Royal Blood have said they’ve got something exciting up their sleeves when it comes to this weekend’s shows at Reading And Leeds Festivals.

When asked if there was anything special in store for their sets, frontman Mike Kerr stated: “There is, actually, but I don’t want to give it away!” The band play Reading on Saturday (August 29) and Leeds on Sunday (August 30). Speaking to NME ahead of the gigs, Kerr continued: “We’ve made the production a bit bigger, I can say that. We’re bringing loads of lights, even though it’s going to be daylight. We’ll make our own little sun on the stage.”

Though the duo played the festival last year, on the NME/Radio 1 Stage, this will be their first appearance on the event’s Main Stage. “Reading Main Stage resonates with me, because I’ve always wanted to play on it,” said Kerr. “That’s the dream. I even tried to get onto the Main Stage four years ago when it was closed. I snuck in after hours and got a leg up and nearly got on it, but the security pulled me down!”


Royal Blood will be playing on the same day as their new friends Metallica. Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich joined Royal Blood live onstage during their gig in San Francisco in April of this year, playing set-closer ‘Out Of The Black’ while the band’s own drummer, Ben Thatcher, stagedived into the crowd. The band first met Ulrich when he attended the group’s San Francisco show last September.

As previously reported, after the show Royal Blood were taken to the house from the Mrs Doubtfire film by Ulrich. Now with Metallica in the UK, Kerr told NME he was considering returning the favour and showing him around the band’s hometown. “He’s been a real supporter of our music and our band. If he’s got any spare time I would love to show him around Worthing. I’d probably show him the pier, then I’d take him to Worthing Lido.”

Royal Blood released their chart-topping self-titled debut in August 2014. They took home the prize for Best British Group at this year’s Brit Awards and also won Best New Band and Best Live Band at this year’s NME Awards with Austin, Texas. The NME Awards ceremony took place at London’s O2 Academy Brixton in February.

