Royal Blood’s set at a music festival in Scotland turned into a royal mess as the band blasted the crowd and walked off, with frontman Mike Kerr raising his middle fingers as a departing gift.
The English rock duo performed late afternoon Sunday (May 28) at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2023 Dundee.
As the band neared the end of their performance, Kerr gave the audience a serve for a perceived lack of enthusiasm.
“Well, I guess I should introduce ourselves seeing as no one actually knows who we are,” the 32-year-old artist said in a video doing the rounds of social media. “We’re called Royal Blood and this is rock music. Who likes rock music? Nine people, brilliant,” he remarked, sarcastically.
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Introducing drummer Ben Thatcher, he added, “We’re having to clap ourselves because that was so pathetic. Well done, Ben.”
Kerr then stared down the side-of-stage camera and appeared to ask the operator: “Will you clap for us? You clap? You’re busy. Can you clap? Yes, even he’s clapping.” He turned to the audience, “What does that say about you?”
Then, Kerr let rip with an off-color chord as they walked off stage, his middle fingers held high to the audience.
Some fans have pointed out that Royal Blood was stuck in a tricky schedule, wedged between pop stars Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi, whose sophomore album Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent is currently No. 1 in the U.K.
Other social media users have pointed out on that, yes, sometimes the crowd isn’t moved, and artists should roll with it.
The band’s fourth studio album, Back to the Water Below, is due out Sept. 8 through Warner Records.
A busy touring schedule through the U.K. and Europe should set up the release, including a performance at Glastonbury Festival, June 21-25, and a return to Scotland for TRNSMT Festival 2023, set for July 9 in Glasgow.
All three of their previous albums have gone to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Chart: Royal Blood (2014), How Did We Get So Dark (2017) and Typhoons (2021).
Watch Royal Blood’s unusual exit from stage at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
