David Bowie: "Glastonbury 2000" Album (2025)

David Bowie’s Glastonbury 2000 album was released August 1, 2025 in a reformatted 3 vinyl wide spine version.

David Bowie's second performance at Glastonbury took place on June 25, 2000, headlining the Pyramid Stage on the Sunday night of the festival.

This was a highly anticipated return, as his first Glastonbury appearance was in 1971, when the festival was a much smaller event. The 2000 set is often regarded as one of the most iconic performances in Glastonbury’s history.

Key Details:

Bowie was 53 at the time and had not played Glastonbury in nearly three decades. His 2000 performance came during a career resurgence, following the release of his album Hours (1999) and amid renewed interest in his classic work. He was backed by a tight band, including longtime collaborators like guitarist Earl Slick and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey.

Setlist: The 21-song set was a crowd-pleasing mix of hits and deeper cuts, spanning his career.

Highlights include

"Changes"

"China Girl"

"Let’s Dance"

"Ziggy Stardust"

"Heroes"

"Life on Mars?"

"Ashes to Ashes"

"Rebel Rebel"

"Golden Years"

A rare performance of "Station to Station"

"I’m Afraid of Americans" from his 1997 album Earthling.

The set closed with a rousing encore of "Under Pressure" (with Gail Ann Dorsey singing Freddie Mercury’s parts) and "Ziggy Stardust".

Performance Highlights:

Bowie was in top form, sporting a long, glittery coat and delivering a charismatic, energetic performance. His vocal performance was widely praised for its clarity.

The set was massive, lasting over 2 hours, and drew one of the largest crowds Glastonbury had seen at the time, with an estimated 100,000+ attendees.

The show was a balance of nostalgia and relevance, appealing to both longtime fans and younger festival-goers discovering his work.

Cultural Impact:

The performance was broadcast live on BBC television and radio, cementing its legendary status. It was later released officially as David Bowie: Glastonbury 2000 in 2018, with both audio and video versions available.

Critics and fans hailed it as a triumphant return. Bowie himself reportedly considered it one of his favorite live performances, noting the electric atmosphere.

The show is often cited as a defining moment for Glastonbury, elevating its status as a platform for iconic acts.

Festival Context:

Glastonbury 2000 was the 30th anniversary of the festival, held at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England.

Other notable acts that weekend included Coldplay (their debut Glastonbury set on the New Tent stage), The Chemical Brothers, and Travis.

The festival faced logistical challenges, including overcrowding and security concerns due to gatecrashers, but Bowie’s set was a unifying high point.

Additional Notes:

Bowie initially hesitated to play Glastonbury again, as he preferred smaller venues at the time, but he was convinced by festival organizer Emily Eavis and the promise of a headline slot.

The 2000 performance was one of Bowie’s last major festival appearances before he scaled back touring in the mid-2000s due to health issues.

Fan accounts on platforms like X and archived reviews describe the set as a “once-in-a-lifetime” moment, with many attendees recalling the emotional weight of hearing songs like “Heroes” under the Glastonbury night sky.