After a landmark Main Stage debut, we caught up with former Dork cover stars COURTING to ask the big questions. (They control the weather now, you know.)

Words: Jamie Muir.
Photos: Derek Bremner (studio), Frances Beach (live).

Courting Are Dead? If you spent any time on social media in the run-up to Reading & Leeds, you might be forgiven for preparing your smartest attire for a funeral like no other from former Dork cover stars Courting as they took to the Main Stage for the very first time.

Don't worry, though: Courting are here to stay.

Closing the chapter on an era that has seen them drop yet another must-listen album (this year's 'New Last Name'), the band's set over the weekend was an unmissable display of what makes them great. Tracks from across their career to date, an Oasis cover (How did they know?!), and a knight outfit included in the face of rainy downpours – it's set the marker for everything else to come. 

Teasing over the weekend, Courting have since revealed what that might be: a new album due next year. Strap in for the important questions.

Courting! How are you doing after a pretty big Main Stage debut at Reading? Feeling good?

Sean Murphy-O'Neil: Living the dream! I'm banking on this show being on the iPlayer, to be honest, but it's a dream come true. I've been shitting myself for a week about it.

So, how much did you spend on the rain that joined us for the set?

Sean M-O: Are you surprised that we brought this with us?

Sean Thomas: You know there's that thing that happened in Dubai where they changed the weather, and it caused a miniature flood? I do that for us.

Sean M-O: You're the weather guy. The guy that everyone saw on drums today does the weather.

Sean T: You know the turtle who sits on a cloud in Mario? [Lakitu.] Picture that, but it's me.

Joshua Cope: Have you seen Stranger Things? Do you know the guy who looks like Sean? [Finn Wolfhard, aka Mike Wheeler.] He was actually drumming while Sean [Thomas] was up in the sky! He's wanted to do us a favour for a while now…