Kings Of Leon turn into 'divas' at V Festival Staffordshire

Groove Armada's Andy Cato has written a revealing blog about how the band nearly started a punch-up after showing their displeasure at the 'big star behaviour' of this year's V Festival headliners Kings of Leon at Weston Park, Staffordshire.

Cato explains on Groove Armada's website (here) that the band were at Staffordshire, for their second appearance at the twin V festivals. Where he disocvered the rockers from Kings of Leon had half of the artist's shower and toilet block fenced off for their exclusive use. He blogged, "Over in the artist area there was already a queue for the washrooms... Then I noticed the empty shower block just the other side of some temporary fencing.

"A couple of us found a gap in the barrier. Out of nowhere came a very large man. "Reserved for the Kings of Leon" he said, "and so is this half of the artist toilets". It's hard to believe that someone actually phoned their agent and said "listen I know that Paul Weller, Kasabian, Florence, Stereophonics, Groove Armada + co are all sharing the artist village and facilities, but we require that you put a fence down the middle of the toilets and showers and put a large man there to keep them just for us." But somebody did."

However this wasn't to be the only time the DJ encountered the American band's diva star attitude, he and band mate Tom Findlay were prevented getting to his own dressing room by their arrival for their headline slot. Cato explains, "Backstage again, we were outside the catering tent, about to cross the path back to the dressing rooms when loads of massive blokes in suits and shades came out of nowhere shouting "don't move, don't move, DO NOT move" whilst pushing people back to the sides of the track. Was it Obama?"

Tom decided to display his discontent, and bandmate Andy Cato explains, "As it became clear what all this presidential fuss was about, Tom gave the worldwide one fingered sign of dislike as the cars went past.

"The last one stopped. The drummer, Nathan Followill, got out making 'Come On Then', type gestures. So Tom gestured 'Come on then,' back."

The Groove Armada DJ says the drummer then retreated behind his security team, and demanded Groove Armada - along with other acts like Paul Weller, Florence and the Machine, and Stereophonics, performing at the V were removed from the backstage area.

Andy adds "The drummer went back behind his bodyguards, and, pointing towards Tom, Paul Weller, and the various other musicians who were pinned by the side of the road, said 'I want them removed'.

"The promoter came over, smoothed it over and apologised. Bearing in mind this was all happening backstage in the area shared by all the bands, it's hard to see what the Kings thought they were protecting themselves from.

"Was Paul Weller going to hound them for autographs? Was Florence Welch going to wrestle them to the ground? Or maybe Stereophonics were going to ask them to write "your sex is on fire" on an album sleeve?"."

It wasn't the last time KOL's big headed star antics were witnessed by Groove Armada with Cato concluding, "We came off stage into the van that would take us back round to the dressing room. As we weaved through thick woodland, a message came over the radio to the driver to pull off the road, repeat, "Pull Off The Road." Guess who. The Kings were on their way out..

"So we waited, reluctantly, whilst getting pretty annoyed with our driver for stopping. A few of us got out, to give the Kings a fond farewell.

"Eventually, a couple of buses for crew and entourage came round the corner, followed by the 4 individual range rovers. What a lonely existence."

Tickets are not currently available for next year's V Festival, which takes place at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex and Weston Park, Staffordshire over the weekend of Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August 2011.

The first line-up announcements for V Festival next year is likely to be announced sometime early in 2011, but as ever expect some of the world's top acts playing over the weekend.

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