During their visit to Brazil, the duo opened for Pearl Jam, played at Cine Joia, and will perform at Lollapalooza.
Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher had left sunny Rio de Janeiro just a few hours earlier, after their second performance in Brazil . "It was huge ," said Thatcher, drummer for Royal Blood , referring to the opening show they had done for the idolized Pearl Jam last Wednesday, the 21st, at the Maracanã Stadium.
The feeling during the performance was similar to their debut on Brazilian soil in 2015, when they were part of the Rock in Rio lineup. “I think liking Pearl Jam doesn’t stop people from liking us. We managed to win over some fans ,” opined Kerr, who was still wearing sunglasses, despite having already traded the warm beaches of Rio de Janeiro for a São Paulo hotel room.
The trip to São Paulo had two reasons: a show at Cine Joia, which took place last Thursday, the 22nd, and another at Lollapalooza this Friday, the 23rd. Performances in opposite formats, since the first took place in a venue with a maximum capacity of 992 people, and the second will be at the Interlagos racetrack, for 80,000.
And despite maintaining the posture of those accustomed to large stages, the British duo revealed that they prefer smaller performances. “If it were just the two of us and you in this room, and we played, it would be a lot of fun for you, right? It’s easier to connect with our audience when we’re in small venues ,” Thatcher explained.
The certainty in their words and the energetic performances might give the uninitiated the impression that the Brighton lads have been on the road for years, but the British duo was only formed in 2013. The band's second album, How Did We Get So Dark?, arrived last year, three years after Royal Blood .
The debut album received an impressive reception and was responsible for placing the band on the level of "saviors of Rock," in the words of Foo Fighters Dave Grohl. "I think it's not about saving [Rock], but about representing it. At a time when there aren't many Rock bands, they saw us as a hope to carry on the legacy of the genre ," Kerr stated. "But in a few years another good new group might appear, and they'll say the same thing. The music doesn't stop."
Success brought not only shows around the world, but also tours with previously renowned bands such as Pearl Jam, Arctic Monkeys, and Queens of the Stone Age. However, apparently the collaborations are purely professional and don't extend beyond the stage. "We don't do collaborations because we don't have friends. We don't like anyone and nobody likes us. Maybe coming to Brazil and meeting so many happy people will make us less unpleasant," Thatcher joked. Perhaps it's a joke, or perhaps it's the price of being a rock star. We'll let Royal Blood decide.
