“This will be mental,” promised Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap. And for the 10,000 people who turned up to their pop-up show in Fed Square for Labour Day, mental it was. Kneecap’s performances are known to be high-energy and politically charged, and this one was no different. Tearing through tracks ‘Get Your Brits Out’ and ‘Sick In The Head’, with reoccurring interludes to rip into the British monarchy, and the British and Australian governments, screaming aloud in a city square feels like a natural space for Kneecap. Kneecap recently gained worldwide fame from their self-titled musical film, which won the group a BAFTA after its Sundance premiere.

The trio was decked out in political ware and distinctly Irish street style. Provai, the band’s DJ whose name is a play on Provo (a nickname for members of the provisional Irish Republican Army), wore black coveralls with a Palestinian flag on the chest, along with his signature Irish flag balaclava despite the 36-degree heat. Pieces from Clothing the Gaps were paired with bumbags and sneakers.

DJ Provai dove into a crowd of sweat, cheers and sunburn to surf for a few minutes, right until MC Mo Chara politely asked for him to be returned for their final set. They performed ‘H.O.O.D’ where lines like “tiocfaidh ár lá”—a Gaelic phrase meaning “our day will come”—were chanted back to Kneecap, despite any language barriers.  

In the raging mosh pit, the sea of flags represented a collective struggle against colonialism. The Palestinian, Aboriginal, Lebanese, West Papuan and of course, Irish flags soared proudly. Kneecap’s music is a unique blend of English and Irish Gaelic, filled with social commentary and absurdity, challenging their crowd to listen a little deeper. In an age where celebrities maintain political ambiguity, the nature of Kneecap’s inherently political music is refreshing. Looking around at the passionate Fed Square crowd showed how the connection I felt was echoed all around me.

Kneecap’s free show in Fed Square was a delight to fans who missed out on their sold-out shows in Melbourne and their Golden Plains set. Resale tickets across two nights at 170 Russell eventually rose four times their original price. At their final show, fans were treated to the disembodied head of King George—which was removed from its South Yarra home over the King’s birthday weekend last June. The head was brought in by attendees and mysteriously vanished before the end of the concert.

After the Fed Square set, fans of Kneecap expressed their admiration for the band on socials, and for their pride in the city of Melbourne for hosting them.

“Dammit. Sydney could never even hope to be this cool,” one commenter on Instagram wrote.

I for one, totally agree.