The Blackout

By paul

Andy spoke to Gavin Butler and Gareth Lawrence of The Blackout after their set on Saturday at the Reading Festival.

Right guys, first of all, what’s with the Storm Troopers?!

Gareth: we love the Storm Troopers! We were gonna hire security then we thought, no one’s going to mess with no Storm Trooper!

Gavin: I had an idea earlier on that when I saw the Gallows earlier on, and they came on stage to the Imperial Death March but they were like ‘Oh yours was so much better because you had Storm Troopers and everything!’ We just wanted to do it because it’s the first time we’ve ever played Reading, so why the hell not!

Gareth: They’ve been getting fucking mobbed! There’s people dressed as Superman and Batman going ‘come on let’s fight!’ and they just walk away and everyone’s shouting ‘Ahhhhh pusssyyyyyyyy!’

PT: You played a great set this morning, how was it for you?

Gavin: It was amazing! After coming to Reading for a couple of years, I never dreamed of playing here, especially the Main Stage as well.

Gareth: This like my twelfth Reading I think. Playing on that monstrosity of a stage after coming here for 12 years, it’s bloody unbelieveable.

Gavin: That’s the thing, we thought we would never play Reading, it just wouldn’t happen! We were trying so hard to even get on the BBC Introducing stage and just nothing happened, then at the last minute we got added to the Main Stage. I have absolutely no idea who was responsible for it, but thank you!

PT: Having come here yourselves many times, how different has it been compared to when you were in the crowd?

Gareth: It seems a lot smaller from up there, as weird as that sounds.

Gavin: I think the best thing is that for the first time ever, we didn’t have pay! That was the real deal-clincher!

How was Rage for you last night?

Gareth: Ahhhh absolutely brilliant! I saw them at T in the Park, but I think they were even better this time. I managed to blag my way up to watch them from the side of the stage at T in the Park, I don’t know how but I did! I’d been waiting to see them again since Reading 2000 and it was so emotional I just started crying!

Gavin: Ha ha, I got a text message that said ‘I just cried!’

PT: What other bands are you looking forward to seeing?

Gavin & Gareth: Attack! Attack!

Gareth: I Really want to see Gallows as well. Did you see Kids earlier on? I thought they were brilliant! Seeing them in that tent was just random as hell!

Gavin: It’s great to be here with bands that we’ve grown up with, there’s a great camaraderie between us. We’re like brothers y’know.

Have you bumped into anyone and thought ‘fuck, you’re well famous’ yet?

Gareth: Lily Allen!

Gavin: You love her!

Gareth: I think she’s alright! We saw Kelly Osbourne as well. She’s very like, little! I remember going to see the Used in Bristol ages ago when she was going out with Bert McCracken and met her there. Though I think if I went up to her and said ‘Hi Kelly, remember me?’ she wouldn’t!

PT: Right ‘We are the dynamite’ has been out for the best part of a year now and it’s been extremely successful, Fierce Panda’s best ever selling record I
understand. What have been the highlights of your last year or so?
Gavin: Headline tours are always the best. We sold out London Electric Ballroom on our last one, and apparently we’ve already sold more tickets to the Astoria gig in October than we did at the Ballroom, and that’s mad, the Astoria is a completely iconic place, I can’t wait to get up there.

Gareth: I’ve only ever seen three bands at the Astoria. One was Silverchair. One was Lostprophets and I saw Taking Back Sunday two nights ago. Three times I’ve been there and that venue’s bloody brilliant!

Gavin: I think one of the best shows of the last year has been when we played in Amsterdam. It was amazing, everyone from all these different places, like a bunch of people from Germany come, a bunch from France come, Belgium, all over Europe.

Gareth: That’s the thing, in the UK some people are like ‘ahhh why aren’t you playing in my back garden’ and then people will travel all across Europe to our show!

PT: After Reading & Leeds, you’re off to countries far, but you’re back this October with From First to Last and We are The Ocean. Do you get to pick the support acts yourselves on tours like this?

Gavin: Yeah we got a list of who was available and pretty much picked our favourites.

Gareth: Some people were busy though. We tried to get Limp Bizkit over but they had other commitments!

Gareth: We’ve always wanted to get From First to Last over, and now we get the chance to do that, it’s brilliant, I can’t wait to play the same stage as them.

PT: Escape the Fate were originally meant to play but pulled due to ‘scheduling conflicts’………….

Gareth: They’re bloody slackers!

Gavin: A lot of our fans are fans of them too, and there’s a lot of people gutted they can’t make it over. On the other hand I went on the Escape the Fate forums the other day though, and a lot of their fans hate us. A lot! There was one girl who was writing ‘I fucking hate the Blackout, I’m glad they’re not going over to support The Blackout!’ I was quite clever; I logged in and wrote ‘Sucks to be you!’

PT: Well good luck with Leeds tomorrow, anything else you want to add?

Gavin: Just to say thank you to everyone who’s supported us. Thank you!

Try these three interviews

Interview: Greywind [Reading 2016]

Interview: Arcane Roots [Reading 2016]

Interview: Trash Boat [Reading 2016]