Kneecap’s sold-out Hydro show was the kind of night Glasgow will talk about for a long time: loud, political, hilarious and absolutely electrifying.
After releasing their own film last year, their second LP Fine Art, and suing the British government, they have already carved out a reputation as one of the most provocative and exhilarating live acts in these islands.
The Belfast trio arrived in Scotland’s biggest indoor arena with something to prove. Leaving with 14,000 sweat-soaked people hanging off every word with what was their largest headline show to date and the last gig of their current tour.
Miss Kaninna: A Powerful Opener
Before Kneecap brought the chaos, the Hydro was shaken in a completely different way.
It may have took those in the crowd a little time to process what they were witnessing – but once they did, Miss Kaninna had them completely locked in.
The Tasmanian hip-hop artist walked onstage with the kind of presence that stops a room cold. Powerful. Confident. Unflinching.
Her set wasn’t just music, it was storytelling, protest, and education woven into hip-hop. Between tracks she spoke candidly about racism in Australia and Tasmania, about the violence inflicted on Aboriginal communities, and, about identity and resistance.
Tracks from her EP KANINNA, including the crowd favourites Blak Britney and Push Up, landed hard. Her flow was sharp, her message uncompromising, and her command of the stage felt effortless for someone not used to a venue of this size.
Kneecap clearly chose their support well. Miss Kaninna didn’t just warm up the crowd – she opened the night with purpose and cultural force.
A Statement Before the First Beat
Then it began. The black screens illuminated with a huge message reading “ISRAEL IS COMITTING GENOCIDE AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE”, met with applause, cheers and chants of “Free Palestine” from the Glasgow crowd.
DJ Próvaí was first to take stage, getting behind the decks in his trademark tri-colour balaclava to start things with their album opener 3CAG – an Irish slang term for MDMA – before Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara joined him on stage.
The screens then burst into life with headlines, political statements, tabloid coverage, chronicling the band’s journey and controversies. The Hydro roared like it had been waiting for this moment for years.
Flags, hands and voices rose, whilst the atmosphere tightened like a coiled spring. They kicked things off with It’s Been Ages, immediately getting those standing on the floor bouncing and moving with intensity.
Any question of whether Kneecap could command a venue this size vanished within seconds.
A Gig or a Rally? Last Night, It Was Both
Some artists perform to a crowd. Kneecap perform with theirs.
The standing section shifted into motion as Amach Anocht (Out Tonight in English) came next. Mosh pits flickered open like sparks and the tiers bounced whilst the energy rolled through like tidal waves.
Then came a break in the chaos, the tone shifted dramatically as the band took the chance to talk about a more serious issue: Palestine.
“It’s important to us that we take a segment out of every show to at least show some support and solidarity with the Palestinians,” the band explained.
“We want to make sure there’s no reading between the lines,” they said. “Kneecap supports the Palestinians.” The cheers in the Hydro were deafening.
They then thundered through fan favourites Fenian C*nts, Thart agus Thart (Round and Round), and Better Way to Live. All high-tempo, bass-heavy, political and funny, whilst the crowd chanted and bounced constantly.
Celtic Chants, Football and Crowd Magic
The night wasn’t all politics and beats. Celtic’s results made a cameo as Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap checked in on Scottish football.
“Did Celtic win today? Of course we did! And Rangers didn’t win!” The crowd erupted. “What about Celtic? 2-1. And Rangers drawing at home to Falkirk!”
The Celtic love didn’t stop there. At various points, Kneecap and the crowd broke into chants of “The Celtic Song” and “Beautiful Sunday”, uniting the arena in raucous football devotion.
The songs continued with Sick in the Head, Your Sniffer Dogs are Shite, Harrow Road – where they were joined by Jelani Blackman on stage – and their newest single No Comment. All met with an intense energy from the crowd.
A Special and Unique Crowd
Again the band paused mid-set, Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap this time took a chance to speak about their love for the Glasgow crowd and the city itself.
“There’s a reason that Glasgow’s known as the best place in the world to play a gig,” they said. “The Glasgow crowds have always been the best shows we’ve ever had.”
“You go to other cities and put on a show, it’s good craic. You come to Glasgow, and the crowd puts a show on for us.”
This was met with cheers, applause and the opening of several mosh pits in the crowd before the band themselves jumped into fan favourites including Fine Art, Guilty Conscience, Rhino Ket and the humorously named Get Your Brits Out.
Standout Moments and a Raucous Finale
The music was intense, loud and intense. Bass-heavy beats that wouldn’t be out of place at an underground rave mashed with humorous Irish and English rap, and an intense energy shared between those on the floor and the stage.
C.E.A.R.T.A (R.I.G.H.T.S) came next, one of the first songs Kneecap ever released echoing around the Hydro whilst 14,000 fans belted the lyrics back at them.
Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara then left the stage whilst DJ Próvaí entertained the crowd on his own with Parful – a song about raves bringing Catholics and Protestants in Northen Ireland together.
For the encore, Kneecap unleashed H.O.O.D and The Recap, delivering one final surge of chaos that had the Hydro erupting all over again – as DJ Próvaí joined the crowd in the mosh pits to end an intense night.
Even after the encore, the crowd stayed and went wild for a techno remix of The Wolfe Tones “Come Out Ye Black and Tans”. By the final beat, the arena was spent, GAA tops drenched in a mix of sweat and alcohol, and a crowd unified in rebellious spirit.
Verdict
Kneecap’s show at the Hydro was a reminder that they are operating on a different frequency from almost every other live act in the UK and Ireland – or even the world – right now.
Their show was a riot of energy, sharp political bite, and unfiltered personality. At times, the gig felt less like a concert and more like a political flash-mob – in a chaotic yet fantastic way.
They commanded the Hydro with the confidence of a group who know exactly what they are doing and exactly why their audience is with them.
From the razor-edged satire to the thumping, genre-blurring production,the sound was enormous – part Dublin rave, part punk show, part hip-hop gig.
Kneecap proved they can scale up to an arena without losing an ounce of what makes them unique.
It was bold, raucous, meticulously crafted beneath the madness, and an unforgettable way to close out their tour. If last night showed anything, it’s that Kneecap are no longer rising stars – they’ve arrived. In fact they’ve taken over.
Featured Image Credit: Deaglán Murray
