There’s a first time for everything, and sometimes the first time is magic.

Glastonbury virgins U2 have been confirmed as the headliners for the festival next June, which will take place in Somerset, England. It has taken festival organiser Michael Eavis months to secure the rock legends for the 2010 event, but the 40^th anniversary of the illustrious three day concert now looks set to be its biggest yet.

U2 may boast a 32 year career, but the Irish rockers have never played Glastonbury thus far. According to British newspaper The Sun, ‘Eavis has been asking them for a while now and really stepped up the effort this year. This could be an iconic moment.’ Considering U2’s natural ability to light up a stage, it is fair to say ‘iconic’ may be an understatement. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr will put their North American tour on hold in order to perform at the gig from June 26 – June 28.

With the promise that next year’s Glastonbury event will be full of some of the world’s best musicians, tickets sold out within just hours of their release last month before the line up had even been revealed. Now ticket holders will be struggling to wipe the smiles off their faces with The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Coldplay, Muse and Foo Fighters also scheduled to perform. Over 177,000 people lucky (and fast) enough to hold tickets have also been promised ‘there are more surprises in the pipeline.’

While refusing to hint at what else he may have in store for Glastonbury’s 40^th festival, Eavis seems as delighted as the rest of us to finally have U2 on side. ‘At last the biggest band in the world is going to do the best festival in the world.’ (UKPA)

- Joanne O’Neill