Rolling Stones make Glastonbury debut after 50 years The Rolling Stones have made their Glastonbury debut 43 years after the festival first took place. Courtesy BBC Mick Jagger gestures at Keith Richards during the Rolling Stones's performance at Glastonbury. TENS of thousands of cheering revellers watched the Rolling Stones make an energetic Glastonbury festival debut yesterday after more than 50 years in the music business. "If this is the first time you've ever seen the band, do come again," an almost 70-year-old Mick Jagger told a crowd - most of whom were too young to experience the bulk of the Stones' career. The band, with Jagger prowling about the main Pyramid Stage - at Worthy Farm in Somerset, southeast England - in a glittering green jacket, began its set with the 1968 classic Jumpin' Jack Flash to a backdrop of fireworks. Country-style song Factory Girl was given a makeover to become "Glastonbury Girl" and referred to festival traditions including the gumboots often worn against the English mud. Fans had claimed their spots up to 12 hours ahead of the show, which culminated with bouncing encores of You Can't Always Get What You Want and Satisfaction. Keith Richards and former band member Mick Taylor each performed showcase tunes. "The old black magic still crackles," wrote a reviewer for the Observer newspaper. The young fans agreed. "It was amazing," said Kathy Dixon, 26. It felt like lots of generations were coming together. It felt very special - almost spiritual. Walter Hudson, 22, from Oxford, claimed "they look as young as they were in the 1960s. The only place you can see their age is in their skin - their energy is the same. Glastonbury, the country's most popular celebration of music and performing arts, is now in its 43rd year. Organisers had expanded the viewing area in expectation that a large proportion of the 135,000 festival-goers on the 360ha farm would seek to witness this piece of music history. Organiser Michael Eavis is said to have spent several years wooing the Stones. We've waited a long time for the Stones to play. For them to be here is brilliant," Mr Eavis's recorded voice told the audience as he introduced the band. The Glastonbury festival started as a hippie gathering of 1500 people in 1970. It now has 58 stages and formal accommodation ranging from pre-assembled tents to glamorous yurts costing several thousand pounds. It sells out months in advance. British broadcasters reported that Prince Harry, 28, was spotted on Saturday, along with footballer Wayne Rooney, model Kate Moss and other British stars. The festival concludes overnight with a set from folk band Mumford and Sons. Richards said before the Stones performed that he was "looking forward to it because it is an iconic gig and it's an iconic band and the two meet at last." He told BBC radio: "In a way it's kind of weird that at last we've made it to Glastonbury. It's like building Stonehenge, right?