Royal Blood pack out The Gallery tent for raucous Reading 2026 “surprise” set
Royal Blood drew a large crowd to The Gallery tent at Reading Festival 2026 for a previously announced “surprise” set, despite dry weather that the band had jokingly hoped would drive people indoors. The Brighton duo delivered a high-energy performance built around heavy riffs, mosh pits and audience participation, underlining their reputation as a strong live act and their renewed momentum after a break from touring.
They opened with ‘Out Of The Black’ and played ten songs, mixing established tracks including ‘Little Monster’, ‘Trouble Coming’ and closer ‘Figure It Out’ with two songs from forthcoming album ‘Dead Company’: ‘Ten Over Ten’ and ‘Swallow The Bomb’. The performance was Royal Blood’s fourth appearance at Reading and Leeds since their 2014 debut; the album is due on 13 November, followed by a UK headline tour in 2026. Mike Kerr said the response to the new material had confirmed that the songs were designed to be played live.
- Royal Blood packed The Gallery tent for a high-energy Reading Festival set.
- New ‘Dead Company’ songs prompted strong crowd reactions and circle pits.
- The band’s new album arrives on 13 November.
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Royal Blood are a Brighton rock duo: singer and bassist Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher. Their sound pairs heavy bass riffs with drums, and songs such as “Out Of The Black” and “Figure It Out” have helped make them a regular festival act.
Reading Festival is one of the UK’s major annual music festivals, held alongside Leeds Festival over the same weekend. Royal Blood first played Reading and Leeds in 2014, and their return comes as they prepare to release their next album, Dead Company, in November and tour the UK in 2026.