Royal Blood speak out about Mike Kerr’s rant at Radio One’s Big Weekend: “I actually really enjoyed playing”

nme.com:

Royal Blood have spoken out after criticising their audience at BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend last month.The Brighton duo — comprised of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher — made headlines last month after their set in Dundee, when the frontman criticised the crowd for not engaging enough with their set, before eventually throwing down his guitar and walking off the stage holding his middle finger to the audience.The show took place at Camperdown Park in Dundee as part of Radio One’s annual festival on May 28, and Kerr’s visible frustration with the crowd escalated as the set progressed.“Who likes rock music?” he asked the crowd, only receiving a small cheer. “Nine people.

Brilliant,” he remarked before introducing Thatcher.Later in the set, Kerr remarked, “We’re having to clap ourselves because that was so pathetic,” before turning to the camera and asking: “Will you clap for us?

Will you clap? You’re busy. Can you clap? Yes, even he’s clapping. What does that say about you?”At the end of their performance, Kerr walked off stage throwing up his middle fingers to the audience while Thatcher appeared to be gesturing to the front rows to smile.Now, following the moment going viral on social media, the band have spoken for the first time following the performance, and explained their attitude towards the gig.“I’m amazed, honestly, how that escalated to that kind of size,” Kerr began, talking with BBC Radio One. “Walking off from that show, I felt I was being entertaining — in a way of trying to make light of the situation.

I was doing a performance where I felt a little bit out of place.”“It was somewhat of a blip on my part because it would’ve taken me three minutes to think ‘Maybe these people don’t know who you are’,” he added. “I.