When Suzanne Vega made history by headlining Glastonbury Festival in 1989, the achievement came under extraordinary circumstances that would challenge even the most seasoned performers. Vega, known for her distinctive alternative folk sound and fingerstyle acoustic guitar work, was not only the first female artist to headline the festival’s Pyramid Stage — she did so after receiving a chilling warning from law enforcement.
In a recent interview with British newspaper The i, Vega recalled how she was strongly advised by police to cancel her set following a death threat. “Scotland Yard sat me down and said, ‘We advise you not to do the show.’ I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’” she recounted.
The threat was linked to the band’s touring bassist, who had attracted the attention of a dangerous stalker. But this particular warning extended to Vega herself and arrived on the very day of her Glastonbury performance. Rather than pull out of the headline slot, Vega took extreme precautions. “A man from Scotland Yard took his [vest] and said, ‘You’ll have to wear this.’ He was twice my size, so I had to gaffer tape myself into this giant bulletproof vest, and then put a denim jacket over it,” she said. “It felt like every song was 20 minutes long. It was not comfortable. We were all nervous.”
Despite the fear and discomfort, Vega delivered her set, cementing her place in music history. Emerging from the Greenwich Village neo-folk revival of the early 1980s, Vega had already released two critically acclaimed albums by that point: her 1985 self-titled debut and 1987’s Solitude Standing, which featured the iconic hit Luka. The song earned praise from none other than Prince and helped define her as a powerful voice in the alt-folk genre.
Her courage and success paved the way for future generations of female headliners. Since then, only eight other acts fronted by women have topped Glastonbury’s main stage. Notably, the 2024 edition marked a significant milestone as both Dua Lipa and SZA co-headlined — the first time two women shared that honor in the same year.
“I’m proud of being the first woman to headline,” Vega said. “There’s nothing diminished about that.”
Unfortunately, the specter of death threats still haunts the music world. Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, for instance, once recalled receiving similar threats from Guns N’ Roses fans after a problematic Welcome to the Jungle solo — performed while wearing a cumbersome Stormtrooper helmet.
In contrast, Vega’s composure in the face of real danger remains a poignant example of professionalism and quiet bravery — a defining moment not only in her own career but in the legacy of one of the world’s most iconic music festivals.
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