"We've been trying to invite Peter Frampton!" Cypress Hill discuss bringing one of the Simpsons' most iconic jokes to life by performing with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall

Cypress Hill
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Whether it's correctly predicting US presidencies or Olympic results, The Simpsons have always had a bizarrely accurate skill at foretelling events. 

Now, Cypress Hill are set to make another moment within the much-loved animated series reality, as they play a historic show with the London Symphony Orchestra tonight (July 10) at the Royal Albert Hall.

In 1996, a Simpsons episode featured a joke where the legendary hip-hop band believed they had mistakenly booked the London Symphony Orchestra “possibly while high” to play with them at Hullabalooza - a play on Chicago's Lollapalooza festival. 

Following years of fan pressure, Cypress Hill finally struck a deal with the LSO, reaching out to them on social media.

The one-night performance will see the band play songs from their acclaimed 1993 Black Sunday album and more, such as Insane In The Brain and I Wanna Get High, with a backing of orchestral arrangements.

Speaking of the collaboration, B-Real (real name Louis Mario Freese), tells the BBC: "It's been something that we've talked about for many years since the Simpsons episode first aired. So it's very special for us. And it's coming off the heels of our 30th anniversary for our Black Sunday album."

Describing their booking at the Royal Albert Hall as "one of those checklist moments", he adds: "We've played a lot of historical venues throughout our career and stuff like that, but nothing as prestigious as this."

Within the Simpsons episode - in which sees Homer Simpson try to impress his kids by hanging out with Cypress Hill and The Smashing Pumpkins at the festival - Peter Frampton also makes an appearance as the booker. When asked if the Humble Pie legend was on the guest list, B-Real laughs and says, "Yes, actually, we've been trying to invite him".

Though they're still waiting to hear a response from the musician, he adds, "We've never met him before, but we thought it would be a kick to invite the legendary Peter Frampton."

Maxine Kwok, LSO first violin and board vice-chair, says of the crossover: "people are beyond excited at the idea of these diverse musicians mixing on the stage", before noting how she remembers the Simpsons episode "well". 

According to Kwok, at rehearsals there were even a few cultural differences. Where the LSO would say "glock" when referring to the glockenspeil instrument, Cypress Hill always used the term to refer to guns. 

Liz Scarlett

Liz works on keeping the Louder sites up to date with the latest news from the world of rock and metal. Prior to joining Louder as a full time staff writer, she completed a Diploma with the National Council for the Training of Journalists and received a First Class Honours Degree in Popular Music Journalism. She enjoys writing about anything from neo-glam rock to stoner, doom and progressive metal, and loves celebrating women in music.