Kneecap live at Reading 2026: politics, partying and a pop at Andy Burnham

We’ve made it to the final hours of Reading 2026 .

Florence + The Machine ’s rain-dance during ‘Dog Days Are Over’ over at The Grid just absolutely emptied the skies for a proper biblical pissing down, and the sodden festival-goers who remain are more than a little battle-worn.

We need one last and mega shindig to make it worth sticking around.

READ MORE: Kneecap on ‘Fenian’ and fighting back: “We understand that religious divide serves absolutely nobody” After The Gallery tent speakers turn up for the intro music of Friday’s headliners and fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C .’s ‘Favourite’ (landing like ‘Mr Brightside’ at a boozy wedding), Kneecap beam their now-traditional message about Israel committing a genocide against the people of Palestine and Lebanon, all aided by the UK government.

That’s the Belfast rap trio in a nutshell – a party hand-in-hand with politics.

“We use our platform to talk about what we believe is right,” says Mo Chara at one point, paying tribute to those who “aren’t so fucking lucky” and have been silenced.

He gees up the crowd through a loud “fuck Netanyahu” and a “free free Palestine”.

Later on he’ll lead a hearty chant of “ Aaaaaa-ndy Buuurn-ham’s a waaaaaaan-ker ” to the tune of ‘Seven Nation Army’ for our new Prime Minister for saying that “a united Ireland is off the table”.

He chuckles: “The BBC won’t broadcast that, or will they?” Dear reader, they did not.

Kneecap fans at Reading 2026.

Credit: Andy Ford for NME Beyond the headlines and the controversy , you can’t say Kneecap haven’t engaged their following.

Still, the fans stick around for a good time; a rave to follow the rally.

It’s a measured start with the rumbling ‘Smugglers & Scholars’ before things really go off with the Grian Chatten collab ‘Better Way To Live’ and the pure menace of ‘Sick In The Head’.

“Are ya ready for a mad one?” asks Mo Chara.