Kneecap have returned to Manchester as part of their 2025 winter tour of the UK, and they were absolutely unstoppable. The Irish rap trio last played Manchester alongside fellow Irishmen Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital in their sold-out headline show at Wythenshawe Park on 15 August this year, and seeing the turnout and energy in the crowd at the Academy was evidence enough that the West Belfastians have made their mark on Mancunians.
From the moment the venue opened its doors, the atmosphere in Manchester Academy was absolutely electric, packed with fans of all ages and backgrounds, electrifying the darkened room with buzzing, relentless energy and anticipation for the main event.
The venue had effortlessly packed itself out immediately after doors, filling up before the support act (Miss Kanninna) had even come out on stage. Kanninna was fantastic, a perfect and seamless fit with Kneecap’s beliefs and overall energy. Playing just over half an hour of hip-hop belters, along with a handful of breaks to talk to the crowd about her Aboriginal Tasmanian heritage, Kanninna undoubtedly won the crowd over with her loud, aggressive, and unapologetic catalogue.
Before running onto the stage, the group displayed several important messages on screen: testaments to their political standings (on which they have famously refused to be silenced). In bold white text, the band began reminding the audience of the importance of standing with Palestine, both as Irishmen and as people, in light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The resounding roaring cheers and applause goes to show not only how politically aware each fan of the band at the gig was, no matter their age or background, but also a sense of importance and unity among every single person present.
By this point, the crowd were beginning to grow fantastically restless, and as the ecstasy-filled lilting notes of Kneecap’s intro music (3CAG) kicked in, every single individual in the venue leapt up with excitement. Rarely at gigs nowadays is it easy to find that level of passion and energy, but Kneecap are a rare artist who manage to effortlessly instil it into every single fan at their live performances.
After a surge of energy from the crowd following DJ Próvai’s entry to the stage, rap duo Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara took to the stage with their 2024 release ‘It’s Been Ages.’ While it seemed as if the spirit of the crowd couldn’t grow any stronger, it managed to, with each fan in the audience yelling back the lyrics: both in English and as Gaeilge (whether Irish speakers or not). This dedication earned the crowd recognition from co-frontman Mo Chara later on, yelling into the microphone how impressive it was that “youse down here rap at the front, learning all the lyrics phonetically when youse don’t speak a word of Irish” followed by resounding laughs and cheers.
The irony of ‘It’s Been Ages’ was not lost on the boys or the crowd, who were smiling at each other about the hilarity of the lyrics “It’s been ages / since we made the front pages.” This is, of course, due to the relentless legal campaign which the trio undertook on behalf of Mo Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) due to alleged incidents which occurred during their last tour. The rapper was acquitted (twice) and, as a result, the message of their 2024 single is somewhat of an inside joke for fans and the band alike.
After taking a moment to talk to the crowd and receive some enthusiastic feedback, the boys jumped into ‘Amach Anocht’, one of the earliest releases from the group. Narrating the story of the boys getting ready for a heavy night out, the track received just as much love from fans, showing the devotion of fans to the early material as well as the new.
This track was followed by another fan-favourite from the same album: ‘Fenian Cunt.’ Earning a strong reaction from gig-goers once again, the crowd proudly yelled “you Fenian Cunt” straight back at the boys with no hesitation – whether Irish or not, everyone at Manchester Academy proudly became an Irish Republican for that short period of time (if not, the whole gig).
A personal highlight was ‘Thart Agus Thart’, translating in English to ‘Over and Over.’ A throwback to lockdown, the track discusses the pair’s boredom with the mundanity and repetitiveness of being stuck indoors. While the 2024 release is one of the trio’s slower, more laid-back tracks, it received just as much adoration from everyone in the venue, proudly calling out the chorus “Lá eile cac céanna / Dom an stuif, cuirfidh mé ceann le chéile / Móglaí an tógalaí fáilte chuig an bráinse is úra glas de na hóglaigh.”
Straight away, DJ Próvai blasted the opening thuds of ‘Better Way to Live”, another absolute highlight from the set. One of the Irishmen’s most famous and popular tracks, ‘Better Way to Live’ features Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten on the chorus, and was released in Kneecap’s latest album: Fine Art (released in 2024).
The absence of Chatten, however, has never proved an issue in Kneecap’s shows, with the Dublin singer appearing on a retro-style television screen behind the pair as they rap the choruses. The “thundering” noise of the crowd chanting Chatten’s addictive chorus was absolutely magical – amplifying the electric atmosphere by tenfold.
KNEECAP with Grian Chatten – Better Way To Live (part …www.youtube.com › watch
After playing through ‘Sick in the Head” from the same album, and 3CAG’s ‘Sniffer Dogs’, the band began a chant of “Maggies in a Box” – a British and Irish classic in reference to infamous Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s death.
The show also, of course, incorporated each of the newest singles released by the group: ‘No Comment’, ‘Sayōnara’, and ‘The Recap’ (later on), each of which was met with mosh pits, screaming lyrics, and unfathomable liveliness. ‘The Recap’ was debuted at Glastonbury festival this year, and since then the band have released the following two singles, seemingly the lead-up to a brand new album. These politically-charged crowd pleasers were some of the most lively of the set, despite being newer (with ‘No Comment’ debuting during this very tour), showing that the boys have far more to give.
Later in the set featured some of the rapper’s most famous (or infamous, depending on who you are) tracks- ‘Guilty Conscience’, ‘Get Your Brits Out’ and ‘C.E.A.R.T.A’.
These were undoubtedly the most mad of them all, with unrelenting movement, mosh pits, shouting, and cheering from fans as they engaged with the tunes with one hundred percent of their energy. A clear highlight here was the second section of ‘Guilty Conscience’, where Móglaí Bap introduces Mo Chara to the track, allowing him to go on to the track’s best line “Nah, I’m giving half to my ma / Some bloody moneys for my honeys / and the rest to the ‘Ra.” This track was equally appreciated by fans and might just have been the loudest part of the entire set.
‘C.E.A.R.T.A.’ was just as powerful, a brilliant tribute to Kneecap’s first release: the song that got them where they are today. With fans up on shoulders, each word was yelled back at the boys with full capacity, just how it should be. ‘HOOD’ was just as insane, a perfect following track, showing how far the lads have come in their careers without taking away from the aspects of their music which fans love so much.
The end of the set was one of the most special aspects; a remix of the famed IRA rebel song ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’ began blasting throughout the venue, much to the delight of fans. Whether English or not, every single fan knew the words and gleefully began to yell them back at the band as they waved a tricolour and took off from the stage.
When the lights turned on, it was almost a shock to the system. The buzz and adrenaline of the gig was almost unfathomable and certainly made for a night to remember. With each track being performed in all their glory, laced with energy and passion, the Irishmen have undoubtedly left a mark on not only Manchester but also everyone present. Their first night at Manchester Academy was an incredible, unforgettable experience, with the passion and enthusiasm of the crowd that absolutely helped make the night so incredible.
Words by George Connell
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