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LONDON - The full line-up for Britain's Glastonbury festival was unveiled Tuesday, as organisers voiced hope that extra "surprise" acts will help sell tickets after criticism of rapper Jay-Z as headliner.
For the first time since 2002 tickets for the key European music festival failed to sell out within hours of going on sale this month, amid criticism of the decision to choose the US rapper.
Other stars who will play the June 27-29 fest include the Kings of Leon and The Verve, alongside Crowded House, KT Tunstall, the Fratellis, Massive Attack and Groove Armada.
But the list also included a few unexpected acts, notably 1980s rock and roll heart-throb Shakin' Stevens, as well as Irish born singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan and ageing Canadian balladeer Leonard Cohen.
Festival spokesman Crispin Aubrey defended the line-up, saying it should ensure that remaining tickets will be sold. "We think it is a pretty amazing range of performers. Better than any other festival," he said.
"We have everybody to cater for every taste. There are tickets still available but we hope as news of the line-up filters through, they will finally go... We hope the surprise performers will be the key," he added.
Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher slammed the booking of Jay-Z shortly after tickets went on sale.
"If it ain't broke don't fix it," said Gallagher, whose band headlined Glastonbury in 1995 and 2004, criticising the decision to book a hip-hop rtiste at a festival traditionally dominated by guitar and dance music.
"If you start to break it then people aren't going to go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."
Organisers of the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, southwestern England, which attracted 177,000 visitors last year, defended their decision and played down fears that Jay-Z was about to pull out.
Last year's festival, a traditional Glastonbury mudbath, was headlined by Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and The Who. - AFP/sh
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