Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders on touring with The Hives: “They’re so much fun to watch”

Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders has discussed what it means to the band to bring The Hives on tour with them next year.

The band have just returned from a tour in South America and the rest of their world stadium tour that will take up the bulk of 2023. They added dates in Asia earlier today. The Hives will be supporting them in the UK and Ireland alongside The Mysterines, as well as in Italy.

READ MORE: Arctic Monkeys: “We know more tricks now, but we’re still rolling on that same instinct”

Helders was speaking to NME about their recent album ‘The Car’ being crowned as our Album of the Year 2022 and got to talking about what’s to come from their UK dates. “The Hives were definitely one of the bands that we were all listening to when we first started our band,” he said. “We’ve played a few shows around the world with them before, and they are always so much fun to watch. It’s always such a good feeling when you’re excited to see the band that’s on before you.”

Helders also talked about what it’s been like playing new songs from ‘The Car’ live. “Towards the end of the tour, we started doing ‘Sculptures Of Everything Goes’, which has been really fun,” he said. “After we finished recording the song, we were like, ‘Well how are we going to play this one live?’. It’s quite a difficult one to pull off, but [the live version] sounds like the song does on the record, which is a really good feeling.”

He also said ‘Hello You’ “could be really fun” to put on the setlist, while ‘Jetskis On The Moat’ “could have a bit of a moment” at future shows.

Credit: Zackery Michael

NME described ‘The Car’ when it was crowned this year’s Album Of The Year as “an honest, breathtaking masterpiece that bears the stamp of its creators’ limitless curiosity”. Two of its songs made it onto the best songs of 2022 list – ‘Body Paint’ and ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’ appeared at Number 24 and Number Five respectively.

Arctic Monkeys’ tour will hit the UK and Ireland in May and North America in September, while they will be coming to Europe in late April, early May and July. You can see the full list of UK and Ireland dates below and buy any remaining tickets here.

MAY 2023
29 – Bristol, Ashton Gate Stadium
31 – Coventry, Building Society Arena
 
JUNE 2023
2 – Manchester, Emirates Old Trafford
5 – Middlesbrough, Riverside Stadium
7 – Norwich, Carrow Road Stadium
9 – Sheffield, Hillsborough Park
10 – Sheffield, Hillsborough Park 
12 – Swansea, Swansea.com Stadium
14 – Southampton, The Ageas Bowl
16 – London, Emirates Stadium
17 – London, Emirates Stadium
20 – Dublin, Marlay Park
25 – Glasgow, Bellahouston Park

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Written by NME | Music News