Royal Blood tell us about their Reading 2026 secret set: “We’re going to make it as relentless as possible”

Royal Blood have been announced for a surprise secret set at this weekend’s Reading Festival .

Check out details below along with our exclusive interview with the band.

Fresh from announcing their fifth album ‘Dead Company’ with the pummelling comeback single ‘Ten Over Ten ‘, the Brighton rock duo have been announced to join Fontaines D.C., Charli XCX, Geese and many more at the iconic festival this Friday (August 28) – where they’ve been announced for a surprise early set on The Gallery stage at 2pm.

“The set planned for Reading is pretty brutal,” frontman Mike Kerr told NME .

“That’s been the theme for these shows.

It’s only 45 minutes long so that allows us to play all the heavier songs that we have.

The theme of the show is to make it as relentless as possible.” Looking ahead to the questionable weather , drummer Ben Thatcher joked: “Hopefully it rains so we can get more people in the tent.” Royal Blood CREDIT: Edward Cooke This comes after the rock veterans recently returned to the stage for the first time in over two years, with the break from touring leaving them reinvigorated.

“We’re now just having the best time,” said Kerr.

“We missed playing and it’s been a long time for us.

The whole point of the band is to play live.

That’s why we make records.” He continued: “Nothing prepares you for that rush of adrenaline of playing live again.

After three or four tracks we were settled in.

By the time we played Lowlands Festival, we worrying less about playing things right and just having fun and being more free-spirited.” Recent setlists have seen Kerr and Thatcher giving fans a taster of their new record by slipping in ‘Ten Over Ten’ alongside fellow hard-hitting newbies ‘Swallow The Bomb’ and the title track of ‘Dead Company’.

“‘Ten Over Ten’ has been great,” the singer shared.