Live Report: Kneecap round up the year with unruly and stirring 3Arena show

If there is one common denominator to all Kneecap performances, it is that they leave you with the unshakable feeling that they were much more than just a gig. Their show in Dublin’s 3Arena last night was no different, as the band offered a glorious homecoming following a huge year of touring, a dropped terrorism offence, and a ban from entering Canada, among other things.

Facing a crowd jam-packed with balaclavas, jerseys and tricolours, Kneecap kicked off the evening by projecting messages onto the empty stage's backdrop, most notably criticising the presence of US warplanes in Irish airspace, the projection reading: “GET THE US MILITARY OUT OF IRELAND,” or “FREE PALESTINE." Followed a compilation of recent news segments about Kneecap’s many controversies over the past year, played with an effortlessly charming humour which inspired chants of “Free Mo Chara” and “Free Palestine" before the group had even found their way onto the stage.

Kneecap at 3Arena on December 16th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Under roars of applause, DJ Provaí, quickly followed by Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap, gloriously entered the venue, and it was not long after that the trio offered a performance of their 2023 track ‘ITS BEEN AGES’. Powerful, provocative and more than a little rousing, it was almost comical how fitting the almost three-years old track appeared after the tumultuous year the band have had, lyrics slightly tweaked for the occasion as Móglaí Bap sang “all your headlines made us famous.”

The track read as a statement of intent: this evening, Kneecap were here to party, but do not be mistaken: this was, above all, a politically charged event, and a riotous one. Throughout the night, the group multiplied powerful and passionate speeches, highlighting their ongoing fight for the people of Palestine and the Irish people’s unwavering support for the cause: “As Irish people,” Mo Chara said, “we don’t have to lecture you about the importance of international solidarity,” before offering words of encouragement to the hunger strikers linked to Palestine Action currently protesting in UK prisons, and inspiring one of many “free Palestine” chants of the evening.

Kneecap at 3Arena on December 16th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

In their political fight, the boys still manage to find the humour that has always defined their artistry. From the iconic visuals projected in the background, including Kneecap-branded bottles of Buckfast and animated breasts wearing a tricolor bikini, to magnificently ridiculous banter and their tracks’ tongue-in-cheek tones, it was very clear that the trio was, above all, having incredible fun, calling their audience “Finian cunts” after only ten minutes on stage and starting a good old chant of ‘Maggie’s in A Box’, the lads’ enthusiasm was unmistakable.

Delightful pushing the playfulness to a million, the night was briefly interrupted by a surprise reunion of TPM, the Hendy brothers from The Mary Wallopers' original act. Marking their first live appearance in four years, the duo, accompanied by Kneecap, offered a delectable rendition of their track ‘All The Boys On The Dole’, which was recently featured in the Netflix series House Of Guinness.

Kneecap at 3Arena on December 16th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

As is traditional at a Kneecap performance, the lads were in fiery form, their liveliness seemingly unending as they jumped across the stage and spit bars like there was no tomorrow. The crowd, of course, gave back the energy tenfolds, kicking off moshpit after moshpit on tunes like ‘Guilty Conscience’ or ‘Parful’, shouting back every chorus, and even picking up the second verse of ‘H.O.O.D’ all by themselves.

After months of legal battles and politically motivated backlash, Kneecap’s relief to finish the year on home soil was almost palpable. Throughout the night, emotional moments were legion, the trio’s pride at having filled up 3Arena for two consecutive nights incredibly contagious. “We’re not very emotional lads, but we have 13,000 people seeing Kneecap in Dublin!” the band offered, warmth visible in their eyes, before jumping into the cult classic ‘C.E.A.R.T.A’, which the whole room sang back in a riotous choir.

Kneecap at 3Arena on December 16th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Elsewhere, the group delivered a rare performance of ‘Mam’, a clear and deeply stirring tribute to Móglai Bap’s mother, who passed away a few years ago. In another moving homage, the trio honoured Irish author and friend Manchán Magan, who died this year after a battle with prostate cancer, with their tune ‘Drug Dealin Pagans’, on which he originally performed. Their rendition of The Dubliners’ 'The Auld Triangle', also dedicated to Magan, appeared to shake up the whole venue with emotion.

In their first of two sold-out nights in 3Arena, Kneecap appeared in perfect form and more than a little affected while ticking off this career milestone - and after this ruckus of a show, one can only hope that the lads were very proud of themselves.