Photo Credit: Andy Davies
There was a restless energy hanging over Bristol all day, the city bracing itself for Kneecap’s arrival. Newspaper articles ran pieces warning that balaclavas and a long list of other items would be banned, which only added to the intensity around the gig. Every bar and cafe within a one-mile stretch of the Prospect Building was packed with gig goers who had been told not to queue early and to only arrive once the doors had opened. All of this for three lads from Ireland who have taken the world by storm with their staunch and unapologetic blend of politics and beats. The band have built a fierce reputation and become one of the most talked about acts on the planet, loved and loathed in equal measure, and in the process have grown into one of the most exciting bands of this generation.
Upon entering Prospect, the atmosphere was calm, with the hysteria now only firing up the armchair critics at home while gig goers shared food and drinks together in the large surroundings of the venue. Tonight’s show sold all three thousand tickets within days, showing the wild ride this band have been on. It was not long ago that they were playing the city’s DIY punk venues to a few hundred people.
First up was Australia’s Miss Kaninna, with no easy job of firing up a crowd on a cold Tuesday night who were unfamiliar with her tunes, but the mix of hip-hop and R&B on offer was backed with militant politics, winning the room over quickly. The singer spoke about Indigenous identity, strength and survival between songs, giving real weight to the performance. This year, she has already toured with Amyl and the Sniffers and Bob Vylan, and it felt fitting to see another artist crossing genres to spread messages of rage and resistance. By the end, the crowd were completely with her, responding to both the message and the music. We look forward to her return.
As nine o’clock approached, the main room at Prospect was rammed to the rafters, ready for what was about to come. DJ Próvaí took to the stage first, whipping the crowd up, before Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap joined him to an unreal reaction as the instrumental for 3CAG blasted from the PA. In no time at all, we were down to business with IT’S BEEN AGES, and the standard was set for the chaos that followed.
After the first few numbers, the band made repeated requests for the crowd to look after each other as the dancefloor had erupted from the first note. Fenian Cunts sent the tempo racing again, with the entire room screaming every word back at the band, the ending turning into a deafening wall of noise.
Sick in the Head and Your Sniffer Dogs are Shite both sounded massive, the latter delivering another huge singalong, pushed even further by the brilliant visual displays onstage.
As expected, the band spoke about their unwavering support for a free Palestine, something they have often been the centre of attention for. They remain completely staunch, and tonight they stood in a room full of people who clearly shared their stance. They spoke about the Filton 24, a group of pro- Palestine activists being held as political prisoners in Britain, without trial, since August 2024. The Filton 24 support group were in attendance tonight, with an information stall set up next to the Kneecap merch. You have to respect a band that has had everything thrown at them, including a terrorism charge that frontman Mo Chara fought and won. Although not punk in sound, the moral standpoint, abrasive attitude and working class values make Kneecap one of the most punk rock live acts you are ever likely to witness.
Back to the music, and the double whammy of Fine Art and Rhino Ket had the entire dancefloor moshing, reminding this reviewer of The Prodigy in the mid nineties when they started adding rock elements into their sound. Kneecap operate on a different level entirely, and you have to wonder where this band will go next as their popularity continues to explode.
There were chants of “Fuck Keir Starmer” before a raucous Get Your Brits Out, sounding massive and visually striking thanks to the lights and projections. DJ Próvaí descended into the pit, inciting absolute chaos as the closing double hit of H.O.O.D and The Recap tore the roof off. Looking around as the lights came up at thousands of sweaty, smiling faces said it all. We were witnessing something extraordinary, and this is a band that will shape the sound of the next generation. Incredible.
Words and Photos: Andy Davies
