Who's up against Jay-Z at Glasto?

By Kev Geoghegan
Radio 1 music reporter

With all the fuss about Jay-Z headlining the Saturday night at Glastonbury, you could be forgiven for thinking he was the only artist on the bill.

Biffy Clyro and CSS will be taking on Jay Z on Saturday night

Such is the controversy surrounding his appearance, it is likely that he will attract one of the biggest crowds of the weekend, even if it is just out of curiosity alone.

So spare a thought for the bands who have been booked to play at exactly the same time as the superstar rapper.

Biffy Clyro are headlining the John Peel stage, while the hip-hop star does the honours on the Pyramid stage.

The Scots rockers think Jay-Z should be nervous when they go head to head.

Bassist James Johnston joked: “I do hear that Jay-Z is a bit nervous and he's going to cover a Biffy song because he's scared people are going to watch us.”

The controversy surrounding the first rapper to headline Glastonbury will make it a virtual impossibility for Biffy to draw a bigger crowd.

'Get out and rock'

Well, that and the fact that their tent is considerably smaller.

Johnston said: “It's kind of funny being up against Jay-Z. I don't think it's something that we're going to pay too much attention to.

“I think we're fairly nervous, it's not often you get to headline such a great stage.

“I think we're just going to get out there and rock.”

He insists the band are not worried about losing the festival's 'floating fans' curious about what all the fuss is about.

He said: “People will make up their own mind about what band they want to see and we're not that similar.

“I think that anybody stuck in the middle wouldn't come to see us anyway, they'd just go and see Jay-Z."

What time?

Fratellis played the Pyramid Stage on Friday as well as Kings of Leon

Brazilian electro dance band CSS are also facing up to the task of competing with the Pyramid Stage when they headline the Park Stage on Saturday evening.

Although, the band's singer Lovefoxxx initially seemed confused with their stage time.

She said: “Oh… we are on the same time as Jay-Z?

“Maybe I can watch him from our stage.”

She added: “To be honest, our crowd is so different and our tent is much smaller, so we think people will come and see us.

“And I'm sure at the end we can go and check him out.”

Representing hip hop

The Fratellis have also waded in on the argument about the inclusion of hip-hop at the predominantly rock and folk festival.

Jon Fratelli told Newsbeat: “I think it's Michael Eavis's field and he can invite who he wants and no-one can tell him who he should and shouldn't have on.”

Much of the attention is focussed on Jay-Z but hip-hop is being well represented through the weekend.

Lupe Fiasco played the Jazz stage on 27 June, drawing a huge crowd.

During the intro to his track Hip-hop You Saved My Life, he urged fans who 'love hip-hop' to make some noise, and they responded with deafening enthusiasm.

Dizzee Rascal is also on the bill, as is UK rapper Blak Twang.

Other bands sharing stage time with Jay-Z include Massive Attack who play the Other Stage, and veteran Scottish duo The Proclaimers who are playing at Avalon.