Glastonbury 2025 Review: Raucous Crowd Chants Against Keir Starmer, Flare Ups, and Intense Mosh Pits Dominate Performance
The Prime Minister's 'Inappropriate' Comment on Kneecap's Glastonbury 2025 Performance Amplifies Their Fame
Sir Keir Starmer's criticism of Kneecap's performance at Glastonbury 2025 backfired spectacularly. The festival never intended to cancel the Irish rap group, and Starmer's comments only escalated their popularity. The West Holts stage was literally bursting at the seams an hour before Kneecap took the stage, prompting the festival app to send alerts warning attendees of overcrowding. Ironically, this programming hiccup only added to the anticipation for Kneecap's set.
The prime minister's statement unwittingly supplied more fuel to Kneecap's flame. The group, advocating for freedom for Palestine and an end to tensions in Ireland, faced controversy earlier when one of its members, Liam O'Hanna, was charged with a terror offense following a display of support for Hezbollah in London.
During their energetic set, Kneecap was filled with chants of "f*ck Keir Starmer" and comments about Palestine. They even suggested the crowd riot outside Parliament, only to quickly backtrack and advise against it.
Kneecap's Polarizing Set at Glastonbury 2025: A Gateway to Debate
The scene at Glastonbury was a sea of green as thousands of people gathered in solidarity for Palestine. Their songs like "H.O.O.D" and "Get Your Brits Out" drove the crowd wild with green and orange flares illuminating the sky. Although Kneecap predominantly raps in English, they interspersed a couple of tracks in Irish for an authentic touch. DJ Próvaí leads the rap duo, Liam O'Hanna and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, crafting a unique sound that blends rap, hip-hop, and dance.
Kneecap's performance was a tumultuous whirlwind, leaving attendees bewildered but entertained. Calls for mosh pits were aggressive yet prefixed with reminders to care for each other, striking a strange balance. Suggesting the crowd riot at Parliament clearly crossed a line, but the group's statements were peppered with moments of wisdom that resonated with the audience. "One day it'll be controversial for the bands and celebrities who didn't speak about Palestine," they said.
Engaging with Kneecap was a uniquely Glastonbury experience. Upon asking the crowd about their plans to see Rod Stewart the following day, the sea of cheers swiftly turned into jeers as it became apparent that the old rocker was out of touch. "The man's older than Israel," they quipped, encouraging some laughter and outrage.
The audience at Kneecap's set was diverse, consisting of half politically-charged fans and half curious attendees drawn by the controversy. By the end of the set, the sky was more green than blue with flares, signifying Glastonbury's triumphant embrace of its roots in political activism.
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Additional Information:Kneecap is an Irish rap group hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland, founded in 2017 by Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí). They rap in a mix of English and Irish, and their energetic performances and politically-charged, satirical lyrics quickly made them a noteworthy voice in Irish music and politics.
Kneecap's first album, 3CAG (2018), was a critical success fusing Irish and English with humor, social commentary, and sharp reflections on post-Troubles Northern Ireland. Their political activism revolves around Irish language rights, anti-colonialism, Irish republicanism, the legacy of the Troubles, and working-class issues in Belfast. Kneecap's provocative political expression has generated controversy, including the recent charge against Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh for displaying a Hezbollah flag during a performance in London.
- Social media buzzed with discussions about Kneecap's performance at Glastonbury 2025, as their controversial statements and politically charged lyrics sparked debates on war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and politics.
- Despite the controversy surrounding Kneecap due to one of their members' charges related to terror offenses, the Irish rap group's music found its way into the general-news chatter, displaying the power of social-media influence.
- Amidst the entertainment spectacle of Glastonbury, Kneecap managed to reignite flames of social activism, focusing on the issues of Palestine, Irish tensions, and Irish language rights.
- The aftermath of Kneecap's performance at Glastonbury saw increased interest in car-accidents news coverage, as some attendees navigated chaotic roads after the energetic set, possibly under the influence of the whirlwind experience.
- People from various walks of life gathered at the West Holts stage for Kneecap's performance, turning it into a unique and emotional experience, a blend of music and fires of social activism.
