British rockers step in for Kings Of Leon at festivals after 'freak accident'
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After frontman Caleb Followill announced Kings of Leon's European festival appearances for the next six weeks are all cancelled due to his 'freak accident', rockers Muse have dutifully stepped into a number of their empty slots.
The Tennessee rockers were due to perform in the UK and Europe in June and July, until Caleb broke his foot 'pretty badly' while playing with his kids, and announced he was out of action for eight weeks.
Blackweir Fields has now been cancelled after the Molly's Chambers hitmakers pulled out, while Lytham Festival have axed one day of the Lancashire festival in response to their band's gutting news.
Over the Channel, Supermassive Black Hole hitmakers Muse are heroically stepping in for the rockers at two of their billed headline slots, at NOS Alive Festival near Lisbon, and Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, both taking place in July.
Meanwhile, O Son do Camiño in north-east Spain have secured Kasabian for a Spain and Portugal 2025 exclusive appearance as a replacement.
In August, Kings of Leon – made up of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followhill and their cousin Matthew Followhill – are still billed to land on UK soil, first for Newcastle's Come Together Festival, then Victorious Festival in Portsmouth.
Both festivals have confirmed they are still expecting the Taper Jean Girl hitmakers.
Muse, who formed as teenagers from Devon in 1994, are luckily on a bit of a European tour themselves, as they are due to perform in Finland, France, Netherlands, Oslo, Stockholm, and Gdynia in Poland throughout June and early July.
The band, made up of frontman Matt Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard, have sold over 20 million albums over nine releases.
'I broke my foot pretty bad just playing with my kids… It's pretty gnarly and I'll spare all the details. But we're fortunate enough to have some great doctors here in Nashville that gave me emergency surgery,' Caleb said in a video on social media announcing the news to fans.
'I'm on the mend, but they've told me that I can't be on my feet, travelling, or anything for the next eight weeks or so. That's a big bummer.'
He continued, shaking his head: 'We were so excited. We've been preparing for this tour for a long time, we've been preparing for a lot of things.'
The rocker – who is married to Victoria's Secret model Lily Aldridge – said the band had been in the studio recording new songs, and were looking forward to debuting a few in the coming months.
'We had a lot of exciting things planned and now we're going to have to pivot and find a new way to continue the work that we've started,' he said.
'I'm very excited for when we do get to show you the stuff we're doing, and in the meantime we're going to do whatever work we can while I have these limitations.
'Exciting stuff is coming, I know this isn't the message anyone wants to hear, and it's certainly not the message I want to be sending, but it's going to be alright.
'Everything is going to be good. Hopefully, we will see y'all soon.'
The group issued a separate statement, offering further insight into the musician's injury.
'Kings of Leon are updating fans that Caleb Followill has recently sustained a serious injury, shattering his heel and requiring a significant emergency surgery, that will prevent him from travelling and performing,' it read.
'The anticipated recovery process is expected to take eight weeks, under strict guidance of expert orthopaedic specialists.
'The band regrets to report that they will need to cancel all upcoming UK and European festival headline shows in June and July of this year.'
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