Sleep Token vocalist plays Nintendo Switch during massive O2 Arena show

4 December, 2024

Sleep Token’s Vessel performs live

Sleep Token’s mysterious masked vocalist Vessel took some time out during a recent show to catch up on his gaming.

Sleep Token are one of the biggest metal bands in Britain. After a one-off headline show at Wembley Arena last December, they’ve just wrapped up a massive UK arena tour that included two stops at London’s O2 Arena.

The band have never revealed their true identities and have only done a handful of interviews since forming in 2016. Onstage, the band take a similarly mysterious approach and very rarely address the crowd.

However, during the band’s second show at London’s O2 Arena, vocalist Vessel was seen showing off his gaming skills to a masked stagehand. In a fan-captured video, the singer was captured playing what looks like a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck while the rest of the band performed ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ track ‘The Summoning’.

Vessel then handed the console back to the stage hand, who disappeared down an onstage lift.

‘Are they aware this is the last date of the tour because this is so unserious,” wrote one fan. “I had no idea that’s what was going on, that makes it even more hilarious,” said another. “I must visit his Animal Crossing island,” added a third.

Earlier this year, while touring North America, Vessel also played the Halo theme as the intro to ‘Rain’ during a concert.

Sleep Token’s next UK gig is a headline spot at Download 2025 alongside Korn and Green Day. Speaking about the gig, Download booker Andy Copping told NME: “I think it’s important for the festival to bring new bands through to headline. Back in the day, I did it with Slipknot. I did it with Avenged Sevenfold and Biffy Clyro. In 2023 we did it with Bring Me The Horizon. Now, every one of those bands across the world is perceived as a festival headliner.”

“That’s what I felt this time with Sleep Token. It feels like we’re the first major festival that’s taken the bull by the horns and gone, ‘OK, it’s time. It’s Sleep Token’s moment’. I know it’s going to be amazing for them, amazing for the festival and amazing for the fans.”

Earlier this year, Japanese metallers BABYMETAL and German rave-rockers Electric Callboy released their own video game.

The post Sleep Token vocalist plays Nintendo Switch during massive O2 Arena show appeared first on NME.