Coldplay have been voted the best festival headliner of 2011, in an online poll conducted by BBC 6 Music. Coldplay - who headlined Glastonbury and T In The Park - topped the survey with 22.7% of votes cast, breakfast show host Shaun Keaveny announced. US rock band The National came in second with 14.2%, while Muse were third with 13.9%. Coldplay's drummer Will Champion told 6 Music's Steve Lamacq that playing festivals gave the band "...a chance to win people over. But there's also a strong possibility that people have already made their mind up about you," he added, "and no matter how well you play they're not going to be happy about it."
Coldplay's victory in the 6 Music vote comes after a series of gigs previewing their forthcoming fifth album, Mylo Xyloto. At Glastonbury and T In The Park, they began their sets with two previously unheard tracks from the record before launching into fan favourites Yellow and In My Place. But Champion admitted that playing big shows and music festivals gave him anxiety dreams. "They took the place of the 'I'm late for an exam' dreams," he told Steve Lamacq. "The whole band come on... and then they walk off and I'm left carrying the can, just playing a drum solo. Awful."
6 Music DJ Shaun Keaveny said of Coldplay’s winning performance: “To witness Coldplay at Glastonbury this year was like welcoming an old mate back to your local pub. Coldplay are as at home on the Pyramid Stage as any band on the planet - and effortlessly pounded the crowd into a euphoric singalong. New songs and old songs all flowed into one as the sun set on a glorious Glasto Saturday evening.”
Glastonbury, which also saw U2 and Beyonce play headline slots in June, is taking a fallow year in 2012. But John Giddings, who runs the Isle Of Wight festival, said he may step in to fill the gap. I've actually thought about moving the festival to the Glastonbury weekend next year," he said.
Photos of Coldplay at the Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury Festival, UK (25th June 2011):
Photo source: Metro
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