Glastonbury fans ‘work out’ emo legend will play festival 20 years after ‘career-ending’ outburst on John Peel stage

BRITISH festival goers seemed convinced that Emo legend Bright Eyes will return to Glastonbury next year, despite his career faux pas, two decades ago.

Back in 2005, Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst left the crowds reeling, after a string of inappropriate comments about the late DJ John Peel, while onstage at the festival.

Despite performing on the John Peel stage, the rocker made a series of disparaging remarks about the DJ and the Make Poverty History campaign, which are widely believed to have damaged the band’s career.

The stage, which has hosted Primal Scream, Dua Lipa and Years & Years in recent years, was named after the broadcaster, who famously championed emerging acts on BBC radio, following Peel’s death in 2004.

But in recent years the late DJ’s reputation has been tarnished by allegations that he sex with underage girls, during his rise to fame in the 1980s.

In 2022 a petition was launched to remove the name of the DJ who died of a heart attack in 2004 aged 65.

Then in 2023,  festival bosses decided to quietly remove his name due to increasing outrage over comments he made while he was alive and allegations which have emerged since.

Confirming the renaming, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis  said: “We’ve had 20 years of John Peel and it’s been an honour to use his name.”

In an interview published in 2004, he admitted to sexual contact with “an awful lot” of underage girls.

The DJ was 25 when he married his first wife Shirley Anne Milburn in Texas in 1965, when she was just 15, although it was legal at the time.

Now Bright Eyes fans feel that the band have been vindicated in their comments all those years ago and could be set for a triumphant return to five day festival in June in 2025.

Indeed, eagled-eyed festival enthusiasts have a spotted a gap in the band’s touring schedule, which coincides with the five day event in Somerset.

Writing on the social media site Reddit, one person said: “Can’t work out if his antics on what was the John Peel stage all those years ago will make him a no-go or actually the opposite, considering whats happened since.”

Another fan referred to allegations that surfaced in 2012, that John Peel had sex with an underage girl, by saying:

“I think given John Peel is dead and was outed a nonce afterwards, which made them change the stage name, I doubt Glasto would hold a grudge.”

Meanwhile another enthusiast said they hope Bright Eyes return in a blaze of glory after being “vindicated.”

They said: “Justice for Bright Eyes. I hope they come back and play Woodsies, completely vindicated for their comments. They are great live.”

The American indie rock band was founded by singer-songwriter and guitarist Conor Oberst. The band consists of Oberst, piano player Nate Walcott and a rotating line up usicans from Omaha’s indie music scene.

Between 1998 and 2011, the bands albums were released through Saddle Creek Records, a Nebraska based record label.

Throughout the noughties, the band achieved worldwide success with their rock inspired rock sound and their highly politicized views.

In 2005 they angered british fans while appearing at Glastonbury when lead singer Conor Oberst made several inflammatory comments about DJ John Peel who’d died the year previously.

Since the controversy, the band have kept a low profile in the UK, but have continued to enjoy stateside success given their strong fanbase.

In January 2020 the band announced their return after signing with a big record label dead Oceans, releasing a new album in Five Dice All Threes in 2024.