Reading Festival articles

Listen to the interview here or read an abridged transcript of the interview below:

So you played Leeds on Friday - how was it?

Nathan: "We had a good time, the festivals are kind of rough with gear but we pulled it together. It was fun and we hung out after and watched Devendra Banhart play after us."

Can you describe the atmosphere in the tent, reactions from the crowd?

Matt: "It's kind of hard to see them when you play in England because the barriers are so far away - that darned law, but I think they had smiles on their faces, people were jumping and shouting."

Had a few cheers?

Matt: "Yeah people were getting yanked out after crowd-surfing - you know for breaking the rules.

Nathan: "Not too much, we had a couple of weeks off before this sow e just got to come in and we're on the bus so we can sleep on the bus, so it's not too bad."

And what's your tour bus like?

Nathan: "We'll watch movies, we have like The Office and Ali G."

Just to rewind back, you formed in 2004, how easy has it been to get this well known? Your band name is hot on everyone's lips at the moment.

Matt: "We've been really, really fortunate, we toured in the States for about a year-and-a-half or something before we came to the UK and we played in London - for the last year we've been here - about seven times or something.

"It's been much different than in the US where it took a while to earn a certain notoriety, but over here it's come a lot quicker and it's been easier. But it's great - it's amazing."

And how do British festivals compare to American festivals?

Matt: "I think everyone's a lot more drunk! (at British festivals). They're just as fun as American festival but there's something different - it's muddier.

"Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza - at these kind of festivals you always want to wlak around in a bathing suit or something. I feel like we're playing American festivals this weekend.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at Reading?

Nathan: "We'll probably watch Devendra Banhart here today, Seasick Steve's playing, he's amazing.

Matt: "We're trying to convince him to go on tour with us some time, maybe he'll listen to us."

And so what's next for Cold War Kids then, what have you got planned for the rest of the year?

Nathan: "Well we're going home for a week-and-a-half off and then we'll go on tour with the White Stripes for a month in the US, and then after a week or so off and then do a US headline tour and a Europe headlining tour.

"We're bringing Patrick Watson to Europe. He's a newer artist, his record has just come out. He's really good and we're really excited to be with him."