blasting out from bars around the site in the past few days.

Celebrity fans including Kate Moss are expected to be at the front of the crowds to see the band.

Richards said this week that the band was “destined” to make an appearance at Glastonbury, despite turning down a slot for many years, and declared: ”It had to be done.“

In an interview about the performance posted online, guitarist Richards said: “It’s almost like you’re finally destined to play Glastonbury.

“I mean there were many years when we were offered it and turned it down. I look upon it as a culmination of our British heritage really. It had to be done and it’s gonna be done, and we’ll see what happens, you know.”

The band’s frontman Mick Jagger pointed out that he is planning to take the opportunity to explore the site at Worthy Farm, with a programme of highlights set up by his children.

Music fans said they cannot wait for the show to start.

Hollie Thornton, 28, from Cornwall, said: “I just want to be able to say I’ve seen them. Whenever their songs have been played around the festival so far, everyone’s gone mental.”

There has also been speculation about the role that will be played by the phoenix on top of the stage.

Mark Richardson, 51, from Milton Keynes, said: “I hope it flies to the back of the field. But at the moment no one knows what’s going to happen, and it’s that expectation that makes it so special.”

Other highlights of the day include Elvis Costello, Primal Scream and Chase and Status.

Grime musician Wiley apparently cancelled his performance, due to take place today, taking to Twitter to complain about the event and asking to be taken off the bill.

He is said to have taken issue with both the weather and the size of his pay packet for playing the festival.

Last night, it was no surprise that 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' proved the biggest hit of the Arctic Monkey’s set, with dancing duly carried out by the tens of thousands who crammed into the field to see the set.

Kathleen Pavey, 17, from Bristol, said: “They’ve been really good at getting the crowd going – but we would have preferred to hear more of the older songs.”

Rapper Dizzee Rascal had preceded the band, performing such crowd pleasers as 'Bonkers'.

On the Other Stage, trip hop act Portishead headlined, the voice of Beth Orton providing a more relaxed and refined atmosphere than that at the frenetic Pyramid Stage.

Revellers staying up until the early hours were also being given the chance to see Radiohead singer Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace performing a secret set that did not appear on the official line up.