Foals have discussed plans for their headline appearance at Reading and Leeds festivals this summer, joking that they will have a big light show and pyrotechnics akin to that of Iron Maiden.
The band will co-headline one of the days at Reading and Leeds along with Disclosure. They spoke about what fans could expect at this week’s NME Awards with Austin, Texas.
“I’m going to play a guitar solo suspended 35 feet above the crowd,” frontman Yannis Philippakis joked to NME.
“Flying wires, that’s what it’s all about… We’ll be going up and down, sort of like Punch and Judy,” guitarist Jimmy Smith added.
When asked whether there will be any guest stars joining the band for the performance, Philippakis replied: “No, no we’re going to be selfish with it – we want it to just be all us.”
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Foals won Best Album for ‘What Went Down’ at NME Awards 2016 with Austin, Texas on Wednesday (February 17). They also performed the album’s title-track live at the ceremony.
Accepting the award, frontman Yannis thanked “everyone who stuck by us, bought the record, streamed the record, burned the record, hated the record,” before adding: “Fuck you”
As well as Foals and Disclosure, Red Hot Chili Peppers will also headline Reading and Leeds festivals this year. The 2016 event will run from August 26-28.
SEE MORE: Foals’ Yannis Philippakis On Headlining Reading & Leeds: “We’ll Bring Extra Firepower”
Speaking to NME previously, Philippakis said he feels Foals and Disclosure among a crop of young British artists who can step up to headliner status in the next few years.
“There’s a lot of bands out there [who can do the same],” he stated. “The Maccabees aren’t far off being able to headline major festivals. There’s bands like Alt-J. Florence smashed it at Glasto last year. It’s happening. If anything, I hope young bands look at us and go: ‘Look, they did it their own way, took their time, grew organically and focused on the music and playing shows and not cashing in or compromising – and they got there.’ I hope that our trajectory has been encouraging to other bands. You can do it on your own terms and you can break through.”