Reading and Leeds festival: Glass Animals respond to pineapple ban

Mercury Prize-nominated band are calling organisers "fruitist"

Dave Bayley of Glass Animals performs at Coachella Festival, 2017 (Getty/Kevin Winter)

Glass Animals have responded to the pineapple ban which will be placed on Reading & Leeds festival this year.

A list of items banned from the main arena was posted on the festival website, which included items such as flares, fireworks and airhorns.

However, Glass Animal fans became concerned after spotting that pineapples were also on the list of banned items, and guessed it might have something to do with the fruit featuring regularly in the band's lyrics, artwork and onstage during shows.

The lyric 'pineapples are in my head' opens the song "Pork Soda", and fans occasionally bring pineapples or dress up as them at shows.

The band, who were just nominated for a Mercury Prize for their album How To Be A Human Being, have now responded to the ban, calling it "fruitist".

"Watermelons are fine, but not pineapples?" a spokesperson questioned. "Challenge: Anyone who wasn't bringing a pineapple definitely is now."

They told NME that they felt it was "irresponsible" to deprive young festival-goers of "vital vitamin P".

A Reading and Leeds spokesman told the BBC: "Organisers were a little concerned about hundreds of pineapples turning up on site so decided to ask fans not to bring them along.

"The tongue may be slightly in cheek on this one."

Reading and Leeds festival takes place over August Bank Holiday weekend, and will be headlined by Kasabian, Eminem and Muse.