Live Review: Kneecap - O2 City Hall, Newcastle 22/11/2025
Impressive is the word for what Kneecap have achieved since their uprising, showing up all pretend punks with their ethics and resilience. Their live show lived up to the expectations and surpassed it like no other.
Writing and releasing music and performing live is in itself an act of revolution and Kneecap have made it their mission to showcase to others how to lead one. During their Newcastle show it quickly became clear that Kneecap have their hearts in the right places, the trio highlighted the importance of taking care of each other, made time and space when the moshpit got a little too rowdy, and spoke up for the ignored, those whose voices don’t reach as far as theirs do. But before we dive into Kneecap’s invigorating live show, I need to highlight their support, an incredible powerhouse that left me speechless.
It took me half a minute to understand what I was observing, but once I understood, I fell head over heels. Tasmanian hip hop artist Miss Kaninna took to the stage with a power and a confidence that made us all watch and listen in awe. Hers wasn’t just a live performance, she also came to educate us on her rich heritage. She spoke about racism in Australia and Tasmania, how white Australians have treated black Aboriginals and the importance of speaking out about oppression. She brought her brother on stage to perform a song on what we call a didgeridoo, but which is originally known as the yidaki, and through her beats and lyrics shared frankly about the things that matter to her.
Miss Kaninna released her EP ‘KANINNA’ just last year with songs such as ‘Blak Britney’ and ‘Push Up’ which received warm welcomes from her audience. Her way of blending story telling with rap and hip hop is, albeit not entirely the genre I would usually go for, captivating, in particular in a live setting, and she commanded the stage like it was her second nature. Kneecap clearly chose their tour support carefully as Miss Kaninna was a perfect warm up for the trio’s show.
Kneecap have become a cultural phenomenon thanks to their political views and their calling out of the genocide currently taking place in Palestine. They’ve been kicked out of their own gigs, sued the British government, packed festival tents, and have gathered a loyal following for all the right reasons, which made the atmosphere at their headline show a very warm and accepting one. The trio that emerged from a squat in West Belfast knows of oppression and speaks loudly about it, through their beat-driven soundscapes and cutting lyrics that get every crowd going and in particular the Newcastle one. Singles such as ‘H.O.O.D.’, ‘Get Your Brits Out’, ‘Fine Art’, and ‘Cearta’ were all on the setlist and had the entire packed out O2 City Hall chanting along. Kneecap has well and truly brought some fresh energy to the current hip hop scene, and shows that punk isn’t just a genre, it’s a way of life.
Words by Laura Rosierse
