Rock Band Frontman Flips off Festival Crowd After Lukewarm Reception

Rock Band Frontman Flips off Festival Crowd After Lukewarm Reception,Royal Blood frontman Mike Kerr tried to get the crowd at one of the U.K.'s top music festivals excited for his group's music, but instead ended up flipping them off. Kerr was frustrated that the audience at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend event on Sunday didn't sound as excited about his music as he [...]

Rock Band Frontman Flips off Festival Crowd After Lukewarm Reception

Royal Blood frontman Mike Kerr tried to get the crowd at one of the U.K.’s top music festivals excited for his group’s music, but instead ended up flipping them off. Kerr was frustrated that the audience at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend event on Sunday didn’t sound as excited about his music as he hoped. His behavior was widely criticized, with many noting he was only alienating potential new fans.

“Well, I guess I should introduce ourselves seeing as no one actually knows who we are,” Kerr, 32, told the crowd toward the end of Royal Blood’s set. “We’re called Royal Blood and this is rock music. Who likes rock music? Nine people, brilliant.”

Royal Blood making their feelings known about the crowd at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend yesterday 😂 pic.twitter.com/Meh6GZnByJ

— The Rock Revival (@TheRockRevival_) May 29, 2023

Kerr then introduced the group’s only other member, drummer Ben Thatcher. The response to this was also muted. “We’re having to clap ourselves because that was so pathetic. Well done, Ben,” he said.

Next, Kerr looked at a camera operator at the side of the stage. “Will you clap for us? You clap? You’re busy. Can you clap? Yes, even he’s clapping,” Kerr said before turning to the audience one more time. “What does that say about you?” Kerr dropped his guitar before flipping off the audience with both middle fingers and left the stage.

The video of Kerr’s behavior whet viral. Members of the music community found it distasteful. “Rule number 1 for artists- Never be entitled. Whether you play to a crowd that knows every song or a crowd who doesn’t give a f who you are – just bloody play and keep it moving,” singer V V Brown tweeted. “Your [sic] not curing cancer mate.”

“Man, some gigs are tough and you have to win over the crowd, but this is exactly how to NOT react,” U.K. band Lottery Winners tweeted. “Very disappointed with Royal Blood here. No matter what level you get to, you’re never better than the audience.”

BBC Introducing presenter Emma Linton told BBC Radio 5 Live she did not think there was a “lack of energy” among the crowd. “People maybe didn’t know the songs and I think there were people there that were fans,” Linton said. “And there were people singing along – me being one of them – but I think it was not necessarily a crowd that were destined to be super fans, especially because Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan were after them.”

Royal Blood was formed as a quartet but is now down to Kerr and Thatcher. Their first three albums all topped the Official U.K. Chart, reports Billboard. However, they haven’t had a song chart on the U.K. Singles Chart since “Typhoons” in January 2021. Their fourth album, Back to the Water Below, will be released in September.

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